- Judge Thomas Rubinson denied defense motion to dismiss four murder charges against Fraser Bohm, 24, for the 2023 crash that killed four Pepperdine sorority sisters on Pacific Coast Highway.
- Trial is set to begin Sept. 8 in Van Nuys. Bohm faces four counts of murder and four counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.
- Prosecutors allege Bohm drove up to 104 mph in a 45 mph zone—more than double the speed limit—on a section known as "Dead Man's Curve."
- Defense argued fatal collisions are rare on that stretch, but the judge ruled prosecutors did not withhold evidence and the murder charges can proceed.
- The victims—Niamh Rolston, 20; Peyton Stewart, 21; Asha Weir, 21; and Deslyn Williams, 21—were seniors at Pepperdine's Seaver College of Liberal Arts and members of the Alpha Phi sorority.
Murder Charges Stand After Heated Hearing
On July 27, 2026, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Thomas Rubinson rejected a motion by defense attorneys to dismiss four counts of murder against Fraser Michael Bohm. Bohm is accused of driving at speeds exceeding 100 mph on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu on Oct. 17, 2023, losing control and crashing into three parked cars that then struck four Pepperdine University students. The women died at the scene. The ruling clears the way for a trial scheduled to begin Sept. 8, 2026.
Legal Arguments Over Implied Malice
Defense attorney Alan Jackson argued that Bohm's alleged speeding does not meet the standard for implied malice—which requires proof that the defendant knew his actions carried a high probability of death and disregarded that risk. Jackson presented data showing no fatal collisions had occurred over the past 10 years on the stretch of PCH between Carbon Canyon and Las Flores Canyon roads, despite it being the highest-accident section along a 21-mile corridor.
Prosecutors countered that Bohm told investigators he knew PCH "like the back of his hand" and that two of his close friends had died in high-speed crashes—evidence, they said, that he was aware of the danger. Deputy District Attorney Nathan Bartos stressed that "speed alone is not what the people are arguing" and pointed to witnesses who described dangerous driving, not just excessive speed.
Judge Rejects Defense Claims of Evidence Withholding
Bohm's defense team also accused prosecutors of failing to hand over data about traffic safety and collision history along PCH. Judge Rubinson ruled that the defense had sufficient access to that information through official reports and that the district attorney's office had not violated its constitutional duty to disclose evidence. He noted that no evidentiary violations occurred.
Local California Context: Dead Man's Curve and Ongoing Safety Concerns
The crash occurred near Malibu on a winding section of Pacific Coast Highway long known as "Dead Man's Curve." Despite its reputation, defense attorneys noted that no other fatal crashes had been recorded there in the past decade. However, since the deaths of the four Pepperdine students, the area has seen renewed calls for safety improvements. In July 2024, a head-on collision killed one person and injured two others at the same location. In February 2026, a pedestrian was struck and killed on PCH near Point Dume.
The tragedy prompted lawsuits and demands for lower speed limits, better lighting, and increased enforcement. Caltrans has implemented some measures, but residents and university officials say more is needed.
Background: The Victims and the Case
The four victims—Niamh Rolston, 20; Peyton Stewart, 21; Asha Weir, 21; and Deslyn Williams, 21—were seniors at Pepperdine's Seaver College of Liberal Arts and members of the Alpha Phi sorority. They had exited a vehicle and were walking along the shoulder when Bohm's car slammed into the parked cars that then struck them. All four received their degrees posthumously in 2024. Bohm, 22 at the time, was arrested eight days after the crash and has been free on bail.
Bohm initially claimed he was fleeing a road rage incident, but prosecutors have not presented evidence supporting that defense. His previous attorney also raised that point, but the current defense team has focused on challenging the murder charges.
Conclusion: Trial Date Set
With the judge's ruling, the case against Fraser Bohm will proceed to trial on Sept. 8, 2026. If convicted of murder, he faces a potential sentence of life in prison. The families of the victims have awaited justice for nearly three years, and the trial is expected to draw significant attention to the dangers of speeding on California's coastal highways.