ARTICLE UPDATE – 1/12/26:
The families of all four University of Idaho students murdered by Bryan Kohberger are now suing Washington State University (WSU) for alleged gross negligence, wrongful death, and Title IX violations.
Kohberger, who was sentenced in July to four consecutive life sentences for killing Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, was studying criminology at WSU at the time of the murders.
Steve Goncalves, the father of victim Kaylee Goncalves, first filed the suit in November seeking accountability and transparency from WSU regarding concerning behaviors exhibited by Kohberger leading up to the murders. Mogen’s mother, Kernodle’s father, and Chapin’s mother have been added as plaintiffs.
The lawsuit, filed Jan. 7, accuses the school of remaining “idle in the face of known extreme and repeated instances of discrimination, sexual harassment and stalking by Kohberger occurring in its educational program,” which “ultimately culminated in Kohberger stalking and murdering the decendents.”
According to the court documents, Kohberger was the subject of at least 13 formal complaints during his single semester at WSU, all of which were met with “deliberate indifference.”
“There was no indication that WSU acted on these formal complaints, or that it acted in an urgent and decisive manner commensurate with the imminent and serious threat that Kohberger posed,” the lawsuit says. “WSU failed to exercise its supervisory power and disciplinary authority over Kohberger, despite having repeated notice of the high risk of serious misconduct.”
ORIGINAL ARTICLE – 11/20/25:
The family of one of the four University of Idaho students murdered by Bryan Kohberger plans to sue Washington State University, the school the convicted killer attended at the time of the attacks.
Attorney Shanon Gray, who represents the family of victim Kaylee Goncalves, says they are seeking accountability and transparency from WSU regarding concerning behaviors exhibited by Kohberger leading up to the murders, KOMO reports. Kohberger was a graduate student studying criminology at WSU and was also a teaching assistant.
Public records released following Kohberger’s conviction show several students and professors complained about his behavior, accusing him of staring intensely, dominating conversations, blocking exits, and following or hovering over women at their offices or cars. A tally board was kept in a student office to track Kohberger’s discriminatory comments, and some female students avoided being alone with him.
RELATED: Police Release Timeline Leading Up to University of Idaho Student Murders
One WSU faculty member told co-workers that if Kohberger ever became a professor, he would likely stalk or sexually abuse his future students. An unnamed Ph.D. student who was in the same program as Kohberger told police that he was disparaging toward women and liked to talk about sexual burglary, FOX previously reported. Other people in the department said Kohberger was a possible future rapist and speculated that he might be an incel, a member of an online community of largely young men who consider themselves unable to attract women sexually. Many also have views that are hostile toward women.
In total, 13 separate complaints were filed against Kohberger, who was ultimately fired from his teaching assistant position for “behavioral issues.”
Goncalves and three other students, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Ethan Chapin, were stabbed to death in their off-campus home in Nov. 2022. Moscow Police previously stated they did not know the motive behind the murders and that there is no known connection between Kohberger and the victims.
WSU is located in Pullman, Wash., approximately 10 miles from the University of Idaho. Kohberger lived in an apartment in Pullman during the time of the murders.
Kohberger pleaded guilty in July 2025 and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.