Elsa McGrain University of Kansas pre- med student killed in Lawrence hit and run, as authorities make arrest 4 days after tragedy.
A pre med college student in Lawrence, Kansas has died after she was fatally struck in a hit and run while jogging earlier this week. It wasn’t until late Sunday that authorities arrested a suspect in the the fatal hit and run.
Elsa McGrain, 20, of the University of Kansas was jogging near the Lawrence Regional Airport around 6 p.m. Thursday when she was struck by a truck, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
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It wasn’t until a further 9.5 hours before McGrain’s body was found just on 3:35 a.m. on Friday, after a passerby discovered the deceased woman and called police, according to a Facebook release by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Attending officers surmised the woman had been killed while running earlier that day.
Surveillance video identified the hit and run driver behind an all white pick up truck at the time of the fatality. The driver whose identity had yet to be publicly revealed was arrested late Sunday according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Stated cops in a release in part, ‘After an extensive investigation, which included examining evidence and responding to numerous tips from the public, on Sunday, Nov. 9, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputies located the suspected vehicle and driver involved in Thursday’s hit-and-run crash outside of Lawrence that killed 20-year-old University of Kansas student Elsa McGrain.’
McGrain, originally from Omaha, Nebraska, was a pre-med student at the University of Kansas slated to graduate in 2026, police said.
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‘Our hearts go out to Elsa’s family and friends in this incredibly tragic situation,’ cops wrote in a statement.
McGrain was also a member of the Chi Omega sorority, where she served on the executive board as house manager, according to a tribute posted by her sorority sisters on Instagram.
‘It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved sister, Elsa McGrain,’ the sorority wrote in a statement.
‘Elsa was the kind of person everyone wanted to be: genuine, kind, and full of light. She noticed the quiet one in the room, checked in on you whether things were good or bad, and was the loyal friend we all strive to be,’ the statement said.
Authorities are still investigating the crash and have urged anyone who recognizes the vehicle of interest or was in the area of E. 1500 Road between 5:45 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Thursday to call detectives.
‘Our deputies and detectives continue to work diligently to investigate this thoroughly, find the driver involved, and work appropriately through the justice system from there,’ police wrote.
A Fundraiser to assist the McGrain Family with funeral expenses has since been started, with donors asked to give here.
