Lia Smith, the missing Middlebury College student who disappeared earlier this month, has officially been confirmed dead.

As per reports, the 21-year-old was reported missing by her father on Sunday, October 19, two days after she was last seen on campus.

Tragically, a press release issued by the Vermont Police Department confirmed that a body recovered from close to the campus last Thursday, October 23, is that of the vanished collegiate swimmer.

After a large-scale search began, authorities deployed drones and conducted ground sweeps, later widening their efforts to the wooded areas on and around the Middlebury College in Vermont.

Last Wednesday, October 22, the search was ramped up, drawing in multiple agencies including the Middlebury Fire Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Vermont State Police Search and Rescue Team.

The search came to a heartbreaking end a day later, Thursday, October 23, when a body was found in a field near The Knoll, Middlebury College’s organic farm, at approximately 1:30 p.m.

Lia Smith was reported missing on October 19. Credit: Facebook/Middlebury College
The victim was soon identified as Smith, with an initial investigation finding no signs of foul play.

According to the aforementioned press release from the Vermont Police Department, the Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Smith had died by suicide.

After the devastating news broke, Middlebury College President Ian Baucom issued a statement expressing the institution’s profound sadness.

“I have spoken with Lia’s family to express my heartbreak. As president, and far more as a fellow parent, I ache for them. This is a profound loss that nobody should have to endure,” Baucom wrote on Facebook.

“As we mourn, I want to express my deep appreciation for the efforts of our Student Affairs staff who have been offering such compassionate support to Lia’s family, friends and students across our community. We will continue to support them in every way possible,” Baucom continued.

“She was a diver on our Women’s Swimming and Diving team, a member of our Chess and Japanese clubs, and an articulate advocate of transgender rights. Her academic interests were broad, and she was pursuing a double major in computer science and statistics. She was a gift to us, and we are so grateful that she was — and will always remain — a member of our Middlebury family.”

According to reports, Smith joined the Women’s Swimming and Diving team after enrolling at Middlebury College in 2022. She won both the one-meter and three-meter diving events during a December tournament that year.

The 21-year-old was set to graduate from Middlebury College in May 2026.

Rest in peace, Lia Smith.