The families of the four University of Idaho students killed in a 2022 stabbing attack have filed a lawsuit against Washington State University, alleging the school failed to act on warning signs about the man who carried out the murders.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday, Jan. 7, in Washington state court by the families of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. It seeks damages from Washington State University, where Bryan Kohberger was enrolled as a Ph.D. student and employed as a teaching assistant at the time of the killings.
The complaint alleges that Kohberger had a known history of threatening, stalking, discriminatory, and predatory behavior while affiliated with the university, and that school officials failed to intervene despite repeated red flags.
Washington State University is located in Pullman, Washington, approximately 10 miles from Moscow, Idaho, where the four students were fatally stabbed inside an off-campus home on Nov. 13, 2022.
According to the lawsuit, Kohberger was financially and professionally dependent on the university, which provided him with a salary, on-campus housing, health benefits, and tuition as part of his teaching assistant position in the Criminal Justice and Criminology Department. The complaint alleges those benefits were contingent on appropriate conduct and could have been revoked.
The families claim the university failed to impose consequences or take corrective action despite reports that Kohberger’s behavior caused fear among female students and staff. The lawsuit alleges that several women required security escorts due to concerns about his conduct.
The complaint further states that Kohberger’s academic focus included research on sexually motivated criminals, including serial offenders, and argues that the university failed to recognize the risks posed by his behavior within the campus community.
The families allege that Kohberger had a documented history of troubling conduct prior to his enrollment, including substance abuse issues, a past theft arrest, and years of online posts describing emotional detachment and disturbing thoughts. The lawsuit also claims he was removed from a vocational program during his youth due to issues involving women and that local businesses had taken steps to warn female employees about him.
The plaintiffs argue that the university’s alleged failure to respond to reports of stalking and harassment allowed Kohberger to remain in a position of authority and stability, ultimately contributing to the circumstances that led to the killings.
In July, Kohberger was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole for the murders, along with an additional 10-year sentence for burglary and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and penalties. He had previously confessed to killing the four students, who ranged in age from 20 to 21.
The lawsuit emphasizes the responsibility of educational institutions to identify and address stalking and threatening behavior promptly, arguing that Washington State University failed to meet that obligation.
The university has not publicly commented on the lawsuit.