Dylan Mortensen, a survivor of the 2022 University of Idaho killings, says she has changed her identity and moved nine times while asking a judge not to release recordings and images that could reveal her face.
The 23-year-old has asked Judge Megan Marshall to revisit a ruling issued last month ordering the release of video and photographs that may show her. The records were sought by independent media organization EWU Media LLC.
“I am writing to respectfully ask the Court to maintain the existing redactions that blur my face in police interviews, body-camera footage and other investigative recordings related to the University of Idaho murders,” Mortensen wrote in an affidavit submitted to Marshall last week.
Mortensen had shared a home with Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. The four students were killed at the Moscow, Idaho, residence on November 13, 2022.
Bryan Kohberger, now 31, pleaded guilty to the four murders in July 2025. He later tried to withdraw that plea earlier this year.
Mortensen previously told investigators that she saw a masked man inside the house at about 4 a.m. She said she texted fellow surviving roommate Bethany Funke but did not contact emergency services at the time.
Around noon the next day, Mortensen and Funke found the bodies of their four friends, prompting police to respond to the home.
“I testified for the prosecution and gave multiple interviews regarding the man I saw in the home on the night of the murders,” Mortensen said in her affidavit.
Dylan Mortensen, 23, is asking Judge Megan Marshall to reconsider an order allowing the release of recordings and images that could show her face. The materials were previously requested by independent media company EWU Media LLC
Mortensen, pictured at far left, lived with Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, who were killed at their Moscow student home on November 13, 2022
Bryan Kohberger, 31, pleaded guilty to killing the four University of Idaho students in July 2025, then sought to reverse that plea earlier this year
EWU submitted a public records request in August 2025, but the request was only partly granted. The company then asked the court to order the city to turn over the remaining records, and Marshall approved that request on October 20, Fox News reported.
Mortensen is not seeking to keep the investigative material entirely from the public. Her objection centers on the removal of the blurring that protects her identity and appearance.
“I am not asking for the interviews or body-camera recordings to be withheld from the public, nor am I for information about the investigation to be hidden,” she wrote. “I am asking the Court to consider what additional information is actually gained by removing the blurring from my face.”
She argued that showing her face would not add anything to the substance of her statements. “My statements do not change when my face is visible, and the information being discussed in those recordings remains the same,” the affidavit said. “What changes is the public’s ability to examine my facial expressions, become more familiar with my appearance, and circulate images of me during an incredibly vulnerable time.”
Mortensen’s attorney, Robyn McPherson, filed a motion last week seeking permission to intervene in the case. She also asked Marshall to reconsider the release order and pause it while the petition and any appeals are addressed, according to Fox News.
The motion requests that Moscow officials identify the records being withheld and provide them to the judge for a private “in-camera” review, along with a detailed index of the materials.
McPherson said that process would allow Mortensen to understand what the records contain and give her a meaningful opportunity to present arguments in support of keeping her face blurred.
In her appeal to the judge, Mortensen also described the continuing impact of the tragedy, saying she and her family have faced repeated harassment, stalking and threats since the night of the murders.
EWU submitted a public records request in August 2025 that was partially denied before seeking a court order compelling the city to release the material. Judge Megan Marshall granted that request on October 20
Mortensen and her family moved nine times since the horror unfolded, as ‘reporters and strangers investigating the case on their own have shown up outside of our homes, followed family members and invaded our privacy in ways that have made it difficult to feel safe,’ according to the affidavit
Mortensen’s attorney, Robyn McPherson, filed a motion to intervene in Marshall’s decision last week, and asked the judge to also reconsider the order and issue a stay until the petition and appeals are resolved
‘Since November 2022, my life has changed in ways I never could have imagined. 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,’ Mortensen wrote.
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‘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.
‘I understand that I cannot control what people choose to believe or say about me, but the amount of attention and hostility I have received has affected nearly every aspect of my everyday life. It has changed how I interact with people, where I feel comfortable going, and how much personal information I feel safe sharing.’
She told Marshall how, over the last four years, she has made a conscious effort to avoid being photographed or go anywhere alone, fearing repercussions regarding her safety.
According to the affidavit, Mortensen and her family have moved nine times since the horror unfolded, as ‘reporters and strangers investigating the case on their own have shown up outside of our homes, followed family members and invaded our privacy in ways that have made it difficult to feel safe.’
She further detailed that she took on an alias to protect her identity, often introducing herself to strangers under the pseudonym or when receiving deliveries or packages.
Mortensen also expressed fears for her safety following numerous threats online, and told Marshall: ‘I have received numerous unsolicited messages from strangers accusing me of participating in my friends’ murders, blaming me for their deaths, and making cruel statements about what they believe should happen to me.’
She added that she held more than 30 screenshots, evidencing messages across multiple years that demonstrate harassment toward her over the case.
Mortensen argued that additional footage and imaging of her would make her more easily identifiable to the public, and allow them additional access to her mannerisms, facial expressions and demeanor
Mortensen also expressed fears for her safety following numerous threats online, and told Marshall she received ‘unsolicited messages from strangers accusing me of participating in my friends’ murders, blaming me for their deaths, and making cruel statements about what they believe should happen to me’
Mortensen’s mother allegedly found a comment on TikTok which stated that they would throw Mortensen in the trunk of their car if they ever saw her in downtown Boise to question her
‘Some individuals have called me a murderer, accused me of lying, and told me that I should have died that night. Others have expressed hopes that I would be hurt or killed. These messages are difficult enough to receive on their own, but what concerns me most is that some individuals have made statements about finding me or confronting me in person,’ Mortensen wrote.
Messages she received allegedly included, ‘I’ll find you’ and ‘Don’t let me find out where you live,’ while others threatened to release her parents’ address.
Her mother also allegedly found a comment on TikTok which stated that they would throw Mortensen in the trunk of their car if they ever saw her in downtown Boise to question her on the case.
‘I am sharing these experiences because I want the Court to understand why the existing facial redactions are important to me. I recognize that there are already photographs and videos of me circulating online, and I understand that my identity is publicly known.
‘However, I believe there is a significant difference between the photos and videos people have already seen of me and the lengthy police interviews and body-camera recordings taken during one of the most traumatic and vulnerable periods of my life,’ she wrote.
Mortensen argued that additional footage and imaging of her would make her more easily identifiable to the public, and allow them additional access to her mannerisms, facial expressions and demeanor, according to the affidavit.
She also expressed concerns that the footage and imagery may present additional scrutiny over her actions, words and demeanor that could fuel further accusations of her involvement in the case.
‘For years, strangers have analyzed my words and actions, questioned why I responded the way I did, and made assumptions about what they believe my behavior meant. Some have taken those assumptions further and accused me of being involved in the murders,’ she said.
A hearing is scheduled for November 12, as Kohberger is set to appear in court once again for a hearing on his petition for post-conviction relief on December 10
‘I worry that removing the blurring would give those same individuals another opportunity to pause recordings, take screenshots, isolate specific expressions, and create new theories based on how they believe I should have looked or reacted.’
A hearing is scheduled for November 12, as Kohberger is set to appear in court once again for a hearing on his petition for post-conviction relief on December 10, the outlet reported.
The Daily Mail reached out to Mortensen’s attorney McPherson, the Moscow Police Department and Judge Marshall for comment.
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