Idaho Massacre Survivor Seeks Privacy Protection From Court

A survivor of the 2022 University of Idaho student murders is asking a Latah County judge to suspend the release of photographs and videos that could reveal her identity. Dylan Mortensen says continued public exposure has threatened her family's safety, forced repeated relocations and subjected her to harassment since the killings in Moscow, Idaho.

In an affidavit submitted to Judge Megan Marshall, Mortensen said her family has relocated nine times since November 2022. She also explained that she uses an alias for delivery orders, at work and when meeting new people to protect her identity.

Mortensen described the potential consequences of releasing unredacted images in her court filing.

"I worry that even appearing in the background of someone's photo could lead to more people recognizing me or identifying where I am," Mortensen wrote.

She said unwanted attention has extended beyond media coverage, with strangers appearing outside family homes and following relatives.

"Since November 2022, my family and I have had to move nine times in an effort to protect our privacy and safety. Reporters and strangers investigating the case on their own have shown up outside our homes, followed family members, and invaded our privacy in ways that have made it difficult to feel safe," Mortensen wrote.

Mortensen was one of the surviving roommates at the King Road residence where four University of Idaho students were killed on November 13, 2022. She encountered a masked man inside the house after the early-morning murders and sent a message to another surviving roommate about the encounter.

She and Bethany Funke contacted friends, who subsequently came to the residence. Police were not contacted until around noon. Officers discovered the bodies of Xana Kernodle, 20, Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21.

Mortensen said the aftermath has affected her ability to participate in everyday activities without worrying about public recognition.

"Along with losing four of my friends and experiencing something incredibly traumatic, I have spent nearly four years dealing with public attention, harassment, threats, and constant speculation about my involvement in what happened. People who have never met me have formed opinions about my character, questioned my actions, and accused me of things I had absolutely nothing to do with," Mortensen wrote.

She also described the continuing psychological burden of being recognized or judged by strangers.

"It is difficult to feel completely comfortable in public when I am constantly considering whether someone knows who I am and what they might believe about me," Mortensen wrote.

Her attorney, Robyn McPherson, is seeking to intervene in the public-records dispute and challenge Marshall's October 20 decision authorizing additional disclosures. McPherson argues that removing the existing facial blurring would constitute an unnecessary intrusion into her client's privacy.

The attorney filed a motion last week requesting that the judge reconsider the order and temporarily suspend the release while the petition and potential appeals remain unresolved.

McPherson also wants Moscow authorities to identify the withheld materials, submit them for confidential judicial review and prepare a detailed index. She argues that Mortensen cannot adequately defend her privacy interests without knowing precisely which records are scheduled for disclosure.

According to McPherson, Moscow's city attorney indicated that the materials could include interviews, photographs and videos involving Mortensen.

In her legal filing, McPherson characterized the proposed disclosure as a potential violation of her client's privacy rights.

"D.M. seeks reconsideration of the October 20 order only on the issue of whether disclosure of the records withheld by the City of Moscow would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy," McPherson wrote.

She also argued that city attorneys had not submitted the disputed records to the judge before the October 20 decision. McPherson said neither Moscow officials nor the families of Chapin and Mogen, who also intervened in the case, adequately represented Mortensen's specific privacy interests.

The records dispute began after EWU Media LLC submitted a public-records request on August 28, 2025. Moscow authorities partially denied the request, prompting the company to seek a court order compelling disclosure. Marshall subsequently approved the release of additional records on October 20, 2026.

The broader criminal case against Bryan Kohberger remains separate from the public-records dispute. Kohberger pleaded guilty in July 2025 and attempted to withdraw his plea earlier in 2026.

A hearing on Mortensen's request for reconsideration and a temporary suspension of the disclosure order is scheduled for November 12.