Authorities searching for a Middlebury College student who went missing last week recovered a body near the Vermont campus Thursday afternoon, officials said.
In a statement, Middlebury and Vermont State Police said the body was found in a field west of campus around 1:30 p.m.
“The location is in the town of Cornwall near The Knoll, the college’s organic farm,” police said.
Authorities did not confirm that the body was that of Lia P. Smith, a 21-year-old Middlebury College student last been seen around 9 p.m. on Oct. 17. An autopsy will be conducted Friday.
“Initial investigation does not indicate that the death is suspicious,” officials said. Police said they will “withhold the identity of the deceased individual until after the autopsy.”
Middlebury’s president, Ian Baucom, said Thursday’s discovery was “incredibly saddening news” for the campus community.
“We will share further information and a fuller communication with our community as soon as we have any updates,” Baucom said in a statement.
“I know that this is extraordinarily difficult news to receive as we continue to hold Lia and all her family and friends tight in our hearts,” he said. “As ever, please care for yourselves and one another.”
Smith, a Middlebury senior from California, was initially reported missing around 3:15 p.m. Sunday, police have said.
She had been last seen in a campus building two nights earlier, authorities said.
Middlebury police had said the search for Smith included “the use of an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), commonly known as a drone.”
In February, Smith had spoken on a campus panel discussing transgender healthcare, the Middlebury Campus, a student newspaper, reported at the time.
The article described Smith as a trans former student-athlete and quoted her as saying that her community at the college is strong, despite growing anti-transgender rhetoric in the broader culture.
“Know that there are people in your community that are here for you and care about you,” she said during the panel discussion.
Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.
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