University of Idaho professor Rebecca Scofield was falsely accused of murder by TikTok tarot influencer Ashley Guillard. On Friday, a Boise jury in the U.S. District Court ordered Guillard to pay $10 million to the professor.
According to the Idaho Statesman, Guillard alleged that Scofield was having a secret romance with one of the four victims who were recently killed. The Texas fortune teller also accused the professor of orchestrating the quadruple slayings.
Following the jury’s verdict, the satisfied professor said she hopes the case sends a clear warning that making “false statements online has consequences in the real world.” In a conversation with Fox News, Scofield said, “The murders of the four students on November 13, 2022, were the darkest chapter in our university’s history.”
REBECCA SCOFIELD, Plaintiff, vs. ASHLEY GUILLARD, Defendant
Case 3:22-cv-00521-REP
Document 98 Filed 06/13/25
pages 3 pic.twitter.com/5RiAo58P77
— 🇬🇧 Matt Blac Inc. 🇺🇸 #Helpfindme 🌏 (@MattBlacInc) August 15, 2025
“Today’s decision shows that respect and care should always be granted to victims during these tragedies. I am hopeful that this difficult chapter in my life is over and that I can return to a more normal life with my family and the wonderful Moscow community,” she added.
On November 13, 2022, University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were stabbed to death at an off-campus rental home. Shortly afterward, Ashley Guillard began uploading videos on TikTok accusing professor Rebecca Scofield of having a secret romance with one of the students.
The Texas fortune-telling TikToker later alleged that the professor “ordered” the killings. Her videos quickly gained traction among her roughly 100,000 followers on the platform. When Scofield learned of the accusations, she filed a lawsuit in December 2022.
Scofield, who serves as the university’s history department chair, stated in her complaint that she had never met the victims. She also provided an alibi, saying she was out of state at the time of the killings.
Police later cleared her, emphasizing that she had no connection to the murders. However, despite being served with cease-and-desist letters, Guillard continued posting videos.
STATE OF IDAHO v. #BRYANKOHBERGER Defendant
ORDER STRIKING IMPROPERLY FILED RECORDS REQUEST BY Ashley Guillardhttps://t.co/QmwiIfZwhx
Scofield v. Guillard (3:22-cv-00521) pic.twitter.com/LFkvHyTwvu
— 🇬🇧 Matt Blac Inc. 🇺🇸 #Helpfindme 🌏 (@MattBlacInc) May 8, 2025
Instead, she doubled down on her accusations, stating, “I am not stopping.” She also questioned why Scofield needed three lawyers to file the lawsuit, implying, “if she’s so innocent.” The professor’s legal team argued that the defamatory allegations posed a serious threat to her career while also painting her as a criminal.
The lawsuit ultimately came entirely in the plaintiff’s favor after Bryan Kohberger pleaded guilty to the quadruple murders in July 2025. Kohberger, who was studying criminology at Washington State University at the time, is currently serving four consecutive life sentences in Idaho.
A year earlier, Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Raymond Patricco also found Guillard’s statements legally defamatory. During the recent damages trial, the tarot reader claimed she has psychic powers, asserting that this is how she was able to “solve” the homicides. However, the verdict was clear.
The court ordered her to pay the professor $7.5 million in punitive damages and $2.5 million in compensatory damages.
