UPDATE: Coroner determines cause in death of Kaylee Russell
DENVER (KDVR) — The body of a missing 20-year-old woman has been found days after she was last seen near Loveland.
Kaylee Russell was last seen at about 6 p.m. Sunday near the intersection of Colorado 402 and I-25 after dropping her father off at the Loveland/Johnstown Park-N-Ride. The vehicle she was driving, a 2016 black Volkswagen Tiguan, was found Thursday submerged on its roof in a canal near the Timnath Reservoir off Larimer County Road 1.
Divers did find a body in the vehicle, according to the Colorado State Patrol, but officials have not identified it as being Russell. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s missing endangered alert for Russell was deactivated Friday morning saying just that she “has been located,” and a verified GoFundMe created on behalf of Russell’s family said she had been found dead.
“Kaylee has been found and unfortunately, she did not survive,” the GoFundMe, created by Kristina Dahlstrom on behalf of Russell’s mother, said in an update. The funds raised through it, totaling more than $13,000 already, will go toward funeral expenses and additional support for Russell’s mother.
In a text message, Russell’s mom, Rebecca Russell, told FOX31’s Anna Coon that her daughter “was a beautiful soul and loved hard.” Her mother went on to say that she was stubborn, hardheaded, and loyal to a fault.
“She called me daily to tell me even the smallest things or when her bosses praised her,” Rebecca Russell said. “You never had to wonder where you stood with her. She stood up for what she believed.”
Colorado State Patrol investigators believe Russell’s car sat in the canal for days before it was located. The vehicle is now in the state’s evidence garage, where investigators will look at the car’s brakes and computer system.
“We’re going to be able to draw a picture, a very clear picture of how the car was before, during the crash, and after the crash,” said Sgt. Ivan Alvarado, with Colorado State Patrol Public Affairs. “From there, we’re going to be able to determine if speed was a factor, if weather was a factor, if brakes were a factor.”
Officials from the school district Russell graduated from, Weld County School District RE-9, on Friday said they were mourning Russell’s loss as well.
“The Weld RE-9 School District is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of our 2024 graduates, Kaylee Russell,” the district said in a Friday Facebook post. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, classmates, and all who were touched by her life. This loss impacts our entire school community.”
The Larimer County Coroner’s Office said it would issue a press release on the body found near Timnath Reservoir next week.