On a late summer evening in Moscow, Idaho, the life of 22-year-old Kathryn Marguerite "Katy" Benoit was tragically cut short. On August 22, 2011, the University of Idaho graduate student was shot and killed outside her off-campus home. The promising young woman, who had just begun her graduate studies in psychology, was the victim of a violent act that stemmed from a troubled relationship with a former professor.
The man responsible for her death was Ernesto Bustamante, a 31-year-old
former assistant professor of psychology at the university. Benoit and Bustamante had been involved in a romantic relationship that had ended. In the months leading up to her death, Benoit had grown increasingly alarmed by Bustamante's erratic and threatening behavior. She took steps to protect herself, filing a sexual harassment complaint with the University of Idaho in June 2011, in which she alleged that Bustamante had threatened her with a gun on three separate occasions. She also reported his threats to the Moscow Police Department.
Despite these reports, Bustamante's harassment continued. He resigned from his position at the university on August 19, 2011, just three days before he would take Kathryn's life. On the evening of August 22, while Benoit was at home with friends, she stepped outside for a cigarette and was confronted by Bustamante, who shot her multiple times. A neighbor witnessed a man leaving the scene in a black car, which was later identified as a rental.
Following the shooting, a manhunt for Bustamante ensued. He was tracked to a local hotel, the University Inn-Best Western. When police attempted to serve a warrant and make contact, they were unsuccessful. Early the next morning, officers entered his hotel room and found Bustamante dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The investigation that followed confirmed that Bustamante acted alone in the murder of Kathryn Benoit. In his hotel room, police discovered several guns, including the. 45 caliber handgun used to kill her, and medications for bipolar disorder and severe anxiety. Further investigation of his personal computer revealed that he had saved files containing Benoit's class schedule and home address.
