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Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Madison Mogen were reportedly stabbed to death in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022, inside a rental house near the University of Idaho. The brutal stabbings shocked the nation and set off a wide-ranging investigation.
A knife sheath left at the scene carried DNA that led police to Bryan Kohberger. He was arrested weeks later and now faces four counts of murder. Kohberger was a criminology Ph.D. student at the time. He maintains his innocence. His trial is set for August 11, 2025, and could end with the death penalty.
Tonight, NBC will air Dateline: The Terrible Night on King’s Road at 9 p.m. ET. The special will present new evidence, including unsettling online searches and recently uncovered surveillance footage tracing Kohberger’s path. Families of the victims, including Ethan Chapin’s, continue to seek answers nearly three years after the attack.
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Bryan Kohberger faces murder charges for fatally stabbing Ethan Chapin and three others in November 2022
Bryan Kohberger was pursuing a Ph.D. in criminal justice when he was charged with four counts of murder and one count of burglary. Prosecutors allege he fatally stabbed Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves inside their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13, 2022.
Police records later revealed disturbing internet searches. He allegedly looked up serial killer Ted Bundy and searched for graphic content involving unconscious and drugged victims. Investigators also pulled surveillance clips of a vehicle resembling Kohberger's near the house that night.
Cellphone data placed him in the area 23 times in the months leading up to the murders, mostly after dark. His final visit came just six days before the attack. Despite the volume of circumstantial and forensic evidence, Kohberger's defense maintains that he was driving alone the night of the murders and has presented an alibi involving late-night drives.
The murders are the subject of an upcoming special episode of Dateline, titled The Terrible Night on King's Road, airing on Friday, May 9, 2025, at 9/8c p.m. on NBC.
Details emerge from survivors and the forensic timeline
In previously released court documents reviewed by CBS News on May 8, 2025, authorities detailed how the bodies of Ethan Chapin and other victims were discovered in their off-campus rental house by the two surviving roommates.
Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen were found deceased in the same bed, while Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were located nearby. Ethan Chapin, who was visiting Kernodle, did not live in the home. One of the surviving roommates, D.M., reportedly heard unusual noises around 4 a.m. and saw a masked man dressed in black exiting the home.
Text messages between D.M. and the other roommate, B.F., revealed they were alarmed by the lack of response from the victims. D.M. eventually left her room and, thinking Xana was intoxicated, saw her unresponsive body on the floor before seeking refuge in B.F.'s room. A 911 call was placed later that morning from one of their phones.
Authorities used DNA evidence recovered from a knife sheath found at the scene and linked it to Kohberger through genealogical databases. A Hyundai Elantra similar to the one he owned was also spotted near the house multiple times, including on the night of the murders.
Cellphone tower data further corroborated his presence in the area. In June 2023, the prosecution announced its intent to pursue the death penalty.
Kohberger's legal proceedings and public reaction
Kohberger initially remained silent during his arraignment, prompting the judge to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf. His trial is now set to begin on August 11, 2025, in Ada County, Idaho, following a change of venue due to the extensive media coverage.
A recent court decision allows Bryan Kohberger's parents and siblings to attend the trial, even if they are listed as potential witnesses. As per the CBS News report, Judge Steven Hippler stated:
"Courts recognize that having defendant's family members present at trial advances the values served by the right to public trial"
The families of Ethan Chapin and the other victims have grown frustrated as the trial drags on. They also pushed back against the demolition of the King Road house, believing it still held evidence. Still, the university tore it down in December 2023, calling it a step toward healing.
The murders and the man accused of committing them continue to draw national attention. Bryan Kohberger's background in criminology and the vast digital trail he allegedly left behind have only fueled public interest. Dateline: The Terrible Night on King's Road sets out to unpack what happened through survivor accounts, forensic details, and unseen footage.
Stay tuned for more updates.
