MOSCOW, Idaho - According to the attorney representing the family of Kaylee Goncalves, tort claim notices have been filed, reserving the Goncalves and Mogen families' right to sue the city of Moscow.
Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen were two of the four University of Idaho students murdered in Nov. 2022. It is unclear at this time whether the families of Xana Kernodle or Ethan Chapin, the other two victims, are planning legal action.
The Goncalves family attorney, Shanon Gray, confirmed he filed Tort Claims Notices against the City of Moscow, The University of Idaho, Washington State University and the Idaho State Police on behalf of both the Goncalves and Mogen families. The notices do not specify what kind of claim the families may make, nor do they list a specific dollar amount in damages.Â
These notices are not lawsuits, but instead serve as a legal step taken to protect the right to sue within two years.
Gray told reporters this notice is "a safeguard to protect the interests of the families, the victims, and really the whole community around, because if something goes wrong, or was done improperly, then someone is held accountable for that."
Bryan Kohberger, the only suspect in the murders, was arrested on Dec. 30 in Pennsylvania after driving across the country to spend the holidays at his family home in Albrightsville. On Wednesday, May 17, a grand jury returned a multi-count indictment against Kohberger, including four counts of murder in the first degree.
Kohberger stood silent at his arraignment Monday, and District Judge John Judge entered pleas of not guilty on his behalf. His trial is set to begin in October this year.
