The Idaho murders: what we know so far

SAN ANTONIO – On Nov. 13, 2022 in Moscow, Idaho, at around 11:58 a.m., a 9-1-1 call was made to the Moscow Police Department for an “unconscious person.”  

  Officers would then encounter a gruesome scene consisting of the lifeless bodies of four University of Idaho students who reportedly suffered multiple stab wounds.  
 

 
The students were Ethan Chapain, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21.  
 
More than six weeks after the incident, on Dec. 30, police arrested Bryan Kohberger, a 28-year-old criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University.   
Since then, court documents and an 18-page affidavit consisting of evidence against Kohberger have been released, and the case is still unfolding. 
 
Police said Chapin and his girlfriend, Kernodle, were seen at a fraternity party at the Sigma Chi House the same night.  
 
At 1:40 a.m., Goncalves and Mogen were seen on surveillance footage at a food truck, later arriving home at 1:45 a.m., the same time both Chapin and Kernodle returned to the residence. 
 
According to court documents, the murders took place between 4 a.m. and 4:25 a.m.  
 
The off-campus residence on King Road had no signs of forced entry, an unlocked door and the two surviving roommates who were at the home during the murders were unharmed, according to the authorities. 
 
In the affidavit, a “tan leather knife sheath” was found on the bed next to Mogen’s right side.  
 
After the sheath was processed, the Idaho State Lab located a single source of male DNA that was then traced back to the suspect through genetic genealogy. 
 
A security camera would then pick up four sightings of a 2011 – 2013 white Hyundai Elantra circling around the home, then driving off after the murders had occurred.  
 
Investigators also recovered a latent shoe print processed by the ISP Forensic Team.  
 
The FBI tracked Kohberger from Washington and Pennsylvania and requested that the Indiana cops perform a routine traffic stop so that they could capture footage or photos of his hands. 
 
According to NBC, Kohberger was pulled over twice, and TMZ had released footage of one of the first traffic stops.  
 
Kohberger was arrested Dec. 30 at his parents’ home in Effort, Pennsylvania. Monroe County, and authorities seized the car of the same make and model like that of the white Hyundai Elantra. 
 
Pennsylvania Public Defender Jason LaBar told CNN that Kohberger was “shocked a little bit” by the accusations.  
 
DeSales University confirmed that Kohberger had received a masters degree in Criminal Justice.  
 
According to one of his DeSales classmates, Kohberger had a massive interest in serial killers and true crime and was passionate about theorizing why and how crimes took place.  
 
Kohberger was not only a graduate student, but he was also a teacher assistant who helped teach students about criminal justice and criminology.  
 

  Kohberger allegedly even sent out a survey before the murders, to a select group of people asking questions about committing a crime.  
  One of the questions in the survey was “why did you choose that victim or target over others?” Kohberger wrote.  
 
Our Lady of The Lake University (OLLU) student Julissa Casas has been following the case through social media since January, and said that hearing all the details slowly come out had been a crazy experience.  

  Casas lives in the Lakeview apartments on campus. 

  The apartments were made to create more residences for those who do not commute to the university, and it can be said that the Lakeview apartments are similar to the King road residence that the victims had lived in near the University of Idaho. 

“The story made me even more scared and hyper aware of my surroundings,” Casas said. 

Although she’s taken her own appropriate safety precautions, such as sharing her location with her parents via Life 360, with some of her close friends, and pepper spray, she still feels that since the Idaho murders, it could happen to anyone.  “I used to feel safe, but now It’s now engraved in my brain,” Casas said. 

Casas also said that she does not feel safe walking alone, but safer walking with a group of friends. 

“It’s terrifying knowing that there are people that find joy in hurting others. It’s terrifying knowing that he was a Criminal Justice grad student teaching other young students about the science behind committing these violent crimes,” Casas said.   Casas’ dream job used to be becoming an FBI Behavioral Analyst and said that after knowing many cases, this case has been one of the most terrifying to see unravel because of the gruesomeness of it. 

 “It is so sad to know that Kaylee [Goncalves] was spending one last night in the house she loved with her best friends before she moved to Texas the next day to start her new job,” Casas said. 

Casas prays for the victims’ families everyday, and for Kohbergers’ as-well. 

“They had no idea what a monster he was, and now have to deal with the repercussions of what their child has done for the rest of their lives” Casas said. 

 Kohberger waived his extradition in March and has denied the allegations on four counts of murder and one count of burglary.   

 Investigators believe Kohberger broke in “with the intent to commit murder,” Bill Thompson, a prosecutor in Latah County, Idaho, said during a press conference in January.  

LaBar, the Chief Public Defender of Monroe County, Pennsylvania represented Kohberger in his extradition, but will not be his defender in the murder case. 

 According to Today, on Jan. 3, LaBar stated that his client believes he will be exonerated.  

“Mr. Kohberger is eager to be exonerated of these charges and looks forward to resolving these matters as promptly as possible,” LaBar said.  

As each day passes, more details continue to come out. 

As of Feb. 20th, what is known and confirmed by sources is that Kernodle and Chapin were found by Chapins best friend, surviving roommate Dylan Mortenson was the one who made the 9-1-1 call, and an unidentified friend of the four victims checked their pulses’ before calling.  

Kohbergers attorney, Anne Taylor, asked to delay her clients’ preliminary hearing, and is now expected to attend trial June 26. At 9 a.m.  

Judge Megan Marshall expects the trial to last for five days.  

Until then, Kohberger remains in Latah County Jail in Idaho held without bond, and has not yet entered a plea.  

 
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