Vermont State Police (VSP), New York State Police and the FBI have stepped in to help the Middlebury Police Department (MPD) in investigating the disappearance of Lia Smith ’26, who was last seen on campus at 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 17.
According to a statement released by MPD and VSP on Wednesday, Oct. 22, MPD on Wednesday afternoon conducted a large-scale search using aerial drone cameras of wooded areas on and near campus. A ground search was conducted by MPD, the Middlebury Fire Department and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents from the Swanton Sector.
A full-scale search by Vermont State Police will take place on Thursday, Oct. 23. The release added that the state police’s Victim Service Unit is working with Smith’s family.
Students began working with college Public Safety on Tuesday evening to gather search party volunteers. A form collecting contact information of volunteers sent out through GroupMe and other social media platforms had over 170 responses by Tuesday night and continues to receive more entries.
Student organizers on Wednesday began meetings with Dean of Students Joe Russell, Public Safety officers and later the Vermont State Police Search & Rescue Coordinator to discuss further steps for student involvement, according to Meissa Atmani ’26 and other student leaders. Students have begun on-campus searches as of Oct. 23 and will expand their scope according to guidance from police.
On Wednesday evening, Vice President for Student Affairs Smita Ruzicka and Associate Vice President of Safety Demitria Kirby emailed the news release to the college community, along with a list of events for students to connect with staff and health resources. This follows two other emails since Smith was reported missing in which they stated their commitment to finding her and offered support.
Smith, 21, is 5’11 and about 160 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. She is a double computer science and statistics major from California, and previously competed on the college's Women’s Swimming and Diving team. Police request that anyone with information about her whereabouts contact MPD at 802-388-3191, submit an online tip at www.middleburypolice.org, call the Vermont State Police barracks in New Haven at 802-388-4919 or send an anonymous tip at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.
Madeleine Kaptein '25.5 (she/her) is the Editor in Chief.
Madeleine previously served as a managing editor, local editor, staff writer and copy editor. She is a Comparative Literature major with a focus on German and English literatures and was a culture journalism intern at Seven Days for the summer of 2025.
