The case that gripped TikTok: One Night in Idaho: The College Murders

The fact that many people can completely lose themselves in true crime stories is evident from the social media attention that some cases receive. Such is the case with the murder of four university students in the American state of Idaho. Due to the many questions surrounding the case, TikTok turned into a web full of bizarre theories and accusations. In the new Prime Video documentary ‘One Night in Idaho: The College Murders’, family and friends of the victims now share their side of the story about that one night that changed their lives forever.

One Night in Idaho: this is what happened that fateful night

The town of Moscow in the state of Idaho is known as a true student city. A place where young people have the time of their lives and where serious crime actually plays no role. But on the night of November 12 to 13, 2022, that all comes to a sudden end. Students and housemates Madison Mogen (21), Kaylee Goncalves (21), and Xana Kernodle (20) and Xana's boyfriend Ethan Chapin (20) are found dead in the morning by one of their friends. To avoid causing panic across the entire campus, the police are called for an unconscious person. But as soon as the officers arrive and the students' house is cordoned off, it becomes clear that much more is going on. A case like this never happens in Moscow, and the police are not prepared for it. Family, friends, and even the media receive hardly any information, and only after three days does a press conference take place. The police suspect a targeted attack but have no suspect in sight yet. Bit by bit, pieces of information are released, leading to great speculation and panic.

Speculation and conspiracy theories surrounding the Idaho College Murders

Due to the reputation of Moscow and the impact of the murders on the student community, the case attracts a lot of attention across the US. On social media, people demand more answers, and due to the lack of information from the police, they start looking for answers themselves. Soon, the focus shifts to Dylan and Bethany, two fellow students of the victims who lived in the same house and were also present that night. They had heard strange noises during the night but couldn't really place whether it was real and what they were hearing; out of fear they also didn't dare to go check. It wasn't until the afternoon that other friends and eventually the police were called, which raised questions. Did Dylan and Bethany know more? How could they have survived? The friends who ultimately found the victims were also accused and harassed and threatened on social media. With the increasing speculation, fear grew within the community. The police managed to rule out a number of ‘suspects’, but that didn't mean they were left alone by the public afterward. That only happened when the police finally managed to arrest a real suspect.

How the police found the suspect in the Idaho College Murders

One of the first important leads in the investigation was a white Hyundai Elantra that was spotted multiple times near the house on the night of the murder murders. After checking quite a few of these cars, the officers came across a student at Washington State University, Bryan Kohberger. During further investigation, the FBI discovered that Kohberger's phone had also pinged multiple times near the student house where the murders took place. The DNA found on a protective cover of a knife at the crime scene ultimately also led to the same suspect. On December 30, 2022, just over a month after the murders, Kohberger was arrested.

Why did Bryan Kohberger do it?

In the various times that Kohberger appeared in court, he never said anything about why he would have committed the murders. The big question remains unanswered. However, there are some ideas about his motive. What was particularly striking was that he was a criminology student interested in why murderers committed their acts and how they felt about it. According to his classmates, Kohberger was particularly fascinated by one specific serial killer: Elliot Rodger; a 22-year-old man who murdered seven people around the campus of the University of California in 2014. Rodger was later idolized by the incel movement; incel stands for involuntary celibate and refers to a group of men who are angry because they do not receive romantic attention from women and are willing to take revenge. Kohberger was also said to identify with this movement, which could possibly indicate a motive. Madison, Kaylee, Xana, and Ethan were all popular and received a lot of attention; something that was certainly not the case for Kohberger. Whether this led to his actions remains unclear.

Where is Kohberger now?

After Kohberger was arrested at the end of 2022, a long process followed. The trial date was continually postponed due to disagreements over witnesses and evidence. His own lawyers also requested multiple delays because they needed more time to prepare. The prosecutors demanded that Kohberger be sentenced to death, while his own team maintained that he was innocent. The trial was actually scheduled for August of this year, but then suddenly there was a breakthrough. On June 30, Kohberger accepted a plea deal and on July 2, he pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. This means he can avoid the death penalty and instead receive four life sentences for the murders and another ten years for the burglary. He will never be able to appeal and will have no chance of being released early. On July 23, the judge will rule and determine whether the plea deal and new sentence will actually go through. Until then, you can ensure you are fully informed about the case with the new documentary. ‘One Night in Idaho: The College Murders’ is now available on Prime Video.

Image: Prime Video