Former North Carolina State University director of sports medicine Robert Murphy Jr. was arrested in Marion County, Florida, following a Wake County grand jury indictment on felony sexual conduct and misdemeanor sexual battery charges tied to allegations of misconduct during medical treatments.
Indictment and Florida Arrest Following Years of Civil Litigation
The criminal charges against the former athletic trainer stem from a Wake County grand jury indictment handed down on Sept. 14, which includes nine counts of felony sexual conduct and 23 misdemeanor sexual battery counts. Prosecutors allege that the acts violated a North Carolina statute prohibiting sexual contact under the pretext of medical treatment, according to documents viewed by the WRAL reporting team. Authorities in Florida arrested Robert M. Murphy Jr. on a Wednesday night, and he was held in the Marion County jail on out-of-state fugitive warrants from North Carolina.
Murphy served as NC State’s Director of Sports Medicine from January 2012 until his resignation in June 2022, though he had been suspended from his position earlier that year in January 2022. The criminal case follows a sprawling federal and state civil legal battle. The litigation began in August 2022 with a federal civil lawsuit filed by former men’s soccer player Benjamin Locke, who alleged that Murphy touched athletes’ genitals during treatments that required no such contact. Over the subsequent years, the number of athlete claimants grew substantially.
Legal Arguments and the Expansion of the Athlete Claims
The civil case eventually transitioned to state court in 2025, with 31 former Wolfpack athletes joining by February of that year. Durham-based attorney Kerry Sutton, who has represented players going back to the original case, noted that the count of athletes who have contacted legal representation with similar allegations has grown to 35. Aside from Locke, Parker Cross is the only other former men’s soccer player named in the litigation, while all other participating athletes are listed as John Doe plaintiffs to protect their identities.
Attorneys representing Murphy in the civil proceedings have consistently denied any wrongdoing by their client. During a civil hearing earlier this year, Jared Hammett told Wake County Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins that
“Mr. Murphy would love to have the opportunity in some ways to clear his name,”
Photo: WXII
while also pointing to the applicable statute of limitations. Seth Blum, another attorney for Murphy, previously argued that his client had been falsely accused and that there was yet to be any credible evidence of assault.
In June, a Wake County judge dismissed the civil lawsuit filed by the athletes against Murphy and several NC State athletics officials, including former athletic director Debbie Yow and current athletic director Boo Corrigan. The judge ruled that claims concerning oversight roles must be handled by the North Carolina Industrial Commission because NC State is a public university, rather than proceeding through traditional civil court. Attorneys for the players subsequently appealed that dismissal.
University Response and Prosecution Stance
Following the news of the arrest, Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman issued a public statement addressing the development. Freeman said, We appreciate the hard work of law enforcement and the courage of the victims in this case, adding that prosecutors remain focused on seeking justice.
Former NC State sports medicine director faces over 30 sexual abuse charges
NC State Chancellor Kevin Howell, who assumed his role in 2025 after a long administrative career at the university and a background as a former NC State athlete, emphasized the institution’s position ahead of a Board of Trustees meeting. Howell stated that NC State does not tolerate sexual assault of any kind and confirmed that the university is fully cooperating with the criminal investigation. A formal university statement released Thursday morning reiterated that student health and safety remain paramount and acknowledged awareness of the charges brought by Wake County against Murphy.
