20-Year-Old Kaylee Russell Found Dead After Days Missing — Details

After days of desperate searching, a quiet Colorado community is now mourning a devastating discovery. The disappearance of a young woman has ended in heartbreak, and the first revelations from the coroner are beginning to uncover what may have happened during her final moments.

Kaylee Russell, a 20-year-old from Evans, Colorado, was found dead four days after she vanished. Her body was discovered on December 4, 2025, in an unexpected location.

As investigators work to understand how she ended up there, the coroner has revealed early findings, including an injury that raises more questions than answers.

The Vanishing That Shook a Town

Kaylee disappeared on Sunday, November 30, and by the middle of the week, her name was spreading across social media as the Evans Police Department and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation took to Facebook to issue a plea for help and shared more details of her last-known whereabouts.

The young woman had dropped her father off at the Loveland/Johnstown Park-N-Ride near Colorado 402 and I-25 at around 6:15 p.m.

She was then supposed to drive to a friend's house, but she never arrived. Authorities urged anyone who had seen her or her car to immediately call 911.

As days passed, the search intensified. A GoFundMe campaign was launched by Kristina Dahlstrom on behalf of Rebecca Russell, Kaylee's mother. Rebecca had stopped working to lead the search efforts herself, despite the growing financial strain.

The fundraiser's description offered a grim glimpse into the family's desperation. Not only had Kaylee missed her plans Sunday night, she also failed to show up to work the next day.

"Since Sunday evening, her phone has stopped sharing any data, and her whereabouts remain unknown," the campaign stated. It also revealed that Rebecca had already lost another child in the past and was now fighting with everything she had to bring Kaylee home.

The fundraiser urged locals to join the search and help however they could.

The Grim Discovery Beneath the Water

The hope that Kaylee would return alive was shattered when divers from emergency personnel made a shocking discovery. Inside a submerged vehicle, a black 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, they found the body of a young woman.

The car had landed upside down in a canal near the Timnath Reservoir off Larimer County Road 1. At first, officials didn't confirm the identity, but by December 5, the CBI deactivated their alert and thanked the public for their help, confirming that Kaylee had been found.

The GoFundMe was updated soon after with a heartbreaking message, detailing that Kaylee was discovered but didn't make it. They left the campaign open in hopes of donations for funeral expenses as well as some financial support for the heartbroken mother.

As of this writing, the fundraiser has raised $23,633, just shy of its $24,000 goal.

A Mother's Grief and a Community's Kindness

In a text message to FOX31, Kaylee's mother described her daughter as someone with a "beautiful soul" and a fierce capacity for love. She remembered Kaylee as loyal, honest, and deeply passionate about what she believed in.

The community that rallied to find Kaylee also grieved her. A relative, Shelley McinTyre, posted a heartfelt thank-you on Facebook to all those who helped.

She also gave a special shoutout to Pedro's Coffee Shop, which stayed open for searchers to get warm, and Pizza Plus in Ault, which offered them free food.

The Weld County School District RE-9, where Kaylee graduated with the Class of 2024, also shared their sorrow online, extending condolences to everyone who loved and was part of her life.

The Injury and Ongoing Investigation

On December 8, the Larimer County Coroner's Office released the first official findings about Kaylee's death. They confirmed the identity of the body and revealed she had died the night she went missing from cold exposure and blunt force trauma.

Investigators believe the trauma came from the crash that sent her vehicle into the canal, where it remained undetected for days. However, the Colorado State Patrol has not yet determined why Kaylee's car went off-road.

The vehicle is now being examined in the State Patrol evidence garage, where investigators are focusing on the brakes and internal computer system for answers. According to Sergeant Ivan Alvarado, they are working to reconstruct the crash that led to this tragedy in full.

"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," he said.

We extend our condolences to the Russell family and their loved ones during this time.