Families of University of Idaho Students Sue Washington State University
Legal Action Over Alleged Negligence in Handling Bryan Kohberger’s Behavior
The families of four University of Idaho students murdered in 2022 have filed a lawsuit against Washington State University, where Bryan Kohberger was a graduate student at the time of the incident. The case was initiated in Washington Superior Court, targeting the university for alleged negligence and violations of Title IX.
The victims—Madison Mogen, 21; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20—were found stabbed to death in an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, in November 2022. Mogen, Goncalves, and Kernodle were housemates, while Chapin was dating Kernodle and staying overnight. The families argue that WSU failed to act on complaints about Kohberger’s “inappropriate, predatory, and menacing behavior,” which they claim created a foreseeable tragedy.
“This effort is not about vengeance or speculation,” the families’ legal team stated. “This is about ensuring that institutions entrusted with the safety of young people take threats seriously and act decisively when warning signs are present.”
The lawsuit highlights 13 formal complaints against Kohberger, alleging his behavior was so extreme that female classmates would leave their belongings behind during class. Students, staff, and faculty reportedly felt threatened by his aggressive staring, physical blocking of exits, and follow-up to vehicles requiring routine security escorts.
WSU has not yet provided a comment, but in a statement to The New York Times, the university expressed solidarity with the victims’ families. Kohberger, then a 28-year-old doctoral student, was arrested in Pennsylvania months after the murders. Authorities linked him to the killings through DNA evidence, video surveillance, and cellphone data. In July 2023, he accepted a plea deal, avoiding the death penalty in exchange for a life sentence. He was also sentenced to four consecutive life terms for first-degree murder and 10 years for burglary.
Matt Lavietes is a reporter for NBC News.
