Case overview
Four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death in an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13, 2022, in a quadruple homicide that took place while some residents slept. Bryan Kohberger, a criminology PhD student at nearby Washington State University, was arrested seven weeks later and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. He has pleaded not guilty, and the case is scheduled for trial with prosecutors seeking the death penalty.
The night of November 13, 2022
Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, were killed in a three-story rental house at 1122 King Road in Moscow, a college town of roughly 25,000 near the Washington state border. The home was occupied by six people that night: the four victims and two surviving roommates on the first floor.
Goncalves and Mogen returned to the residence around 1:56 a.m. after visiting a local bar and ordering food from a food truck, according to the affidavit filed in support of Kohberger’s arrest. Kernodle and Chapin, who were dating, returned from a fraternity party around the same time. Both surviving roommates were home by approximately 1 a.m.
One surviving roommate reported hearing what she believed was crying from Kernodle’s room and a male voice saying, “It’s okay, I’m going to help you.” Shortly after, she opened her bedroom door and saw a figure in black clothing and a mask walking toward her. The individual walked past her toward a sliding glass door at the back of the house. She locked herself in her room and did not call police at that time.
The bodies were discovered just before noon on November 13 when one of the surviving roommates called friends to the house because she believed one of the victims on the second floor had passed out and was not waking up. One of those friends called 911 at 11:58 a.m., initially reporting an unconscious person. Responding officers found four victims, each killed by multiple stab wounds.
The investigation and arrest
Moscow Police Department launched a homicide investigation with assistance from Idaho State Police and the FBI. Investigators collected evidence at the scene, including a tan leather knife sheath found on the bed next to Mogen’s body. DNA recovered from a button snap on the sheath became a critical piece of evidence.
The case drew national attention as weeks passed without an arrest. Police released few details publicly but emphasized that the two surviving roommates were not considered suspects. Investigators reviewed surveillance footage and digital records, and issued public requests for information about a white Hyundai Elantra seen near the home around the time of the killings.
On December 30, 2022, Bryan Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania. At the time of the murders, Kohberger was a first-year PhD student in criminology at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, approximately nine miles from Moscow. Court records indicate that investigators used a combination of DNA evidence, cellphone location data, and surveillance footage to identify Kohberger as a suspect.
The DNA on the knife sheath was run through genealogical databases, leading investigators to Kohberger’s family. Investigators then obtained a DNA sample from trash discarded at Kohberger’s parents’ home in Pennsylvania. The Idaho State Lab later determined it was a likely match to DNA found on the sheath.
Cellphone records showed that Kohberger’s phone was in the vicinity of the King Road home at least 12 times between June and November 2022. On the night of the murders, records indicated his phone left his apartment in Pullman at 2:47 a.m. and traveled toward Moscow, with the phone appearing to be turned off or in airplane mode from approximately 2:47 a.m. to 4:48 a.m. Surveillance footage captured a white Elantra, consistent with the vehicle registered to Kohberger, in the area of the home around the time of the killings.
The victims
Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen were roommates and close friends who had known each other since sixth grade. Both were seniors set to graduate in December 2022. Goncalves had recently received a job offer in Austin, Texas, and had purchased a Range Rover in preparation for the move. Mogen was studying marketing and had been working part-time at a local restaurant.
Xana Kernodle was a junior majoring in marketing and had been in a relationship with Ethan Chapin. The two had been dating for more than a year. Chapin was a freshman majoring in recreation, sport, and tourism management and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He did not live at the King Road residence but had stayed there the night of November 12 to spend time with Kernodle.
All four were described by family, friends, and university officials as ambitious students with close-knit social circles. The University of Idaho held vigils and memorials in the days following the murders, and the broader Moscow community organized events to honor the victims and support their families.
Pretrial proceedings and contested evidence
Kohberger was formally charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. In May 2023, he waived his right to a speedy preliminary hearing, and a judge found probable cause to bind him over for trial. He entered a not guilty plea to all charges, and his defense team indicated they would challenge the evidence, including the DNA findings and cellphone data.
In September 2023, Latah County prosecutors announced they would seek the death penalty, citing statutory aggravating circumstances including multiple victims and the nature of the crimes. Kohberger’s defense team has filed multiple motions, including requests to suppress evidence and dismiss the indictment, as well as a motion to move the trial out of Latah County due to pretrial publicity.
The DNA evidence remains one of the most contested aspects of the case. The defense has questioned the use of investigative genetic genealogy, the handling of the trash sample obtained in Pennsylvania, and the statistical weight assigned to the match. Defense attorneys have also sought access to the full genealogical database records and chain-of-custody documentation.
The trial was originally scheduled for October 2023 but was delayed multiple times due to motions, changes of venue requests, and the complexity of the evidence. As of early 2025, proceedings remain ongoing, with both sides preparing for a trial expected to last several weeks.
Unanswered questions
A motive has not been publicly disclosed, and investigators have not confirmed whether Kohberger had any prior contact with the victims. Some reports indicate that Kohberger may have followed one or more victims on social media or visited the area repeatedly, but no confirmed relationship or interaction has been established in court filings.
The behavior of the surviving roommates, particularly the delay in calling 911, has been the subject of public speculation. Law enforcement has not provided a detailed explanation for the timeline, but investigators have consistently stated that the roommates are witnesses and not suspects.
The murder weapon, believed to be a large fixed-blade knife, has not been recovered. Investigators conducted extensive searches of Kohberger’s apartment, his office at Washington State University, his vehicle, and his parents’ home, but no knife matching the description has been found or introduced into evidence.
Where to look next
- Documentary: “The Idaho Murders: Trial by TikTok” (Investigation Discovery)
- Book: “When the Moon Turns to Blood” by Leah Sottile
- Podcast: “Dateline NBC”
