Newly released court documents paint a harrowing picture of the brutal attack that claimed the lives of four University of Idaho students in November 2022. The detailed autopsy reports reveal the terrifying extent of the violence inflicted upon Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves within their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho.
Investigators believe Bryan Kohberger, a criminology student, silently entered the residence through a back door in the early hours of November 13th. He moved swiftly, ascending to the third floor where Goncalves and Mogen, both 21, lay sleeping in the same bed. The ensuing attack was swift and merciless, resulting in multiple sharp force injuries to both young women.
Kaylee Goncalves endured a staggering 38 stab wounds, concentrated on her scalp, face, and neck, with additional lacerations to her chest and arms. The report detailed punctures to her skull, damage to her teeth and tongue, and internal bleeding. Investigators noted her face was left unrecognizable, and evidence suggests a weapon beyond the identified Ka-Bar knife may have been used.
The position of bloodstains around Goncalves indicated a desperate struggle, her posture shifting during the attack. Investigators surmise she may have been awake, fighting for her life against an unimaginable horror. The sheer number and severity of the wounds speak to a chilling level of brutality.
Madison Mogen suffered 13 stab and incised wounds to her scalp, face, and neck, alongside injuries to her arms and chest. Wounds to her lung and liver, and perforations of major blood vessels, contributed to her death. A Ka-Bar knife sheath, bearing Kohberger’s DNA and the blood of both women, was discovered beside her body – a grim testament to the killer’s presence.
Traces of the victims’ blood were found throughout the house, on the bedroom door, staircase railing, and even a beer pong table. These markings suggest the killer moved methodically through the home after the initial attack, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake. He then encountered Xana Kernodle, who had recently received a food delivery.
Xana Kernodle fought valiantly, sustaining 67 stab wounds in her second-floor bedroom. Injuries covered her head, neck, chest, abdomen, back, and limbs, with punctures to her heart, lung, and jugular vein. Blood on the soles of her feet suggests she was moving, struggling to escape the relentless assault.
Ethan Chapin, also in Kernodle’s room, was killed while sleeping. He suffered multiple stab wounds to his arms, legs, head, and neck, culminating in a fatal wound to his upper chest. The autopsy reports indicate the attacks remained confined to the bedrooms, with no evidence of the victims venturing into the hallway or living room.
Kohberger is believed to have exited through the same rear door he entered, briefly encountering a surviving roommate, Dylan Mortensen, who described seeing a masked figure dressed in black. Mortensen and another roommate, Bethany Funke, attempted to reach their friends but received no response, remaining together in fear until daylight before discovering the horrific scene.
Kohberger was arrested weeks later in Pennsylvania. After more than two years of denials, he pleaded guilty in July to four counts of first-degree murder and burglary, accepting a life sentence without parole and waiving his right to appeal. He has remained silent regarding his motive, and no connection to the victims has ever been established.
Beyond the criminal proceedings, the families of the victims have filed a lawsuit against Washington State University, alleging negligence. The suit claims the university was aware of Kohberger’s “threatening, stalking and predatory behaviour” during the fall semester but failed to intervene, potentially preventing the tragic events that unfolded.
