The Brutal Murder of Katy Benoit: Fatal romance between UI prof and student rocked Idaho campus 10 years ago
Warning: This content contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some readers. Discretion is advised.
IDAHO, MOSCOW: The University of Idaho has been in the news lately due to the recent murder of four students. As the police are yet to find the suspect in the murder, the killing of Katy Benoit, a student at the university, by her professor Ernesto A Bustamante is again in the news.
According to Fox News, Bustamante,31, who referred to himself as a "psychopathic killer" and "the beast" brutally murdered Katy, 22 on the front porch of her Moscow home. The duo was reportedly dating. A day after her death, Bustamante was also found dead in a Moscow hotel after he shot himself in the head with a revolver.
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According to NBC, Katy was killed when she stepped out for a cigar after baking cookies. Bustamante shot the 22-year-old 11 times with a .45-caliber handgun. Meanwhile, Lorne Hetsler, a neighbor, claimed back then that he heard the sound of the shot and witnessed the man leaving the premises in a dark trench coat and hat. Though the duo dated, Katy's roommates Meghan Walker-Smith and Emma Gregory stated that their relationship ended in March. The roommates also claimed Bustamante pointed a handgun at Katy on multiple occasions and also had put a gun in her mouth.
Meanwhile, in an affidavit given by a close friend Rowdy J Hope, he "confirmed that Bustamante had multiple handguns and multiple personality disorders, one of which Bustamante called a 'psychopathic killer' and another he called 'the beast.'"
The University of Idaho also claimed in a statement, "We are shocked and saddened by the death of Kathryn ‘Katy’ Benoit, who was killed outside of her off-campus residence in Moscow last night. There is no way to express how devastating any life loss can be, especially someone so young with such potential."
Katy's family explained in their obituary, "Her last weeks as a physical being on Earth were filled with excitement and anticipation for her new role as a Teacher's Assistant, where she would be teaching undergraduate classes in Social Psychology and Developmental Psychology. Katy was a recipient of the Bronze, Silver and, just this past year, Gold Congressional Awards, which Congress gives to outstanding young Americans with high achievement in volunteer public service, physical fitness and personal development."
However, Katy wrote an email to Carmen Suarez with the University's Office of Human Rights before her death. She said, "I wanted to come forward but I was scared for my personal safety and my academic career. Further, he was extremely persuasive regarding our future, my academic future, and my safety."
She also explained her relationship with the professor. She wrote, "He began flirting right away and pursued an intimate relationship. By the end of that semester, he and I were in a sexually active relationship," reported KHQ.com.
The mail also read, "If students wanted to question him, or defy him in any way, he would always premise his response with 'it's never a good idea to piss me off.'" The professor also threatened Katy. The email read that on three separate occasions, he threatened her by holding a "fully loaded gun" to her head, and detailing how he would use it.
Katy stated that Bustamante had five different personalities and owned at least 5 handguns which he carried "everywhere, including to campus (on every occasion). He answers his door with them, travels with them, sleeps near them, EVERYWHERE."
In the email, Katy further explained that he has a "twisted behavior." She said, "Most of my activities at this University are somehow related to him, and I don't want to ruin my academic career."
The university commemorates Katy Benoit Safety month annually. "The Katy Benoit Safety Month is still held annually and includes a safety forum, a ‘lighting audit’ for students, training, and other events," Jodi Walker, the school’s executive director of communications to;d Fox News.
The University of Idaho also has a bench in front of the institution to remember her, which reads, “Katy Benoit: In memory of Katy’s journey, her care of others, her willingness to speak up, and her courage to make a difference.”
In 2021, as the campus commemorated the 10th death anniversary of Katy, UI Vice President Torrey Lawrence said, “Katy has not been forgotten. She’s celebrated. “We honor her passing, and we are doing everything we can to learn from that experience and move forward and support our students everywhere we can.”
Meanwhile, Blaine Eckles, UI dean of students, said, “We don’t shy away from it,” he said, adding, “We don’t let it be the elephant in the room," reported Spokesman.com