Ex-N.C. State Sports Medicine Director Indicted, Arrested In Abuse Case
Former N.C. State sports medicine director Robert M. Murphy Jr. was arrested Wednesday night, Sept. 23, 2026, in Marion County, Florida, on fugitive warrants.[1]
He is being held in the Marion County jail and faces an indictment in Wake County that accuses him of sexually abusing male athletes.[1]
A Wake County grand jury returned the indictment on Sept. 14, 2026, charging Murphy with nine felonies and 23 misdemeanors, prosecutors say.[1] Prosecutors say the 32 criminal counts involve 14 victims and allege conduct from October 2016 through the fall of 2021 while Murphy posed as providing medical treatment.[1]
Former athletes filed a federal civil suit and later a state suit that grew to 31 plaintiffs.[1] Judges dismissed the state case on procedural grounds in June 2026.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On September 14, 2026, a Wake County, N.C., grand jury indicted Robert M. Murphy Jr. on nine felonies and 23 misdemeanors tied to alleged abuse of male athletes.
- Murphy was arrested on Wednesday night, September 23, 2026, in Marion County, Florida, on fugitive warrants and is being held in the county jail.
- Prosecutors say the 32 counts involve 14 victims and alleged conduct from October 2016 through fall 2021 under the guise of medical treatment.
- The criminal case follows a federal and then state civil lawsuit that grew to 31 former N.C. State athletes before being dismissed on procedural grounds in June 2026.
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