The death certificate of Lia Smith ’26, obtained by The Campus on Jan. 6 from the Vermont Department of Health, states that the cause of Smith’s death by suicide in October 2025 was a gunshot wound to the head. The finding reveals that 21-year-old Smith was in possession of a handgun on campus prior to her death. Smith’s father reported her missing on Sunday, Oct. 19 and she was found dead on Thursday, Oct. 23 by Vermont State Police (VSP) in a field near the Knoll, the college’s organic farm on the west end of the Middlebury College campus.
C.6 of the Middlebury Handbook states that the use and possession of weapons, including ammunition, are prohibited on Middlebury property unless they are registered and stored with the Department of Public Safety. Handguns are only allowed on campus as a duty weapon issued by the student-owner’s employer.
Smith’s possession of a gun was not shared by the college administration in messages to the community about her death, nor addressed in the national coverage of her story. An article titled “At Middlebury, She Hoped to Start Fresh. In Trump’s America, It Seemed Impossible” published in the New York Times on Jan. 5, tells a story of Smith’s battle against a climate at the college and the broader U.S. that has felt unwelcoming to transgender students like herself without mentioning her possession of a gun.
Julia Ferrante, vice president for communications and marketing, told The Campus on Wednesday afternoon that the college administration did not know that Smith was in possession of a gun until the Vermont State Police found Smith’s body and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed her cause and manner of death.
“As a matter of established practice, and due to privacy concerns, the College does not disclose the manner of death in public communications,” Ferrante wrote. She added that the college conducts regular checks of residence halls and confiscates items not in accordance with college policy.
According to The Trevor Project, an American nonprofit organization focused on suicide prevention efforts for LGBTQ+ youth, 55% of the over 43,000 people who died from a firearm injury died by suicide in 2023; firearms are the leading cause of death for people ages 13-24 and the cause of half of suicide deaths in that age group. The Trevor Project’s 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People found that 39% of all LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the previous year.
This is a developing story, and The Campus will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Smith’s possession of a firearm and has contacted the college for further comment.
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, dial 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or text VT to 741741 for the Crisis Text Line. Trained counselors are available 24/7. Call 9-1-1 if you are concerned about someone’s immediate safety or need emergency medical services. Services like TimelyCare and college counselling are available to Middlebury community members.
Yuvraj Shah '26 (he/him) is an Senior Opinions Editor.
Yuvraj is the Senior Opinions Editor at The Campus. He is a joint major in History and English Literature, and previously interned for the New England Review. He was awarded the $5000 Mellon Migration grant and is conducting research into the migrant experience of Kenyan Indians. He studied abroad at Keble College, University of Oxford and is a senior fellow at Middlebury Admissions. He is from Nairobi Kenya, and London, UK. He is a UWC Davis Scholar.
Cole Chaudhari '26 (he/him) is the Senior News Editor.
Cole has previously served as a Managing Editor, News Editor, Copy Editor, and Staff Writer. He is majoring in History and English Literature, and spends his time outside of the newsroom reading about sound reproduction technologies and making field recordings. This past summer, he taught high schoolers at a summer program at a boarding school in New Hampshire.
Mandy Berghela '26 (she/her) is a Managing Editor.
Mandy has previously served as the Senior Local Editor, a Local Section Editor and Staff Writer. She is majoring in Political Science with a minor in History. She is the Co-President for the Southeast Asian Society and an intern with the Conflict Transformation Collaborative. Last summer, Mandy interned with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and participated in the Bloomberg Journalism Diversity Program.
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.
