A medical examiner’s officer was conducting an autopsy Friday. However, the cause and manner of death will not be determined until toxicology and other test results are returned, and results could take weeks to receive, said Casey DeBlasio, spokesperson for the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
“On Thursday night, one of our members who was initially signed up for duty was unable to attend our event, and Misrach volunteered to cover their shift. After the club had closed and all of the duty responsibilities had been fulfilled, Misrach — as well as the other members on duty — left for the night,” the club wrote to the paper.
“We are planning an opportunity for students to join together and remember Misrach,” the school said.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who’d said he’d been in touch with law enforcement agencies during the search, tweeted Thursday he was heartbroken by news of her death.
“Our hearts go out to her family, friends, and fellow students who knew and loved her,” he wrote.
The autopsy was being performed by the medical examiner’s office in Middlesex County, DeBlasio said. That is adjacent to Mercer County, where Princeton is located.
Student’s brother called her a ‘beautiful soul’
During the search, Ewunetie’s brother Universe Ewunetie described his sister Thursday as a “precious, beautiful soul,” a “great listener” and someone who “cares about people beyond her.” The brother and other relatives were putting up fliers about his missing sister on campus.
Universe Ewunetie said their father first tried contacting his sister on October 14 but didn’t connect and assumed she was busy. By October 15, calls and texts were going through, but still, no response — and, by Sunday, the calls were going straight to voicemail.
Her family was particularly alarmed she missed a meeting regarding her citizenship on Saturday, Universe Ewunetie said.
Misrach Ewunetie was a graduate of the Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School, the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland said.
“The Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School community is profoundly saddened at the news of the passing of Misrach Ewunetie, a former honor student, class of 2020, who was found deceased today on the campus of Princeton University,” Deacon James Armstrong said.
“We hold her family and all others who loved her close to our hearts,” the group said.
CNN’s Brynn Gingras, Nicki Brown, Amir Vera, Ray Sanchez and Zenebou Sylla contributed to this report.
