The body of Lauren Blackburn, a junior at Princeton University, was found in Lake Carnegie on Friday morning, April 25, 2025, concluding a search that lasted nearly a week for the 23-year-old student.
Blackburn, an English major at the esteemed New Jersey institution, was last observed near the college’s Firestone Library around 6 p.m. on April 19 before disappearing. University officials issued a campus-wide alert on Tuesday, April 22, reporting him missing.
“I am deeply saddened to share with you that the body of Lauren Blackburn ’26 was found at Lake Carnegie this morning. Our hearts are heavy and we share our deepest condolences with Lauren’s family and friends,” Dean of Undergraduate Students Regan Crotty wrote in a letter to the school community.
Authorities tracked Blackburn’s phone to the area of the artificial reservoir around midnight on Tuesday, prompting a search of the water. His body was found three days later.
Lake Carnegie is situated just south of Princeton’s campus, close to the university’s athletic facilities, but it is about a mile from the library where Blackburn was last seen. The reservoir covers 263 acres, with a consistent depth of 9 feet at a distance of 35 feet from the shore.
The lake was a donation from steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, built at a cost of $450,000 in the early 1900s, which is approximately $9.5 million today, according to university records.
Princeton’s Department of Safety confirmed Blackburn’s body was found but did not immediately disclose a cause of death. The investigation involved the Department of Public Safety and regional law enforcement agencies.
Blackburn had been a features writer for the Daily Princetonian, the student newspaper, and had recently been honored as the 2024 Sam Hutton Fund for the Arts winner. This prestigious award is granted annually to a student in the Lewis Center for the Arts to support undergraduate summer study, travel, and independent research.
Prior to Princeton, Blackburn graduated from Corydon Central High School in southern Indiana, where he was known for his outstanding academic achievements. He gained local attention in 2019 as a high school senior when he received both a National Merit Scholarship and a Gates Scholarship.
Former high school teachers recalled Blackburn’s exceptional academic talents and personal qualities. His English teacher, Kate Robinson, mentioned that Blackburn seemed to have a photographic memory, noting that he could read a book and remember everything in it. Science teacher Karen York highlighted his kindness, stating she never heard him speak negatively about anyone.
Blackburn’s academic path led him to Princeton, where he was on track to graduate in 2026.
The search for Blackburn intensified in the days following his disappearance, as campus security and local law enforcement concentrated their efforts on Lake Carnegie after discovering phone location data.
According to campus publications, Blackburn’s death is the sixth undergraduate student death at Princeton since 2021. Reports indicate the previous five student deaths during this period were determined to be suicides, although university officials have not linked these cases.
Princeton University has faced what some publications describe as a concerning pattern of student deaths in recent years. Reports suggest that as many as nine Princeton students have died since 2021, with various causes.
The university has not shared additional details about the circumstances of Blackburn’s disappearance or death. Counseling and support services have been made available to students, faculty, and staff as they cope with this loss within the campus community.
Funeral arrangements and memorial services for Blackburn have not yet been announced by the university or his family.
