Disclaimer: This is an ongoing investigation that is constantly revealing new details. All information in this article was found on the internet. Not all information about this case is included in the article. This article contains information and details about a violent crime.
Moscow, Idaho is a small college town with a population of only 25,435 that borders the Idaho and Washington state line. It is a vibrant city full of college kids during the school year, and green and quiet in the summer. With its low crime rate, residents of this small Idaho town didn’t feel the need to lock their doors or be on high alert. It wasn’t until November 13, 2022, that this changed, when residents were astonished to find out about four college students who were brutally murdered in their off-campus home. A quiet college town now has been in the media’s spotlight for the last three months and has broken the hearts of millions, especially fellow college students. Here is everything we know about the crime so far.
- The victims of the crime
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True crime can be fascinating, especially when it is occurring currently and being widely televised. But as consumers of true crime, we get so wrapped up in the suspects and solving the mystery that we forget the real lives that were taken. The killer’s identity overshadows the names and lives of their victims, and it is important to know who was affected so we may continue to uphold and honor their memory. Here are the four victims of the Idaho murders:
Xena was a marketing major and member of the sorority Pi Beta Phi at the University of Idaho. She was described to be positive and outgoing with a contagious sense of humor. She was in a loving relationship with Ethan Chapin.
Kaylee was an education major and a member of the Alpha Pi sorority. Her best friend in the world was the third victim, Maddie Mogen. She was a hard worker, loved adventure, and was described as being quirky and goofy.
Maddie was a member of Pi Beta Phi and an upbeat and hard-working student who made the dean’s list every semester. She was known to be a lively and silly person who could make everyone laugh, especially her friend Kaylee.
Ethan Chapin, 21
Ethan was a triplet and a social butterfly who was actively involved in his fraternity Sigma Chi. He was also passionate about sports. He was a vibrant and friendly person with a smile always on his face.
- The crime
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All four victims shared a six-bedroom house off campus on King Road in Moscow, Idaho. Kaylee and Maddie were on the third floor, Xena and Ethan on the second, and two surviving roommates were on the first floor. A New York Times article gives us a detailed timeline of November 13, 2022. Xena and Ethan went to his fraternity house for a party and then returned home at 1:45 a.m. Kaylee and Maddie were out on the town and went to a local bar called the Corner Club. The two were caught on security camera at a local food truck and then were reported to arrive at home at 1:56 a.m.
At 3:29 a.m., a white Hyundai Elantra is seen in the neighborhood and passes by the house three times. At 4:00 a.m., the surviving roommates on the bottom floor hear what sounds like Kaylee playing with her dog, but check outside her door and see nothing. Then only twelve minutes later, the roommate hears Xena crying and a male’s voice saying “It’s okay, I am going to help you”. Five minutes later, the roommate opens her door to see a tall man with bushy eyebrows dressed in all black and a mask, walking away. At 4:20 a.m., the same Hyundai is seen leaving the crime scene at high speed. Seven hours later at 11:58 a.m., a 911 call comes in reporting an unconscious person. It is still unknown who made the 911 call. The cause of death was ruled as a stabbing.
- The Suspect
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On December 30, 2022, 28-year-old Bryan Kohberger was arrested in connection with the quadruple homicide. He was a criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State in Pullman, Washington, only 15 minutes away from Moscow. The arrest occurred all the way in Pennsylvania where he is originally from, after which he was extradited back to Idaho. Upon extradition, the Moscow police department was able to release the possible cause affidavit, which states why they arrested him in connection to the murder.
The first piece of evidence against the suspect is that he owns the Hyundai Elantra seen on the security camera footage. Second, his phone pinged to a local cell phone tower, showing that he was at the crime scene around 2:00 a.m. but then turned off his phone until between 4:50 and 5:26 a.m.the alleged time the murders took place. Lastly, a knife sheath (a holder for a military-level knife) was found at the crime scene containing DNA. When that DNA was run, Kohberger’s father was found to be a 99.9% match. Since the affidavit release on January 5, 2023, the search warrant records of Kohberger’s apartment in Washington have been released. In the search conducted, they found nitrite black gloves, hair strands, and a collection of items with a dark red stain, including two pillows with cuts in them. Kohberger is currently being held in custody without bail and is awaiting his preliminary probable cause hearing which is set to begin on June 26, 2023.
- The impact
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Crimes as senseless and horrible as this one can make you fear for your safety, especially in college. It also shows clearly how quickly and brutally life can be taken. In what is considered a safe college town, the worst possible thing that could happen happened. The death of four beautiful students broke the hearts of parents, law enforcement, and fellow college students, especially at the University of Idaho. After Thanksgiving, many of the 9,000 students did not return to campus. This crime teaches us to hold our loved ones closer, lock our doors, and continue to support each other during such a dark time in our community.
May the Moscow community, the loved ones of the family, and college students everywhere find peace in the midst of this tragedy.
Resources:
Click here to learn more about the violence against indigenous women.
A website to send flowers to the graves of the victims.
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