Four students enrolled at the University of Idaho were stabbed to death near the Moscow, Idaho, campus in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022. The following day, the Moscow Police Department ruled the deaths as “homicides,” identifying the victims as Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21.
Calling the murders a “senseless act of violence,” Moscow Mayor Art Bettge shared in a statement at the time that limited information would be made available in the aftermath of the tragedy in order to maintain “the integrity of the investigation.” Weeks went by, and despite anxious calls from the public to deliver justice for the four victims, Moscow police and the FBI continued working through the evidence at hand to catch the killer.
After the perceived stall in the case, 28-year-old Bryan Kohberger – a PhD student at a neighboring university – was arrested and charged with one count of burglary and four counts of first-degree murder. He was extradited from his home state of Pennsylvania and did not take a plea deal, appearing in court for the first time on January 5, 2023. A probable cause affidavit was simaltanesouly released, offering previously unknown details about the horrific murders, the experiences of the surviving roommates and more.
Officials learned of the murders after a 911 call was placed regarding an unconscious person in an off-campus house. When police arrived on the scene, the bodies of the four students were discovered, with Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt telling KXLY that the scene was “pretty traumatic.”
Further telling CNN that she witnessed “lots of blood on the wall” when the victims were discovered, Mabbutt detailed that the four deceased students all suffered from multiple stab wounds, with one showing signs of defensive wounds on their hands.
Prior to the tragic events of the night, Chapin and Kernodle attended a party at Sigma Chi house on the University of Idaho campus. They were said to have returned to the off-campus home around 1:45 a.m. on Sunday morning, according to police.
Meanwhile, Mogen and Goncalves spent the night of November 12 at a bar called The Corner Club in downtown Moscow. After leaving, they stopped at a food truck before returning home at approximately 1:45 a.m.
The victims appeared to be alive at 2:52 a.m., with police stating that one of the women had called an ex-boyfriend multiple times.
In addition to two other roommates that lived in the home with Mogen, Kernodle and Goncalves, guests were present at the time the 911 call was made.
Keep scrolling to find out everything we know about the Idaho college murders.
Katherine Schaffstall
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