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Shock Move: Kohberger Seeks to Withdraw Plea Before Documentary Premieres
The Idaho College Murders: A Simple Guide to the Case, the Netflix Documentary, and What’s Happening Now
What Happened in Moscow, Idaho?
On November 13, 2022, a terrible crime shook the quiet college town of Moscow, Idaho. Four University of Idaho students were murdered in their off-campus rental house at 1122 King Road. The victims were:
- Madison Mogen, 21
- Kaylee Goncalves, 21
- Xana Kernodle, 20
- Ethan Chapin, 20
They were all stabbed to death in the early morning hours, just after 4 a.m. Two other roommates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, were in the house that night but survived.
Important Point: This case got nationwide attention because it was so brutal, happened in a small "safe" town, and took weeks to solve.
The Night of the Murders: Step by Step
Here’s what investigators say happened that night, in simple order:
- Around 4:00 a.m.: Bryan Kohberger (then 28, a criminology PhD student at nearby Washington State University) entered the house through a sliding kitchen door.
- Third floor: He went upstairs and killed Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves with a knife. He left the knife sheath (the cover for the knife) next to Mogen’s body — this became a crucial piece of evidence.
- Same floor: He then encountered Xana Kernodle (who had just gotten a food delivery) and killed her.
- Next room: He killed Ethan Chapin, Kernodle’s boyfriend, who was sleeping in her room.
- Surviving roommates: Dylan Mortensen heard crying and strange noises. She opened her door and saw a man dressed in black wearing what looked like a ski mask. She locked herself in her room.
- Phone attempts: Mortensen tried calling and texting her roommates — no answer. She woke up Bethany Funke (who had slept through everything) and told her about the masked man via text.
- Around noon: A 911 call was placed saying Kernodle was unconscious. Police arrived and found all four victims dead.
How Did Police Catch Bryan Kohberger?
There was no known connection between Kohberger and the victims. Here’s how investigators pieced it together:
The DNA Breakthrough
- Police found DNA on the knife sheath left at the crime scene.
- It didn’t match anyone in the FBI’s national database.
- So they sent it to a private lab that searches public genealogy databases (like what people use to find relatives).
- They found genetic relatives of the killer and built family trees to narrow down suspects.
The White Hyundai Elantra
- Surveillance cameras near the crime scene caught a white Hyundai Elantra driving around at the time of the murders.
- Washington State University police found one registered to Bryan Kohberger — he was a student there.
- This made him a prime suspect.
Phone Records & Trash
- Police got search warrants for Kohberger’s phone records and tracked him to his parents’ home in Pennsylvania (he visited in late December).
- They collected trash from outside the house.
- Lab tests confirmed: DNA on the trash matched the biological father of the person whose DNA was on the knife sheath.
- December 30, 2022: Kohberger was arrested.
The Trial and Plea Deal
| Charge | Details |
|---|---|
| 4 counts of first-degree murder | One for each victim |
| 1 count of burglary | Entering the home with intent to commit a crime |
| Possible penalty | Death penalty was on the table |
What Happened in Court:
- June 30, 2025: Kohberger accepted a plea deal to avoid the death penalty.
- July 2, 2025: He formally pleaded guilty in court. For the first time publicly, he answered "yes" when asked if he killed each victim, and "guilty" to each charge.
- July 23, 2025: Victims’ families gave impact statements directly to Kohberger.
Alivea Goncalves (Kaylee’s sister) said:
"You’re a delusional, pathetic, hypochondriac loser who thought you were so much smarter than everybody else… No one thinks you are important."
The Sentence:
- Four consecutive life sentences (one for each murder) — meaning he will never get out.
- 10 years for burglary (maximum).
- No death penalty.
Did He Ever Explain Why?
No. Prosecutors could have required him to explain his motive as part of the plea deal, but they chose not to.
Prosecutor Bill Thompson said:
"I don’t believe there is anything that would come out of his mouth that would be the truth… anything that wouldn’t be self-serving… anything that would not further victimize the families."
What Is Kohberger Saying Now?
One year after sentencing, in a July 27, 2026 interview with the New York Times, Kohberger claimed he is innocent and said he filed a petition to withdraw his guilty plea.
His Claims:
- He was misled into confessing ("false promises and blatant disinformation").
- "A lot went wrong" during plea negotiations.
- He has an "absolute claim of innocence."
- He "wants to be heard."
The Families’ Response:
The Goncalves family compared him to a "mosquito you just can’t seem to swat" and said:
"If even a fraction of the energy spent trying to free a guilty man were directed toward honoring the victims, there would be statues of them on every corner, parks bearing their names, and days set aside to remember the lives they lost at the hands of a narcissist."
About the Netflix Documentary
"The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare" was released on Netflix on July 29, 2026.
What Makes It Different:
- Directed by Skye Borgman (also made Unknown Number: The High School Catfish).
- Focuses on the victims — who they were, their lives, the love around them.
- Chronicles the crime, the manhunt, and the aftermath.
- Borgman told Netflix’s Tudum:
"At a time when so much attention has been focused on the case itself, I felt it was important to create something that brings the focus back to who they were…"
Summary
- Four college students were brutally murdered in their Idaho home on Nov 13, 2022.
- Bryan Kohberger, a criminology PhD student, was caught using DNA genealogy, car surveillance, and phone records.
- He pleaded guilty in 2025 to avoid the death penalty and got four life sentences + 10 years.
- He never explained his motive.
- One year later (July 2026), he claims innocence and is trying to withdraw his plea.
- The victims’ families are angry and heartbroken by his new claims.
- A new Netflix documentary (The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare) focuses on honoring the victims’ lives.
FAQ
Who were the victims?
Four University of Idaho students: Madison Mogen (21), Kaylee Goncalves (21), Xana Kernodle (20), and Ethan Chapin (20). They were friends and roommates.
How did police find the killer if the DNA wasn’t in the FBI database?
They used investigative genetic genealogy — uploading the crime scene DNA to public ancestry databases to find relatives, then building family trees to identify a suspect.
Why did Kohberger plead guilty if he now says he’s innocent?
He took a plea deal to avoid the death penalty. Now he claims he was misled or pressured during negotiations. Courts will decide if he can withdraw the plea.
What is the Netflix documentary about?
The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare focuses on the victims’ lives, not just the crime. It covers the murders, the investigation, and the impact on families and the community.
Is Kohberger still in prison?
Yes. He is at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution. Even if his petition to withdraw the plea is considered, he remains incarcerated while the legal process plays out.
Watch the documentary: The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare is streaming now on Netflix.
