Idaho Murder Case: Roommate Seeks Privacy in Video Release
Dylan Mortensen, who survived the 2022 Moscow killings, moved nine times due to harassment and asked a judge to blur her face in newly released police footage.
By Chioma Kuznetsov ·
Nine times. That is the number of moves Dylan Mortensen has made since the four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death in their Moscow, Idaho home in November 2022. In a court filing submitted on Oct. 29, Mortensen detailed the toll the case has taken on her life. She stated that the "amount of attention and hostility" she has received has "affected nearly every aspect" of her daily routine.
The timeline of the legal battle begins with the stabbing deaths on Nov. 13, 2022. Mortensen told police she saw a man with bushy eyebrows and a ski mask in the home that night. Bryan Kohberger, the suspect, pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced to life in prison. He is currently attempting to withdraw that plea. No motive for the killings has been established, and authorities have not explained why Mortensen and one other roommate survived.
The current dispute centers on investigative records. EWU Media, a company that produces crime documentaries, sued the city of Moscow to obtain these files. Judge Megan Marshall ordered the release of the records last month. The judge ruled that the city failed to show that specific records were properly withheld. She noted that the Idaho Public Records Act does not broadly exempt the identity of witnesses in an investigation.
Mortensen filed a motion to intervene in the lawsuit. She asked Judge Marshall to ensure her face is blurred in all released materials. This includes police interviews, body-camera footage, and other investigative recordings. Mortensen argued that her identity is already known, but the new footage shows her during a highly vulnerable period. She wrote that there is a "significant difference" between existing photos and the lengthy police interviews where she talks and reacts.
The affidavit describes the personal impact of the case. Mortensen said she uses an alias at her job and introduces herself with a different name. She avoids using her real name for package deliveries to keep her address secret. She reported receiving "years of hateful messages and threats" from strangers. Many of these messages accused her of participating in the murders or blamed her for the deaths of her friends.
Mortensen expressed concern that additional footage would make it easier for strangers to identify her in everyday situations. She does not want her facial expressions used for analysis or criticism. She wrote that she wants to work, meet new people, and attend concerts without constantly worrying about being recognized or confronted.
The Associated Press contacted the city of Moscow by email and phone on Tuesday for comment. The news agency also emailed EWU Media and Mortensen's attorney. No reply has been published yet. A motion hearing is scheduled for next week. Judge Marshall will decide on Mortensen's request to blur her face in the released video recordings.
The release of these records is part of a larger effort to document the investigation. The city of Moscow must disclose the files unless a specific exemption under state law applies. Mortensen's legal team believes the current privacy protections are insufficient. They argue that the extended footage captures her in a way that shorter clips do not.
