Updated images of the crime scene at the University of Idaho murder case unveiled by law enforcement officials
In a significant development, the Moscow Police Department in Idaho has released a trove of evidence related to the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students. The evidence includes a precise 3D house model, extensive crime scene photos, and surveillance footage, offering a comprehensive, albeit heavily redacted, visual and forensic picture of the murder scene.
The 3D replica of 1122 King Road, the site of the tragic event, was unveiled by prosecutors. The actual house was demolished in December 2023, and the model was intended for trial use before the trial was canceled. According to officials, the model house was designed to help visualize the crime scene [1].
Police documented the scene extensively, resulting in nearly 200 redacted and blurred crime scene photographs. These photos show various parts of the house interior and exterior, including Xana Kernodle’s bedroom where an intense struggle took place, with evidence of severe stabbing injuries and defensive wounds. The sliding back door, believed to be the point of entry, also appears in the photos with blood on it [3][5].
Madison Mogen’s bedroom, where she and Kaylee Goncalves were found, is another focus of the photographs. Both victims suffered severe stab wounds and were killed in their sleep under a blanket [3]. Handprints on a window and blood spatters consistent with the brutality of the attack are also visible in the released photos [3][5].
Officers reported that Xana Kernodle appeared to be the only victim awake during the initial attack, suffering approximately 50 stab injuries, including fatal wounds to her lung and heart. Ethan Chapin was found hanging off Kernodle’s bed with arterial blood spatter nearby. Goncalves was left "unrecognizable" with over 30 stab wounds, many to her face. Mogen had a massive facial wound and was found leaning against her friend’s body [2][4].
In addition to the photographs, police have also obtained surveillance video from around the home on King Road during the early morning hours of the murders. While details on what exactly the footage shows have not been fully released, media reports confirm the presence of relevant surveillance video capturing activity at or near the crime scene [5].
The released evidence comes after a period of relative silence from the Moscow Police Department following the students' murders. Investigators were looking into Bryan Kohberger, a former Ph.D. candidate at Washington State University, and he was arrested on Dec. 30, 2022, at his parents' home in Pennsylvania [6].
A neighbor's security camera captured footage of a white car roaming the block and then speeding away, which police now know was Kohberger's Hyundai Elantra [6]. A stunned Kohberger was also pictured, wearing a hoodie and sweats at his parents' home, handcuffed with a police officer in camouflage standing a few feet away [6].
This new release of evidence provides a chilling glimpse into the horrifying and brutal events of that fateful night. The evidence serves as a reminder of the tragic loss of four promising young lives and the ongoing pursuit of justice for their families and loved ones.
[1] https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/01/us/idaho-murders-3d-model-evidence/index.html [2] https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/31/us/idaho-murders-victims-autopsy-report/index.html [3] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/idaho-police-release-photos-crime-scene-killing-4-students-n1335936 [4] https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/31/us/idaho-murders-crime-scene-photos/index.html [5] https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/31/us/idaho-murders-surveillance-footage/index.html [6] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/idaho-police-release-new-neighborhood-surveillance-video-photos-related-murders-n1336841
- The visual and forensic evidence released by the Moscow Police Department about the murders includes a 3D model of the crime scene, crime scene photos, and surveillance footage, thus falling under the categories of general news, crime and justice, and war and conflicts.
- The 3D model house, designed for trial use before the trial was canceled, offers a glimpse into the politics surrounding the case, as officials made the decision to publicly release it despite its potential impact on the case.
