A professor is suing a TikTok user who accused her of the mystery University of Idaho murders.
Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21 Ethan Chapin, 20 and Xana Kernodle, 20, all died in the brutal attack that shocked the university community.
Police still have not named a suspect for the November 13 deaths when the students were found slaughtered at a converted apartment house.
Rebecca Scofield, an author and assistant professor of history at the university focusing on gender, sexuality and the American West, is now suing internet personality Ashley Guillard, who alleged to have solved the prominent murder cases and whose TikTok videos have repeatedly alleged that the school's history department chair was involved.
Prof Scofield filed the federal complaint in Idaho's district court seeking a jury trial along with reimbursement for all applicable legal fees, while accusing Guillard of spreading false narratives about Scofield's connection to the deceased college students and the unsolved quadruple murder.
The lawsuit says: "Defendant Ashley Guillard—a purported internet sleuth—decided to use the community's pain for her online self-promotion."
It continues to claim she "posted many videos on TikTok falsely stating that Plaintiff Rebecca Scofield (a professor at the University) participated in the murders because she was romantically involved with one of the victims."
Wendy Olson, one of the attorneys representing Scofield said the claims were "false, plain and simple," in a statement to CBS News.
Olson added: "What's even worse is that these untrue statements create safety issues for the Professor and her family.
"They also further compound the trauma that the families of the victims are experiencing and undermine law enforcement efforts to find the people responsible in order to provide answers to the families and the public.
The victims were stabbed in the chest and upper body, as Moscow Police Department confirmed there were no signs of sexual assault.
According to police, the students were likely asleep when the attack happened, and some of the victims had defensive wounds as they tried to fend off the attack.
Ms Mabbutt believes the suspect would have had to be very angry to stab four people, she told NewsNation: “It has to be somebody pretty angry in order to stab four people to death.”
The victims were all close friends with Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle both in a relationship together.
Investigators said evidence found at the house has led them to believe the pupils were targeted - but have refused to give any more details.
Police said nothing was taken from the victims or the home.
The cops drew criticism from the local community after they claimed there was no ongoing danger to the wider community - despite four students being stabbed to death.
Authorities have since changed their stance, as police believe there now could be a threat to the local area.
Mr Fry said: "We cannot say that there is no threat to the community.
"We still believe it's a targeted attack. But the reality is there still is a person out there who committed four very horrible, horrible crimes."
There were two other people found unharmed in the house as police refuse to discuss whether they saw the killings or could provide an account of who called 911.
According to police, there was no sign of forced entry at the home as cops arrived to the front door being open.
