Florida authorities arrested Robert M. Murphy Jr., the former director of sports medicine at North Carolina State University, on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. Murphy faces 32 criminal charges, including nine felony counts of sexual contact under pretext of medical treatment and 23 misdemeanor counts of sexual battery, following a grand jury indictment in Wake County, North Carolina.
The charges follow a multiyear investigation involving 14 victims interviewed by law enforcement. A Wake County grand jury handed down the indictments on September 14, but the records remained sealed until Murphy was located. Murphy, who served at N.C. State from 2012 to 2022, is accused of sexually abusing male student-athletes during massages and urine collection for drug tests.
Murphy was booked into the Marion County jail in Ocala, Florida, shortly after 9 p.m. on Wednesday. Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman confirmed the charges on Thursday, September 24, 2026, describing the arrest as a step toward seeking justice for the victims. N.C. State officials stated they are aware of the charges and will cooperate with law enforcement, emphasizing that sexual misconduct is unacceptable.
Attorneys Jared Hammett and Seth Blum, representing Murphy, denied the allegations, stating that a 2022 campus police investigation resulted in no charges. They characterized the current prosecution as being based on a "changing story." Meanwhile, Kerry Sutton, an attorney for the athletes, reported that the number of men who have come forward with similar allegations has grown to 35.
For the affected students and the university community, the case represents a shift from a dismissed civil process to active felony prosecution. The charges are brought under a 2019 North Carolina law that specifically designated sexual contact under the pretext of medical treatment as a felony. A person found guilty under this statute would face criminal penalties and a permanent record that differs from the outcomes of civil litigation, which previously focused on negligence claims against university administrators like former athletic director Debbie Yow and current director Boo Corrigan.
The outcome of these proceedings could influence how university athletic departments manage medical staff oversight and respond to internal warnings. Court documents indicate that soccer coach Kelly Findley reportedly raised concerns about Murphy as early as 2012, yet Murphy remained with the program until his resignation in 2022. Murphy currently remains in Florida custody on out-of-state fugitive warrants awaiting extradition to North Carolina, while a separate appeal regarding the dismissal of the civil lawsuit remains pending in the court system.