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'Nightmare I cannot wake up from': Misrach Ewunetie's brother describes last moments before she vanished

Misrach Ewunetie's phone pinged off-campus in a New Jersey neighborhood two days after she vanished, her brother Universe Ewunetie said

PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY: Misrach Ewunetie's brother has shared more information about the investigation into the missing Princeton University student's disappearance and claimed she had no known boyfriends. Calling the incident "a nightmare that I cannot wake up from," Universe Ewunetie told the Sun that Misrach, 20, was sharing her location with a family member when she went missing on Friday, October 14. However, her phone pinged off-campus in Penns Neck, New Jersey early on Sunday, October 16 before it was turned off, he said.

Universe Ewunetie, 20, told The Sun, “That’s the last place her phone pinged. It’s very unlike her to turn off her phone, kids these days don’t turn off their phones, they love their phones.” Cops went to the unnamed housing complex three times since the phone's last ping at 3.27 am, once with police dogs, according to Universe. He apparently joined them on the third search, and stated that it lasted only half an hour. “It was not enough time because the back area was wooded and full of ground vines and shrubs,” he added. Without a warrant, police were unable to examine the homes at the complex, but they were able to speak with some of the residents, according to The Sun.

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According to the brother, Misrach was raised in Ohio, where her parents still reside. They are said to have immigrated to the United States from Ethiopia in 2008. The young woman was scheduled to attend an interview for her application for American citizenship on Saturday, October 15, but her brother was told she was a no-show. Universe claimed that the family is certain she has no mental health issues, "She doesn't have any personal problems that I'm aware of. With the pandemic, the first year they were not on campus, so that was difficult for her and for a lot of people. But this year she's been trying to get in this Terrace Club, and that was her way of making friends,” he added. 

He claimed that his sister, who had just switched her major to sociology with a minor in computer science, was having fun in class. When asked if Misrach had a boyfriend, Universe asserted, "We contacted her close friends. Everybody said she's not dating anybody." According to Universe, Misrach's parents haven't had anything to eat or drink since Friday, October 14. “She is the gem of the house, their only daughter and the youngest. She is very loved,” he added. Meanwhile, according to The Sun, the university released a statement on Tuesday, October 18, that read, "The Department of Public Safety is seeking information on the whereabouts of an undergraduate student, Misrach Ewunetie, who has been reported missing. Anyone with information on Ewunetie’s whereabouts should contact the Department of Public Safety at (609) 258-1000."