By Ahmed Abdelsalam
One of the surviving roommates of the four University of Idaho students murdered in 2022 has asked a court to blur her face in upcoming investigative video footage, citing years of harassment and threats that forced her to relocate nine times.
Court Filings Detail Harassment
Dylan Mortensen, who told police she saw a masked man inside the home on the night of the killings, submitted an affidavit on October 29 in Latah County court. She wrote that the intense public attention and hostility have affected nearly every aspect of her life, leading to hateful messages, accusations of involvement, and the need to use an alias at work and for deliveries.
Kohberger Sentencing and Records Release
Bryan Kohberger received a life sentence last year after admitting guilt to the November 13, 2022 stabbing deaths, though he is now seeking to withdraw that plea. No motive has been established, and it remains unclear why Mortensen and another roommate were spared. Judge Megan Marshall last month ordered the release of investigative records after a media company sued the city of Moscow for access.
Motion Hearing Scheduled
A hearing on Mortensen’s motion to intervene and protect her identity is set for next week. She argued that releasing extended police interviews and body-camera footage would make her more recognizable and expose her facial expressions to public analysis and criticism, preventing her from living a normal life.
