Home / Crime and Justice / Middlebury College Student Vanishes Without a Trace
Middlebury College Student Vanishes Without a Trace
24 Oct
Summary
- 21-year-old Lia Smith last seen on campus on October 17
- Extensive search efforts by police, firefighters, and federal agents
- Smith's father reported her missing on October 19
On October 24, 2025, authorities in Vermont are actively searching for a missing Middlebury College student, Lia Smith. The 21-year-old senior from California was last seen on the college campus on October 17 around 9 p.m. Her father reported her missing on the afternoon of October 19 after not hearing from her and speaking with her friends.
Since then, local police, Vermont State Police, the FBI, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents have been involved in the search efforts. Drones have been used to search from overhead, and focused ground searches have been conducted in the woods around the college campus. The Middlebury Police Department is also receiving assistance from state police in New York.
Lia Smith is described as 5 feet, 11 inches tall, weighing around 160 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. She was a senior studying computer science and statistics, and used to compete for the college as a swimmer and diver. Authorities have urged anyone with information about her whereabouts to come forward, assuring that no one is in trouble and they simply want to ensure her safety.
