Her killer has gone to prison, but now her family is suing two national hotel chains, saying her death was preventable.

On Nov. 24, White was found murdered at the Comfort Inn in North Columbia, near U.S. Highway 63 and I-70. That was just nine days after a worker at the same hotel, was raped and robbed. At the time of the rape and robbery, the hotel was known as the Fairfield Inn.

White's children said in court papers that the hotels did not do enough to protect their employees.

Named in the lawsuit are Marriott International, which owns the Fairfield Inn franchise, and Choice Hotels, which owns the Comfort Inn franchise and is where the murder took place.

A jury convicted Dwight Hays for murdering White and for the rape and robbery of another woman at the Fairfield Inn.

The White family lawyer said surveilance equipment should have been in place in the hotels.

A hearing was supposed to happen last week, but Choice Hotels requested a continuance.

The White family is requesting a financial settlement.

A spokesperson for Choice Hotels says the company does not comment on pending litigation.