They went to sleep and never woke up. The mystery of the Idaho Murders is a Netflix hit
After a night out, you return home with your friends and dive into bed. Maybe you haven't taken off your mascara yet, but yes: you'll do that tomorrow. Right? For four students in Idaho, such a normal evening became their last. They came home, went to sleep, and never woke up again. Not because of a pill, but because they were murdered. Netflix dives again into a case: the Idaho Murders.
What happened in Idaho?
On October 13, 2022, students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin return home after a night out. Kaylee, Maddie, and Xana live there with two other friends. And Ethan? He is Xana's boyfriend, so he decides to stay over as well. What started as a typical student night ends in a nightmare. In the early morning, the four students are murdered with a knife. Two other housemates survive the night and are unaware of anything. They find out in the morning that one of the group isn't waking up. The police are at the door for what they think is alcohol poisoning, but it turns out to be much worse.
In the small town of Moscow, panic ensues. The entire student city is afraid that the murderer is still among them. Days turn into weeks, and the police make no real progress. Every lead to a suspect is missing until they find an object with the DNA of Bryan Kohberger. He is a PhD student studying criminology. Fitting.
The question that was never answered
At the end of December 2022, Bryan is arrested. Only in July 2025 does he confess to the four murders and the burglary. He didn't do it because he felt remorse, but to prevent a trial from happening. Why? Because there was a high chance he would receive the death penalty. Yes. The PhD student was sentenced to four life terms without the possibility of parole. Yet, the most important question remains unanswered. Because Bryan confessed before the trial really began, there was never an answer to the question everyone has and had: why did he murder these four students? Why did he choose this house to break into? These were not ex-friends, bullies, or wannabe influencers. They were just four students with dreams. Kaylee was about to start a study. She had even found a part-time job. She and Maddie had been best friends for years. Xana and Ethan had just started dating.
As if the unanswered motive wasn't torment enough, the perpetrator recently made the story even more complicated. Two months ago, he claimed to be innocent. During the negotiations over his confession, something ‘went wrong’. Wow. Now he suddenly wants a trial after all. That's really heavy.
You will see previously unreleased footage
For us in this little country, this case may feel far away, but in America, it is still sensitive. Especially since much of the footage has never been shown before. The creators started their documentary series. They waited extra long with the release so that everyone could process the news a bit more AND, very smartly, until they gained access to more footage. Only after Bryan confessed did they gain access to material that had not been made public before, such as bodycam footage, security camera recordings, police interrogations, and investigative documents.
Even if you love true crime docs, this one is intense. There is no argument or a jealous ex-flame taking revenge. That is precisely what makes the story hard to shake off. Do you still want to take the plunge? Good luck.
