A history professor at the University of Idaho is suing a self-proclaimed psychic on TikTok for defamation after the latter posted a series of videos accusing her of involvement in the murder of four college students.
TikToker Ashley Guillard — who has more than 108,000 followers on the app — has posted a number of videos speculating Professor Rebecca Scofield was involved in the murder of students Ethan Chapin, Xana Kerondle, Maddie Mogen and Kaylee Goncalbes in mid-November.
According to The Washington Post, Guillard shared Scofield’s picture and said she was the killer. The Post also described Guillard’s theory as “bizarre and baseless”.
She has continued posting videos about Scofield, with the most recent dated to yesterday.
The TikToker had already been hit with two cease-and-desist letters from Scofield before the defamation suit. Guillard told The Washington Post she did a tarot reading about the killings after a follower asked her to, and the reading “[alluded] to a teacher being involved”. She then claimed another tarot reading led her to believe Scofield was involved.
Her TikToks said, without any evidence, that Scofield ordered the murders because she was in a relationship with one of the college students, per The Post.
In the defamation suit, it was alleged that “Ashley Guillard — a purported internet sleuth — decided to use the community’s pain for her online self-promotion”.
The degree to which so many become emotionally invested in crimes like the Moscow, Idaho murders and then play armchair detective is unsettling. A consequence of ubiquitous true crime shows and podcasts.
— Senator Milton Young (@SenMiltonYoung) December 21, 2022
“She has posted many videos on TikTok falsely stating plaintiff Rebecca Scofield… participated in the murders because she was romantically involved with one of the victims,” it continued, per The Guardian.
“Guillard’s statements are false.
“Professor Scofield did not participate in the murders and she had never met any of the victims, let alone entered a romantic relationship with them.”
According to the lawsuit, Scofield and her husband were in Portland, Oregon on the day of the murders. It added that she feared she and her family could be threatened with physical violence in the wake of Guillard’s videos.
“[Scofield] does not know why Guillard picked her to repeatedly falsely accuse of ordering the tragic murders and being involved with one of the victims,” it said.
“Professor Scofield does know that she has been harmed by the false TikToks and false statements.”
The four college students — three housemates and one of their boyfriends — were stabbed while in bed at their home near the University campus in Moscow, Idaho.
“People could be charged,” Moscow’s police chief warns after borderline harassment of people relating to “speculation and rumors” regarding University of Idaho student murders. He says, “some of it’s happening online, some of it’s happening through phone calls and in person.” pic.twitter.com/m1JlsCGS2S
— Josh Breslow (@JoshBreslowTV) December 10, 2022
Two other housemates slept through the attack without hearing anything, per the ABC.
No suspects have been publicly identified by local police yet, who have also warned against people speculating about the horrific murders.
