In the quiet college town of Moscow, Idaho, the release of nearly 200 crime scene photographs and new surveillance video has reopened wounds that many hoped would begin to heal. The materials, made public by the Moscow Police Department after a judge lifted a gag order, offer the most detailed glimpse yet into the November 13, 2022, murders of four University of Idaho students—a crime that shocked the nation and left a community searching for answers.
The victims—Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20—were found brutally murdered in their off-campus residence at 1122 King Road. According to NBC News, the newly released photos, heavily blurred and redacted, capture a home frozen in time: red plastic cups, empty beer cans, and scattered clothes evoke the everyday lives of college students. Yet, interspersed among these ordinary images are haunting reminders of the violence that occurred. Blood stains mar hardwood floors, bedding, and walls. A pink blanket, once a symbol of comfort, is now forever associated with tragedy—"covered in blood," as police documents described. A teddy bear sits quietly amid the chaos, and a large handprint is visible on a window, a chilling testament to the night’s events.
Investigators believe Bryan Kohberger, a former Washington State University PhD candidate, entered the house through a sliding glass door. Security camera footage from a neighbor captured a white Hyundai Elantra—later identified as Kohberger’s—circling the block before speeding away in the early hours of that November morning. The timeline is now tragically clear: Kohberger arrived at the house around 4 a.m.; the murders occurred between 4:00 and 4:17 a.m. In the aftermath, surviving roommates made frantic calls and sent unanswered texts to their friends, desperately hoping for a response that would never come. It wasn’t until noon that a 911 call was finally placed from a roommate’s phone, as detailed by Fox News Digital.
Police reports and autopsy findings, obtained by multiple outlets, revealed the extent of the violence. Kernodle suffered more than 50 stab wounds, many defensive—evidence of a desperate struggle. Goncalves endured over 20 stab wounds. According to authorities, Mogen was likely killed first, followed quickly by Goncalves, then Kernodle and Chapin, as Kohberger moved through the house. Blood was seen seeping from the house, and previous photos published by Fox News Digital showed blood oozing down the wall of the three-story residence.
For weeks, police said little publicly, drawing frustration from the victims’ families and the community. But behind the scenes, investigators were tracking Kohberger, eventually following him across the country to his parents’ home in Pennsylvania. There, on December 30, 2022, he was arrested—a moment captured in a now-public photograph showing Kohberger in handcuffs, a stunned look on his face, as an officer in camouflage stands nearby.
The legal process was lengthy and emotionally charged. In July 2025, Kohberger pleaded guilty to four counts of murder and one count of felony burglary in exchange for avoiding the death penalty. According to Fox News Digital, Judge Steven Hippler sentenced him to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 10-year sentence for burglary. Fines totaling $70,000 were imposed—$50,000 for each death and a $5,000 civil penalty per victim.
The sentencing hearing, held on July 23, was marked by powerful victim impact statements. Steve Goncalves, father of Kaylee, delivered a searing condemnation of the convicted killer. Locking eyes with Kohberger, Goncalves declared, "You’re a joke, a complete joke. You were that foolish, that careless, that stupid… We knew from the very beginning we had you." He added, "Nobody cares about you. You’re not worth the time, the effort to be remembered. In time, you’ll be nothing but two initials forgotten to the wind." Kohberger, for his part, remained stone-faced, showing no visible emotion as the families spoke.
Yet for some, the outcome of the case still stings. Steve Goncalves has been among the most vocal critics of the plea deal. In an interview with NBC’s "Today" show, he said, "Idaho has failed. They failed me. They failed my whole family. It’s my daughter. It’s our children. How can you say it’s just when you haven’t even talked to us to see what justice looks like for us?" Goncalves initially suggested that Kohberger’s commissary funds should be used to pay for a firing squad, later advocating for a law that would confiscate commissary funds from convicted murderers to help reimburse taxpayers for the costs of investigating such crimes. He revealed to TMZ that he’s spoken with Idaho legislators about this proposal, noting that while Kohberger received donations from supporters, these amounts pale in comparison to the more than $3.6 million Idaho spent prosecuting the case by April 2024.
The release of the crime scene photos and investigative documents has added another layer of pain for the families. Goncalves has expressed his deep upset over the public dissemination of these materials, arguing that they serve no purpose now that the case is over and only sensationalize the tragedy. "The victims’ families preferred such material remain private," he stated, echoing a sentiment shared by many who feel the images are not relevant to justice.
As for Bryan Kohberger, life behind bars is grim. He is currently housed in solitary confinement at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, a facility described as one of the harshest in America. According to the Department of Corrections, the prison houses 535 "volatile male residents" and is secured by a double perimeter fence topped with razor wire, an electronic detection system, and 24-hour armed patrols. Inmates, including Kohberger, are confined to single-person cells and allowed outdoors for just one hour each day. Among his fellow inmates is Chad Daybell, the convicted child murderer and husband of "Doomsday" cult mom Lori Vallow.
The release of the crime scene photos has reignited debate about the balance between the public’s right to know and the privacy of victims and their families. Some argue that transparency is essential for accountability, while others, like the Goncalves family, contend that the images only deepen the wounds left by an already unimaginable loss. What’s clear is that the pain of November 13, 2022, continues to ripple outward, affecting not just those who knew the victims but an entire community—and, indeed, a nation—still grappling with the senselessness of the crime.
While Bryan Kohberger will spend the rest of his life in solitary confinement, the families of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin are left to navigate a world forever altered, seeking justice, privacy, and a measure of peace that remains elusive.
