Body discovered while searching for missing Vermont college student Lia Smith

Body Found in Search for Missing Vermont College Student

A body was discovered while searching for a missing Middlebury College student last seen about a week ago.

Leah Smith, a 21-year-old from California, was last observed on campus on the night of October 17. The college reported her missing that Sunday. Smith, a trans woman, is pursuing a double major in computer science and statistics and has previously been on the school’s women’s swimming and diving team.

On Thursday afternoon, around 1:30 p.m., the Vermont State Police announced that they found an unidentified body in a field to the west of the Middlebury College campus, specifically near the university’s organic farm known as The Knoll.

Authorities have cordoned off the area and started an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death. They are currently waiting for an autopsy, which is set for Friday in Burlington, Vermont, to confirm the victim’s identity and determine the cause of death.

For now, investigators do not consider the death suspicious.

Earlier, police had planned a live press conference on Thursday but canceled it just before it started. For several days, they had been searching for Smith using ground teams and drones, and later reached out for support from other agencies, including Vermont State Police, New York State Police, and the FBI.

In a statement on Instagram, Middlebury College President Ian Baucom acknowledged the situation and expressed support for the community. He mentioned that it’s a tough situation for everyone involved, especially for Smith’s family and friends.

Middlebury College, often referred to as a “Little Ivy,” is a private liberal arts institution located in Vermont’s Champlain Valley, with around 2,800 undergraduate students enrolled.