The families of the four University of Idaho students murdered by Bryan Kohberger are taking legal action against Washington State University (WSU), accusing the institution of negligence and wrongful death.
The lawsuit claims that the deaths of their children “should not and would not have occurred” if the university had responded appropriately to multiple reports regarding Kohberger’s concerning and predatory behavior.
Lawsuit Details: A Quest for Accountability
Filed on January 7, 2026, in Skagit County, Washington, the lawsuit is a powerful statement from the victims’ families, demanding justice and accountability.
The families of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin are seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages.
They allege that WSU failed to act on numerous warnings about Kohberger’s disturbing actions, which ultimately led to the horrific murders.
The 126-page legal complaint, which was obtained by the Daily Mail, paints a troubling picture of how WSU’s inaction allowed Kohberger’s predatory behavior to go unchecked.
The suit asserts that the university played a direct role in bringing Kohberger into the Pullman-Moscow community by admitting him to its criminology program and hiring him as a teaching assistant despite the growing list of complaints about his behavior.
Kohberger’s Rising Reputation of Threatening Behavior
Bryan Kohberger, a 31-year-old criminology PhD student at WSU, arrived in Washington state in June 2022, marking the first time he lived away from his family home in Pennsylvania.
His behavior quickly began to raise alarm bells among students and faculty.
According to the lawsuit, Kohberger developed a “reputation for discriminatory, harassing and stalking behavior” almost immediately upon his arrival.
Records from the investigation reveal that at least 13 complaints were filed against him, mostly by students in the criminology program.
His actions reportedly caused fear among female students, who felt uncomfortable and unsafe in his presence.
Many described him as “creepy” and said that they went out of their way to avoid being alone with him.
One faculty member even warned that Kohberger could be a “future rapist” if he were granted a PhD.
The complaints went beyond disturbing behavior in class.
Kohberger was reported to have stalked students, blocked exits to rooms, and expressed a strong interest in serial killers and violent crimes.
One student reported that Kohberger often talked about notorious killers like Ted Bundy, whose crimes involved breaking into sorority houses and murdering young women.
In some cases, students were so frightened by Kohberger’s actions that they sought refuge in bathrooms to escape him.
WSU’s Inaction and the Risk to Student Safety
The lawsuit strongly criticizes WSU for failing to take decisive action despite the numerous complaints.
It argues that the university was aware of the danger Kohberger posed as early as the first week of the fall semester in 2022, but chose not to intervene effectively.
Instead, the university’s response was slow and insufficient.
In mid-December 2022, Kohberger was placed on an improvement plan and eventually fired as a teaching assistant, but the families argue this came too late.
WSU’s reluctance to take stronger action was, according to the lawsuit, influenced by fears of potential lawsuits against the university.
There was concern that terminating Kohberger could expose WSU to legal challenges, and the university opted for minimal action.
The complaint highlights that WSU even avoided conducting a proper threat assessment, despite the growing evidence of Kohberger’s troubling behavior.
By the time the university scheduled mandatory discrimination and harassment training for its graduate students, many believed it was aimed directly at Kohberger.
However, this training occurred just days before Kohberger committed the murders on November 13, 2022.
The Murders and WSU’s Delayed Reaction
On the fateful night of November 13, 2022, Kohberger entered 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho, and brutally stabbed Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin to death.
Kohberger’s motive remains unclear, and no connection between him and the victims has ever been established.
At the time, Kohberger was living in Pullman, just a short distance away from the crime scene.
Despite the clear signs of his disturbing behavior, some of Kohberger’s colleagues at WSU reportedly suspected he may have been involved in the murders almost immediately.
However, none of them notified law enforcement, a failure that has only added to the outrage expressed in the lawsuit.
The victims’ families argue that WSU was obligated to take steps to control Kohberger’s actions as part of his duties as a graduate student, teaching assistant, and university housing resident.
They claim that the university’s failure to act not only contributed to the murders but also reflected a broader pattern of organizational paralysis in addressing threats to student safety.
WSU’s Response and the Path Forward
Washington State University has been given 20 days to respond to the lawsuit.
When contacted for comment, WSU issued a statement expressing sympathy for the victims’ families, but the university’s public position on the lawsuit remains unclear.
In a previous statement made in November 2023, WSU President Elizabeth Cantwell expressed her condolences, acknowledging the deep pain caused by the murders.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the families of the victims are hoping to bring about greater accountability and transparency at WSU.
For them, this lawsuit is not just about seeking financial damages—it’s about ensuring that the university is held responsible for its failure to protect students and respond to warning signs before the tragedy unfolded.
Kohberger’s Conviction and Life Sentence
In a separate legal development, Bryan Kohberger was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of murder and one count of burglary in July 2026.
He is currently serving his sentence at a maximum-security prison in Kuna, Idaho, where he has reportedly filed multiple complaints about his conditions.
While Kohberger’s conviction provides a sense of closure for some, for the families of the victims, the legal battle with WSU represents another chapter in their ongoing fight for justice and accountability.
The families are determined to hold the university responsible for its role in enabling the series of events that led to the devastating loss of their children.
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