Overview:
Brian Kohberger, the accused in the chilling 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, has pleaded guilty—avoiding the death penalty. With no clear motive revealed, questions swirl: Did he commit the murders as a twisted extension of his criminology studies? And did he plan to confess only to spare his own life? This article explores the evidence, the timeline, and the haunting aftermath for the families still waiting for answers.
On November 13, 2022, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin were brutally murdered in their college home near the University of Idaho. To this day, no true motive has been revealed. Was it random—or something more calculated?
Brian Kohberger, who initially pleaded not guilty, was just days away from facing the death penalty when he changed course and pleaded guilty to the murders.
Investigators quickly identified him as a suspect after a knife sheath containing his DNA was found at the scene. Security footage from nearby homes showed a white Hyundai Elantra circling the neighborhood that night—Kohberger’s exact make and model. He had also turned off his phone during the time of the killings, only turning it back on after returning to Pullman, Washington, where he was a Ph.D. student at Washington State University.
Kohberger was studying criminology—the scientific study of crime and criminals. In a chilling twist, he has become a subject of his own field of expertise. Was this deliberate? With years of academic training in understanding criminal behavior and investigative methods, did he believe he could outsmart the system?
Strangely, he left the knife sheath behind—a critical mistake for someone so immersed in criminal science. According to the case file, Kohberger allegedly attacked Kaylee and Madison first. On his way out, he reportedly encountered Xana in the kitchen. She fled to her bedroom, where her boyfriend Ethan was sleeping. Kohberger followed and killed them both. Investigators later discovered that he sat briefly in a chair next to Xana’s body.
Another roommate, Dylan, opened her door during the attack and saw a “masked man” walking down the stairs. She closed her door, confused and terrified, and texted her roommates, unaware that none would respond.
Eventually, Dylan received a reply from Bethany, a roommate whose bedroom was on the ground floor. Bethany hadn’t heard anything. She urged Dylan to come downstairs while they waited for a friend to arrive. As Dylan passed Xana’s bedroom on the way down, she saw her body on the floor. Panicked, she ran into Bethany’s room, where they stayed until police were called—around noon.
Media and online critics have questioned why it took so long for the call to be made. But waking up to a terrifying, uncertain situation—possibly after a night of drinking, as the students reportedly had—can trigger shock and disbelief. Fear can cloud judgment. We cannot speak for Dylan or Bethany, but their actions deserve compassion, not condemnation.
Kohberger, meanwhile, embarked on a cross-country road trip for the holidays shortly after the murders. Was he fleeing the public eye, or simply trying to act normal? Regardless, all signs soon pointed back to him. He was arrested just over a month later and has remained in custody ever since.
Now, after more than two years, he has confessed. Many believe the confession was strategic—to avoid execution. Was this his plan all along? To drag the families through months of uncertainty only to admit guilt at the last moment?
The victims’ loved ones have waited years for answers. As of now, they still don’t know why it happened. Will Kohberger ever share his motive? Or will silence be part of his final control over the story?
One thing remains clear: justice may be underway, but closure is still out of reach.
We can only hope for answers—and peace.
