Â鶹APP

Investigator in the Crime Scene. Photo by Cottonbro Studio on

10 Gruesome Facts about the Idaho College Murders

Four University of Idaho students were fatally murdered in their off-campus apartment in Moscow, Idaho, in the early hours of November 13, 2022. Xana Kernodle, 20, of Avondale, Arizona (she later resided in Post Falls, Idaho); Ethan Chapin, 20, of Conway, Washington; Kaylee Goncalves, 21, of Rathdrum, Idaho; and Madison Mogen, 21, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho were the victims of the murders.

Goncalves and Mogen were both seniors, Kernodle was a junior, and Chapin was a freshman. On that fateful evening of November 12, between 8 PM and 9 PM, Chapin and Kernodle, two of the four victims, attended an on-campus party at the adjacent Sigma Chi fraternity. At 1:45 a.m., they went back home.

The other two victims, Mogen and Goncalves, had arrived at the downtown sports bar, The Corner Club at 10 p.m. They left the sports bar at 1:30 a.m. By 1:56 am, all four students had returned home. Between 2:26 and 2:52 in the morning, Goncalves made seven incomplete phone calls to her ex-boyfriend, a fellow student.

From 2:44 to 2:52 in the morning, Mogen contacted the boyfriend three times with the same outcomes. After looking into these calls, the police concluded that they did not think he was responsible for the crime.

Original accounts indicated that the two surviving roommates were in their beds on the bottom floor of the house when the deaths occurred, but they had already returned home by one in the morning. Initially, sources claimed that both of the surviving roommates were not awake during the attack because they were not attacked or held captive. However, one of the survivors later stated that she was awake and saw a man in a mask and black clothes.

The suspect, 28-year-old Bryan Christopher Kohberger was taken into custody in connection to the murders. He is still in custody and the cause hearing is expected to take place on 26^th June 2023 at the Latah County Courtroom.

Here are the 10 Gruesome Facts about the Idaho College Murders:

1. Victims of the Idaho College Murders were in their Early 20s

The assailant of the Idaho College Murders had targeted a group of young college students who lived off campus. The four victims who were murdered were in their early 20s, three being female students and one male.

They ranged from the age of twenty and twenty-one. Xana Kernodle was 20 years old, Ethan Chapin was 20 years old, Kaylee Goncalves was 21 years old and Madison Mogen was 21 years old. This incident left their families, close friends, and college fraternity in pain as young lives had been taken.

2. One of the Roommates Saw a Masked Man on the Fateful Night

Low Angle View of Man Standing at Night. Photo by Lennart Wittstock on

That fateful night, the four students were at home by 1:56 am. Goncalves and Mogen made calls to their former long-time boyfriend and boyfriend respectively, but they were not linked to the murders. The surviving roommates were at home by 1 AM and were not harmed by the assailant.

Earlier reports had indicated that both of them were sound asleep during this gruesome incident. However, an affidavit for the case stated that one of the serving roommates who was sleeping on the second floor at that time was not asleep. The roommate was on the same floor as Kernodle and Chapin.

She revealed that she might have heard Goncalves whisper that there was someone in their room. She also opened her door twice and heard what seemed to be a cry from the room Kernodle. The surviving roommate also reported having heard a male voice saying he was going to help. She then opened the door a third time and saw a figure clad in black clothes and a mask who walked past her.

3. Chilling Dog Barks and Thuds were Recorded by Security Cameras

Before one of the surviving roommates woke up and noticed the man who was clad in black clothing and a mask, something was happening. She was woken up by the barks of Goncalves’s dog.

That same night, Security cameras located near the home picked up the sounds of whimpering, a loud thud, and the dog barking several times. The dog started barking at around 4:17 am. This turn of events was followed by one of the surviving roommates seeing the man in a mask and locking herself back in the room.

4. The Victims were Stalked that Night before their Murders

A white car parked at night. Photo by Cash Macanaya on

The Idaho College Murders were planned as an important aspect of the investigation was revealed. On the night of the killing of the college students, there was a stalker who was waiting on them.

A white automobile that is thought to belong to the assailant was seen on surveillance footage passing through the street where the victims lived. The Hyundai Elantra was spotted around 3:29 am passing by the area thrice and returning at 4:04 am for the fourth time. Later on, the vehicle was spotted again speeding away from that area at around 4:20 am.

5. One of the Victims Might have been Awake during the Killings

The activities of the victims seem to be unclear as there were various reports on whether all were asleep or not. Initial reports indicated that all the victims were asleep during the killings but the coroner and investigators had something else to say.

The coroner indicated that the four were asleep during their murders, but investigators believe one of the Victims was awake. At around 4 am, it is believed that Xana Kernodle had received a DoorDash delivery.

This was before the white automobile arrived. Investigators through a forensic review suggested that Xana might have been using her TikTok application at around 4:12 am.

6. The Assailant is Believed to have Returned to the Crime Scene

A man staring at night. Photo by Pixabay on

According to police reports, Mr. Kohberger’s phone was discovered in Moscow at roughly 9:12 a.m., several hours after the murders. It had connected to the cellular network close to the crime scene and had been there for nine minutes.

The phone then rang again near his Pullman home. Nobody had phoned 911 by that time in the morning, thus the cops had not yet arrived at the crime site.

7. A Knife Sheath used in the Killings was Found at the Scene

The Idaho College murders are believed to have been carried out using a sharp knife. The four victims were stabbed to death and the weapon used was identified later.

Investigators found a tan leather knife sheath on an upstairs bedroom where Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were murdered. This was an important piece of evidence that helped the police gather DNA samples that connected with DNA samples from Mr. Kohberger’s parents’ home.

8. Blood was Splattered on the Walls of the Victims’ Rooms

Blood on the wall. Photo by Studio Incendo on

Mogen, Goncalves, Kernodle, and Chapin were stabbed to death on the second and third floors of their home. From the crime scene, it was clear that the victims were not gagged or restrained.

Blood from the victims was splattered all over the walls making the scene terrific and messy. Goncalves and Mogen were found in Mogen’s bedroom while Kernodle and Chapin were found in Kernodle’s room.

9. No Distress Calls were made until Around 11:58 am when One Victim was Thought to be Unconscious

The Idaho College Murders happened at around 4 and 4:30 am on 13^th November 2022. One of the surviving roommates heard the chilling barks and saw the masked man which could have caused suspicion to make her call 911.

However, there were no 911 calls made after the incident with the first call being made at 11:58 am, several hours after the killings. The two surviving roommates had called their friends to their rooms.

One of them used the phone of one of the victims asking for assistance for an unconscious person. When the police arrived at the scene, they found no forceful entry but met the chilling scene of the killings.

10. The Assailant is a Middle Aged Guy with Multiple Higher Education Certificates

Man in Gray Robe Looking at the Mirror in Cell Behind Bars. Photo by Ron Lach on

28-year-old man Bryan Christopher Kohberger was the main suspect who was arrested on 30^th December 2022. The shocking thing about Bryan is that he is a learned person whose intentions for the victims are yet to be revealed.

He graduated from Northampton with a degree in psychology. Bryan later received a B.A. in 2020 and an M.A. in 2022 in Criminal Justice from DeSales University, Pennsylvania. He also pursued a Ph.D. in the same field from Washington State University but was arrested 9 days after completing his first semester.