2022 University of Idaho Killings

Overview

• Location: Moscow, Idaho, U.S.
• Date: November 13, 2022
• Incident: Mass stabbing, mass murder
• Weapon Used: Military-style Ka-Bar knife
• Deaths: 4
• Victims: Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin
• Motive: Unknown
• Accused: Bryan Christopher Kohberger charged with four counts of first-degree murder and felony burglary

Incident Details

• In the early morning of November 13, 2022, four University of Idaho students were fatally stabbed in their off-campus residence.
• No murder had occurred in Moscow since 2015.
• The victims were in a shared rental home near the university campus.
• Two other roommates were in the house but were not attacked.

Timeline of Events

• Evening of November 12, 2022:
  • Chapin and Kernodle attended a party at Sigma Chi fraternity from 8 p.m. to 1:45 a.m.
  • Mogen and Goncalves visited a downtown sports bar and were later seen at a food truck, returning home around 1:56 a.m.
• Morning of November 13, 2022:
  • The victims were home by 2:00 a.m.
  • Several unanswered calls were made from the victims' phones to an ex-boyfriend, not considered a suspect.
  • A DoorDash order was delivered around 4 a.m.
  • Surviving roommate heard noises and saw a masked figure leaving the house around 4:17 a.m.
  • The murders were believed to have occurred between 4 a.m. and 4:25 a.m.
  • 911 was called at 11:58 a.m. to report an "unconscious person."

Investigation

• Leadership: Moscow Police Department, with assistance from Idaho State Police and FBI.
• Key Evidence:
  • DNA samples from the crime scene, including one found on a knife sheath.
  • Surveillance footage of a white Hyundai Elantra near the crime scene.
  • Suspect's phone data showing proximity to the crime scene.
• Arrest: Bryan Kohberger was arrested on December 30, 2022, in Pennsylvania.

Legal Proceedings

• Kohberger was indicted by a grand jury on five charges.
• Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
• The trial is scheduled to begin on August 11, 2025, in Boise, Idaho.

Community Impact

• University Response:
  • Classes were canceled post-incident, and a candlelight vigil was held.
  • Scholarships and a memorial garden are being planned in honor of the victims.
  • Posthumous degrees were awarded to the victims.
• Public Reaction:
  • Initial assurances of no community threat were later retracted, causing fear and early departures for fall break.
  • Social media speculation led to misinformation, criticized by the police.

Additional Notes

• The house where the killings occurred was demolished in December 2023.
• The case garnered significant media attention and involvement from internet sleuths, which affected the investigation.