Former North Carolina State University director of sports medicine Robert M. Murphy Jr. was arrested in Florida on Wednesday night facing dozens of criminal charges accusing him of sexual abuse against former male student-athletes under the pretext of medical treatment, according to the Raleigh News & Observer. Murphy, 54, was taken into custody on out-of-state fugitive warrants from North Carolina and held in the Marion County jail, according to WXII.
Former NC State Sports Medicine Director Arrested in Florida
A Wake County grand jury indicted Murphy on September 14 on 32 total charges, consisting of nine felony counts of sexual contact or penetration under the guise of medical treatment and 23 misdemeanor counts of sexual battery. The indictments include an allegation that Murphy willfully committed a felony in the fall of 2020 by telling an unidentified plaintiff that sexual contact was necessary for medical treatment and that the plaintiff’s health would benefit from it.
Civil Lawsuit History and Background
The criminal charges follow years of civil litigation involving dozens of former Wolfpack athletes. The legal scrutiny began in August 2022, when former N.C. State soccer player Benjamin Locke filed a federal lawsuit alleging that Murphy touched athletes’ genitals during unnecessary treatments and engaged in intrusive observation during drug-testing urine collections.
Over time, the legal action expanded. The case moved to state court in 2025, eventually growing to include more than 30 athletes outlining similar allegations of sexual harassment and abuse. Most participants proceeded as “John Doe” plaintiffs to protect their identities, alongside named former soccer players Locke and Parker Cross. Kerry Sutton, the attorney representing the plaintiffs, stated that the total number of athletes who have contacted legal representation with similar allegations has grown to 35.
In June, a Wake County judge dismissed the civil lawsuit against Murphy and multiple university athletics officials—including former athletic director Debbie Yow and current athletic director Boo Corrigan—citing procedural reasons such as the expiration of statutes of limitations for claims dating back to 2013. The judge also ruled on jurisdictional grounds that complaints against public university staff should go through the North Carolina Industrial Commission, a state agency handling workplace matters. Attorneys for the players appealed that dismissal.
University Response and Legal Defense
Murphy served as NC State’s Director of Sports Medicine and head athletic trainer from January 2012 until June 2022, when he resigned amid an internal investigation following initial police and university complaints earlier that year. He had been suspended from his position in January 2022.
University officials released a statement emphasizing that sexual misconduct is unacceptable and that student health and safety remain paramount to the institution. NC State leaders stated that the university is fully cooperating with law enforcement regarding the ongoing investigation. Chancellor Kevin Howell, who became chancellor in 2025 after a long administrative career at the school, noted that the university does not tolerate sexual assault.
Attorneys Jared Hammett and Seth Blum, who have represented Murphy in the civil litigation, have consistently denied any wrongdoing by their client. Following the indictments, they criticized the prosecution in a statement to WRAL, arguing that law enforcement had previously concluded years prior that there was insufficient evidence to support charges, and characterizing the case as being based on a changing story.