> At a Glance
> – Families of four slain Idaho students file suit against Washington State University
> – Bryan Kohberger was a WSU Ph.D. student and teaching assistant when he committed the 2022 murders
> – The 126-page complaint claims WSU ignored years of reported stalking and harassment
> – Why it matters: The lawsuit could force universities to tighten oversight of graduate assistants with documented misconduct
The parents of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin are seeking damages from Washington State University, arguing the institution failed to act on repeated warnings about Bryan Kohberger’s predatory behavior while he studied and taught on campus.
The Allegations
Filed on January 7 in Skagit County Superior Court, the lawsuit portrays WSU as knowingly hosting an “employee with a known history of threatening, stalking and predatory behavior.” Court documents reviewed by News Of Los Angeles state that Kohberger’s troubling conduct began “almost immediately” after he arrived in the Pullman-Moscow community.
Female students and co-workers allegedly required routine security escorts because they feared the criminology doctoral student. Local business owners, according to the complaint, kept electronic notes to alert female staff whenever Kohberger entered their establishments.
Pattern of Missed Warnings
Before WSU recruited him, Kohberger had:
- A documented heroin addiction
- A theft arrest
- Public online posts detailing his “inability to feel emotion” and “crazy thoughts”
- Removal from a high-school vocational program for “problems with women”
The families contend that WSU granted Kohberger free tuition, a stipend, housing, and medical benefits, all “conditioned on his behavior and subject to being revoked.” Yet, the suit claims, administrators took no disciplinary action despite multiple complaints.
Timeline of Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Pre-2022 | Kohberger dismissed from high-school program for “problems with women” |
| 2022 | WSU enrolls Kohberger as a Ph.D. student and teaching assistant |
| Nov 13, 2022 | Four University of Idaho students stabbed to death in Moscow, Idaho |
| July 2024 | Kohberger pleads guilty and receives four life sentences plus ten years for burglary |
| Jan 7, 2025 | Victims’ families sue WSU for negligence |
Legal Argument
The plaintiffs want the university held accountable for “remaining idle in the face of known extreme and repeated instances of discrimination, sexual harassment and stalking.” The complaint stresses that Kohberger’s research focus-“sexually motivated burglars and serial killers”-should have amplified, not minimized, the university’s duty to monitor his conduct.
WSU, located just 10 miles from the murder scene, has not yet responded publicly to the lawsuit.
Key Takeaways
- Kohberger, 30, is serving four consecutive life sentences without parole and an additional ten years for burglary
- The civil action seeks unspecified monetary damages for WSU’s alleged failure to protect the community
- The case highlights potential liability for universities that employ graduate assistants with documented behavioral red flags
A judge will now decide whether WSU’s inaction constituted negligence that contributed to the fatal stabbings.
