Idaho
Mom of Idaho murders victim Ethan Chapin shocks Crimecon audience by making an emotional appearance during Q&A after expert’s talk on the killings
Sunday, November 13 2022: Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were stabbed to death at their home in Moscow, Idaho in the early hours of the morning, sometime between 3am and 4am.
Earlier that evening, Mogen and Goncalves were captured on a Twitch livestream close to a food truck while waiting for an order of pasta carbonara.
A sorority driving service drove the young women home around 1:56am.
Kernodle and her boyfriend Chapin had returned from the Sigma Chi frat house around 11 minutes earlier.
Two other female roommates who survived the attack went to bed around 1am and didn’t wake up until the next morning.
Goncalves called her ex-boyfriend Jack DuCoeur seven times between 2:26 and 2:44, her sister Alivea said. He was quickly cleared as a suspect.
A 911 call was made at 11:58am that mornig.
At 2pm, students were told of the murders by the University of Idaho, with staffers urging them to ‘shelter in place.’
Monday, November 14 2022: Moscow Mayor Art Bettge said the killings were a ‘crime of passion,’ only to later backtrack. He said that theory was one of several under consideration.
Tuesday, November 15 2022: Moscow Police called the killings an ‘isolated, targeted attack’ and added that there was ‘no imminent threat to the community at large.’
But angry locals – as well as the four victims’ families – slammed what they described as contradictory statements from investigators.
Wednesday, November 16 2022: Moscow PD Chief James Fry disclosed the fact that two roommates at home had survived.
He said there were no signs of forced entry, but refused to say who had made the 911 call, and why it had been made an estimated eight hours later.
Fry angered locals by backtracking on an earlier claim their was no danger to the wider community. He warned them to ‘please stay vigilant.’
Thursday, November 17 2022: The killings are officially ruled homicides by stabbings by Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt.
She said all four victims were likely attacked as they slept, and that each had multiple stab wounds.
Distressingly, some victims were found to have defensive wounds – suggesting they’d woken up while being attacked – but there were no signs of sexual assault.
Sunday, November 20: DailyMail.com exclusively reveals a local dog was skinned and filleted three weeks before the killings, sparking fears of a connection.
Cops later insisted this was not the case. They added that Goncalves’ dog was home at the time of the slayings.
November 22 2022: Cops admitted Goncalves had been followed around a supermarket around a month before the killings, but said they were unable to verify claims she had a stalker.
November 30 2022: Kaylee Goncalves’ father Steve said his daughter and friend Maddie Mogen had been sleeping in the same bed when they were stabbed.
Latah County Prosecutor Bill Latah claimed one of the victims was ‘undoubtedly targeted.’
Hours later, Moscow Police Department contradicted that claim, only to admit that they did consider the crime a ‘targeted’ one the following day.
Six people are ruled out as suspects: A man seen close to Goncalves and Mogen at the food truck; the driver who took them home; Goncalves’ ex-boyfriend; the surviving roommates and another student who’d moved out of the property several months earlier.
December 5 2022: Goncalves’ dad Steve slammed cops ‘absurd’ approach to the case, claiming Moscow Police Department had been too quick to clear potential suspects, and rule out links to other cases
December 7 2022: Cops make their first appeal for a white 2011 to 2013 Hyundai Elantra spotted at the crime scene around the time of the murders.
A white Hyundai Elantra is said to have been towed from suspect Bryan Kohberger’s home in Scranton, Pennsylvania on December 30 after he was arrested.
December 12 2022: Steve Goncalves reveals Kaylee had ‘big open gouges’ as a result of the deadly attack.
He branded cops ‘cowards’ for not sharing more information, and said his daughter’s wounds were more severe than Maddie’s.
December 18 2022: New footage emerges showing Goncalves and Mogen hours before their killings, walking through downtown while discussing a man named Adam.
Goncalves’ family lawyer later clarified that the Adam in question is a bartender.
December 27 2022: More leaked footage shows Goncalves and Mogen inside the Corner Club bar in Moscow shortly before returning home.
December 30 2022: Cops announce they’ve made an arrest in connection with the killings in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
The suspect is named as University of Washington criminology Ph.D student Bryan Christopher Kohberger.
Kohberger was nabbed at his home by SWAT teams, and arraigned the same morning.
January 5 2023: Kohberger is extradited to Idaho from Pennsylvania and appears in Latah County Court for the first time.
He faced crying family members of his alleged victims as he remained silent during the hearing.
January 12 2023: Anne Taylor, Kohberger’s defense attorney, waived his right to a speedy trial.
May 16 2023: Kohberger is indicted by a grand jury on one charge of burglary and four of murder.
The indictment means that a preliminary hearing planned for June is cancelled.
May 22 2023: During a plea hearing Kohberger ‘stands silent’, and refuses to enter a plea.
A judge overseeing proceedings in Latah County District Court enters the not guilty plea on his behalf.
June 26 2023: Prosecutors announce that they are intending to seek the death penalty.
The State says that the murder was ‘especially heinous, atrocious or cruel, manifesting exceptional depravity’ and that the defendant showed ‘utter disregard for human life’.
August 24 2023: Kohberger waives his right to a speedy trial, cancelling his trial date of October 2.