The Night of the Murders

• 🌃 On the night of November 12th, 2022, four University of Idaho students—Madison Mogan, Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, and Xana Kernodle—were found murdered in their off-campus home at 1122 King Road.
• 🏠 The victims were all home by 4 a.m., with Xana Kernodle receiving a DoorDash delivery around that time.
• 🔊 Audio from a security camera near the house captured sounds of a struggle, a whimper, a thud, and barking dogs between 4:17 a.m. and 4:20 a.m.

Discovering the Crime Scene

• 🚨 Upon arrival, officers noted an eerie silence and a strong smell of blood, indicating a horrific scene.
• 🩸 The victims were found in their beds, with extensive blood evidence throughout the house, including seeping through floors and down the foundation.
• 🐶 The only sign of life found was Murphy, a Labradoodle belonging to Kaylee Goncalves, who was unharmed.

Initial Investigation and Challenges

• 📞 A 911 call was made from a roommate's phone at 11:58 a.m. on November 13th, reporting an unconscious person.
• 🕵️ Sergeant Shane Gunderson and other officers were among the first on the scene, quickly realizing the gravity of the situation.
• ❓ Investigators faced immediate challenges, including no sign of forced entry, a single weapon used (a long-bladed knife), and a vast amount of forensic evidence, making it difficult to isolate the killer's.

The Search for a Suspect Vehicle

• 🚗 Surveillance footage from the King Road neighborhood and nearby WSU campus revealed sightings of a white sedan, initially believed to be a 2011-2013 Hyundai Elantra, and later identified as a 2015 model.
• 📍 This vehicle was observed making multiple passes by the residence and leaving the area at high speed.
• 💡 The search for this specific vehicle became a critical focus, with law enforcement analyzing thousands of similar cars in the region.

Public and Forensic Analysis

• 📧 Over 9,250 email tips and 4,575 phone calls were received, highlighting the public's intense interest and desire to assist.
• 🔬 Forensic experts faced the daunting task of sifting through extensive evidence, with the house being a frequent location for parties, leading to a wide array of potential DNA and prints.
• 🎓 The investigation eventually led to Bryan Christopher Kohberger, a criminology graduate student and teaching assistant, whose 2015 white Elantra was registered in Pennsylvania.