Idaho Murders Eyewitness Dylan Mortensen Says She Still Faces Harassment and Threats Four Years After Roommates Were Killed

She survived the night four University of Idaho students were murdered. But for Dylan Mortensen, the nightmare did not end when police arrested Bryan Kohberger. Nearly four years later, she says online harassment, threats and cruel conspiracy theories continue to affect almost every part of her life.

Dylan Mortensen, one of the two surviving roommates in the 2022 University of Idaho murders, says she is still struggling with the consequences of that terrifying night. In a recent court filing, obtained by PEOPLE, Mortensen described nearly four years of unwanted public attention, harassment and threats since four of her friends were killed inside their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho. She was the only surviving roommate known to have seen the intruder as he left the house that night. Now, as previously sealed records from the case are potentially set to become public, she is asking a judge to preserve protections for her identity and privacy.

The murders happened in the early hours of November 13, 2022. Mortensen was inside the house when she encountered a masked man with bushy eyebrows walking toward the exit. According to her account to investigators, she opened her bedroom door, saw the stranger and watched him leave through the kitchen area. She later described the encounter and sent a message to another surviving roommate, Bethany Funke. At the time, she did not know that four of their friends — Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin — had been fatally stabbed elsewhere in the house. Their bodies were discovered later that morning.

After the investigation became national news, Mortensen found herself facing intense scrutiny from strangers. Some people questioned why she had not immediately called 911, while others spread conspiracy theories suggesting she knew more about the killings than she had disclosed. In her recent filing, she said people who had never met her had formed opinions about her character, questioned her actions and accused her of involvement in something she had nothing to do with. She described the attention and hostility as affecting nearly every aspect of her daily life, including how she interacts with others, where she feels safe going and what personal information she is comfortable sharing publicly.

Her request to the court is connected to the possible release of previously sealed records. Mortensen understands that the public has an interest in transparency, but she wants the judge to consider the potential consequences of exposing more information about her identity. She is particularly concerned about her face appearing in materials that could circulate widely online. Her filing explains that she is trying to protect her privacy, personal safety and ability to move forward. The renewed legal attention may be especially difficult because Kohberger has filed a post-conviction petition seeking to withdraw his guilty plea, a move that could potentially lead to further proceedings and place Mortensen back at the center of the case.

In July 2025, Mortensen appeared in court during Kohberger’s sentencing and delivered an emotional victim impact statement. Fighting back tears, she described the fear and trauma she had carried since losing her four friends. She directly addressed the man responsible for their deaths, saying his actions had taken not only their lives but also the light they brought into the world. Kohberger had pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. His later petition challenging the guilty plea has created another chapter of uncertainty for the surviving witnesses and victims’ families.

For Mortensen, the tragedy has never been confined to the night of the murders. She lost four friends, experienced a traumatic encounter with the killer and then endured years of public judgment from people who knew little about what she had been through. Her latest court filing is an effort to prevent that scrutiny from following her even more closely as the case continues to attract attention. Four years later, she is still asking for something that should never have been taken from her: the chance to feel safe, protect her privacy and rebuild a life beyond the tragedy.

Source: PEOPLE