The Kentucky Supreme Court will hear appeals in a highly-publicized murder on Western’s campus, in Bowling Green, Ky.

Freshmen Katie Autry was raped, sodomized and set on fire in her dorm room on May 4, 2003. She died from third degree burns on May 7 at Vanderbilt, in Nashville, Tn.

Stephen Soules of Scottsville, Ky., pleaded guilty to Autry’s murder in 2004 and received a life sentence. Lucas
Goodrum, also of Scottsville, was found not guilty in 2005.

Warren Circuit Court dropped wrongful death claims against the University because of governmental immunity. But now, the Kentucky Supreme Court will hear appeals and decide if Western and the Student Life Foundation can be included in a wrongful death suit.

Attorneys for Autry’s estate, Western and the Student Life Foundation will argue their cases Jan. 18, 2007 in Frankfort, Ky.