The family of one of Bryan Kohberger’s victims has revealed plans to take legal action against Washington State University, where Kohberger was a criminology PhD student at the time of the 2022 murders.
Kaylee Goncalves’s parents, Steve and Kristi Goncalves, are filing a tort claim seeking damages, their lawyer Shanon Gray told the Idaho Statesman.
The family said the lawsuit is about demanding “accountability and transparency” from WSU, after staff and students reportedly noticed Kohberger’s disturbing behavior before the tragic killings.
“Our goal is to understand what went wrong, to ensure that no other family endures the same tragedy, and to honor the memory of those who were lost,” the family said.
The Murders That Shocked Moscow, Idaho
On November 13, 2022, 21-year-old Kaylee Goncalves and three of her University of Idaho housemates—Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin—were brutally stabbed to death in their home at 1122 King Road, Moscow, Idaho.
Kohberger, now 30, carried out the attack in the early hours of the morning.
To this day, his motive remains unknown, and authorities have found no link between him and the victims.
At the time, he lived just ten minutes away across the border in Pullman, Washington, in WSU housing.
Kohberger had moved from Pennsylvania in June 2022, marking his first time living away from home since struggling with heroin addiction as a teenager.
Warning Signs Overlooked at WSU
Investigative records released after Kohberger’s life sentence reveal that staff and students quickly noticed alarming behavior.
Multiple complaints were filed, citing creepy, sexist, and socially aggressive tendencies.
Some faculty members even warned that Kohberger could become a “future predator.”
“He is smart enough that in four years we will have to give him a PhD,” one professor warned, suggesting that his intellect combined with troubling behavior could pose serious risks in the future.
Kohberger was also reported to physically block people from leaving rooms and showed a concerning interest in sexual burglary.
Eventually, he was put on an improvement plan, lost his teaching assistant role, and had his PhD funding cut in December 2022—days before his arrest at his parents’ home.
Education Background Under Scrutiny
Prior to WSU, Kohberger earned a master’s in criminal justice from DeSales University, Pennsylvania, where he studied under renowned criminology expert Dr. Katherine Ramsland.
His academic work revealed extensive knowledge of crime scenes, and one essay even analyzed a woman’s murder in detail.
He also conducted online surveys asking criminals about how they chose their victims, raising further questions about whether his studies influenced his actions.
Two former classmates expressed concern that his fascination with serial killers may have contributed to the killings.
Dr. Ramsland, however, emphasized that it is still too early to determine a clear motive.
Families Seek Justice and Accountability
The tort notices against WSU were initially filed in May 2023 by the Goncalves and Mogen families, reserving the right to sue.
It is unclear whether the other victims’ families will join this latest lawsuit.
A WSU spokesperson declined to comment due to the ongoing legal process.
WSU President Elizabeth Cantwell expressed condolences, stating, “We share in their sorrow and recognize the profound pain and shock that this act of violence has caused.”
Ongoing Restitution and Legal Proceedings
Recently, Kohberger was ordered to pay additional restitution to the Goncalves and Mogen families for the cost of urns, adding to previous fines, civil judgments, and restitution payments totaling over $300,000.
Court records also revealed that Kohberger received nearly $28,361 in donations while awaiting trial.
After years of contesting the charges, Kohberger accepted a plea deal days before trial, avoiding the death penalty but receiving a life sentence without the possibility of appeal.
He is now held in Idaho’s maximum-security prison in Kuna.
Remembering the Victims
The latest lawsuit coincides with the third anniversary of the murders.
Families and the Moscow community recently held a vigil to honor the four students, ensuring their memory remains central as justice continues to unfold.
Steve and Kristi Goncalves emphasized that their goal is not just legal action, but to protect future students from similar tragedies.
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