Idaho college murders: Sole eyewitness Dylan Mortensen needs 'trauma therapy'; GoFundMe page set up

Surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen seeks funds for relocation, trauma therapy and safety after witnessing the 2022 University of Idaho murders.

The family of Dylan Mortensen, one of the two surviving roommates from the 2022 University of Idaho murders, has launched a fundraising campaign to help her rebuild her life more than two years after the tragedy.

University of Idaho murder survivor Dylan Mortensen bravely gave her court testimony ahead of accused Bryan Kohberger's sentencing.(REUTERS)

Mortensen, who was an eyewitness in the high-profile case, has maintained a low profile since the killings of her four roommates - Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin - in their off-campus Moscow, Idaho home in November 2022.

‘Silently and bravely’ moving forward

According to the GoFundMe page, set up by relatives, Mortensen has spent the past two and a half years “silently and bravely putting one foot in front of the other,” cooperating with law enforcement and working through the trauma of the murders.

Her family wrote that she has had to adjust to “a new reality” - one that is “forever lacking peace, security, safety, and her closest friends.” They added that public scrutiny and online criticism have added to her emotional burden, though they hope social media can also serve as a platform for kindness and support.

Bethany Funke, the other surviving roommate, has largely avoided the public spotlight since the killings. Court records and police statements indicate she was also inside the house at the time of the murders but did not witness the attack. Funke later moved out of Idaho, and her name surfaced briefly during pretrial proceedings when the defense sought her testimony - a request she initially contested before agreeing to cooperate.

Relocation, trauma therapy, and safety measures

According to the fundraiser, contributions will help Mortensen leave her current location for a safer, more private environment - a move her family says is critical to her long-term well-being. Funds will also cover the cost of intensive, ongoing trauma therapy to address the emotional and psychological toll of surviving such a violent crime.

In addition, part of the donations will go toward extra security and privacy measures, ensuring she can live without the constant fear of being approached or harassed. “If you aren’t able to support her financially but still want to help, we would sincerely appreciate sharing this to spread the word,” her family wrote, urging the public to help surround Dylan with “support, love, and light” after such a dark period in her life.

Mortensen’s emotional courtroom statement

In July 2025, Dylan Mortensen faced Bryan Kohberger in court to deliver her victim statement ahead of his sentencing. Holding back tears, she described how the attack had left her deeply scarred both emotionally and physically.

“What he did shattered me in places I didn’t know could break. I should have been figuring out who I was,” she told the court. “I should have been having the college experience and starting to establish my future. Instead, I was forced to learn how to survive the unimaginable.”

Mortensen went on to reveal that she now suffers from regular panic attacks and an overwhelming fear of being alone. “I can’t breathe, I can’t think, I can’t stop shaking. It’s far beyond anxiety. It’s my body reliving everything over and over again. My nervous system never got the message that it is over, and it won’t let me forget what he did to them,” she said.

Kohberger sentenced to life without parole

Bryan Kohberger, 30, has been sentenced to four consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole for the November 2022 murders. The former criminology student showed no visible emotion as he listened to hours of harrowing victim impact statements from grieving family members.

The brutal killings shocked the small college town of Moscow and gripped national headlines until Kohberger’s arrest nearly two months later. In delivering the sentence, Judge Steven Hippler described Kohberger as “the worst of the worst,” adding, “I’m unable to find anything redeemable about Mr. Kohberger.”