Boise federal jury awards $10 million to University of Idaho professor Rebecca Scofield after finding TikToker Ashley Guillard spread false claims linking Scofield to the November 2022 murders of four students. The award included $7.5 million in punitive damages and $2.5 million in compensatory damages. A judge had already ruled the statements defamatory; Guillard said her posts reflected tarot-based beliefs and represented herself at trial.
Boise Jury Awards $10M After TikToker Falsely Linked Professor To 2022 Idaho College Murders
Tarot influencer’s claims in Idaho college murders case spark courtroom reckoning
A federal jury in Boise has ordered Houston-based TikTok creator Ashley Guillard to pay $10 million to University of Idaho history chair Rebecca Scofield after finding that Guillard spread false allegations linking Scofield to the November 2022 stabbing deaths of four students.
Verdict and Damages: The July verdict in Scofield v. Guillard included $7.5 million in punitive damages and $2.5 million in compensatory damages, according to court records and reporting by the Idaho Statesman.
Background: Scofield filed the lawsuit in December 2022 after Guillard posted a series of TikTok videos beginning in late November 2022 that alleged—without evidence—that Scofield had a romantic relationship with one of the victims and had "ordered" the killings. Court filings say Scofield had never met the victims and was out of state when the murders occurred.
University of Idaho students from left to right: Ethan Chapin, 20; Xana Kernodle, 20; Madison Mogen, 21; and Kaylee Goncalves, 21. All four were stabbed to death in an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho, on Nov. 13, 2022.(AP Newsroom)
The victims—Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin—were stabbed to death in a rental home near the University of Idaho campus in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13, 2022. The killings drew national coverage and deeply affected the campus community.
Criminal Case Update: Authorities later arrested Bryan Kohberger, then a criminology doctoral student at nearby Washington State University. Kohberger pleaded guilty in a deal that avoided the death penalty and is serving four consecutive life sentences in an Idaho state prison.
Court Rulings and Evidence: In June 2024, Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Raymond Patricco determined that Guillard’s statements were legally defamatory, leaving only the amount of monetary damages to be decided by a jury. The complaint and subsequent filings state Guillard continued publishing the allegations even after receiving cease-and-desist letters and after police publicly said Scofield was not connected to the crime.
People lay flowers and pay respects at the University of Idaho on Tuesday, November 15, 2022. Four students were murdered in Moscow, Idaho over the weekend.
At the time of the posts, Guillard’s TikTok account had more than 100,000 followers and some videos received millions of interactions, according to court documents. Scofield’s legal team argued the posts accused her of criminal conduct and professional misconduct that could jeopardize her academic career.
Aftermath and Reactions: In a statement after the verdict, Scofield thanked the jury and said she hoped the decision would allow her to move past a painful chapter. "The judge had already ruled as a matter of law that the statements were false. The $10 million verdict reinforces the judge’s decision and sends the clear message that false statements online have consequences in the real world," she said.
Guillard, who represented herself at trial, has maintained that her claims were expressions of belief tied to tarot card readings. It was not immediately clear whether she plans to appeal. Representatives for Guillard did not respond to requests for comment.
Note: This civil verdict addresses defamatory online statements and damages; the criminal prosecution that produced guilty pleas and life sentences involved different legal proceedings and standards of proof.
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