FILE · ID-2022-MOSCOW
CLOSED · CONVICTED
The Idaho Four Murders
A plain-English guide to the case, the timeline, the people and the court record, through the latest public developments.
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- Case numbers
- CR29-22-2805 (Latah) → CR01-24-31665 (Ada); post-conviction CV01-26-15094
- Date of crime
- November 13, 2022 · Moscow, Idaho
- Outcome
- Guilty pleas July 2, 2025 · Sentenced July 23, 2025
- Current status
- Serving life without parole; post-conviction petition pending
The case in brief
Early on Sunday, November 13, 2022, four University of Idaho students — Madison Mogen (21), Kaylee Goncalves (21), Xana Kernodle (20) and Ethan Chapin (20) — were killed in an off-campus rental house in Moscow, Idaho. Moscow Police, Idaho State Police and the FBI worked the case for seven weeks without an arrest.
On December 30, 2022, Bryan C. Kohberger, then a Ph.D. student in criminology at Washington State University, was arrested in Pennsylvania. A Latah County grand jury indicted him on May 16, 2023, on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary, and the State gave notice it would seek the death penalty. The case moved to Ada County (Boise) in September 2024.
On July 2, 2025, he pleaded guilty to all five counts under a plea agreement that took the death penalty off the table, and on July 23, 2025, he was sentenced to four consecutive fixed life terms without parole plus ten years. No motive has been established in court. In July 2026 he filed a petition for post-conviction relief; those claims are allegations, not findings, and his convictions and sentences remain in place.
In memory of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.
What's inside the pack
- Plain-English case summary with an at-a-glance fact box
- Remembering the four, and a schematic of key places
- Three-part illustrated timeline (crime & arrest, pretrial fight, plea, sentence & after)
- Key people: judges, prosecution, defense, investigators
- Six court documents explained — what each is, why it matters, what to read for — with official links
- Glossary of legal terms
- Eight discussion questions for book clubs and classrooms
- Full numbered source list (31 sources) and a case-notes worksheet
Contains no crime-scene images and no graphic description. It does not name the surviving roommates or repeat online theories.
Preview pages
Free short timeline
A condensed version of the pack's three-part timeline. Source numbers match the pack's source list. Current as of October 14, 2026.
Four University of Idaho students are killed at an off-campus house in Moscow; police respond to a 911 call at 11:58 a.m. [12]
A criminal complaint, probable cause order and arrest warrant are filed in Latah County. [2]
Pennsylvania State Police arrest Bryan C. Kohberger, 28, in Chestnuthill Township, Monroe County. [14]
A Latah County grand jury indicts him on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. [4]
The State files notice of intent to seek the death penalty. [5]
Venue change granted (Sept 6); the Idaho Supreme Court transfers the case to Ada County and Judge Steven Hippler (Sept 12). [6][7]
Kohberger pleads guilty to all five counts under a written plea agreement. [10]
Sentenced to four consecutive fixed life terms without parole plus 10 years fixed for burglary. [11]
A handwritten post-conviction petition (CV01-26-15094) asks to withdraw the guilty plea. These are allegations, not findings. [25]
Hearings set for Oct 15, 2026 and for 2027 are vacated and will be rescheduled. The convictions and sentences stand. [26]
Sources for this timeline
- Ada County District Court, Case Summary CR01-24-31665 — coi.isc.idaho.gov
- Indictment, Redacted (May 16, 2023) — coi.isc.idaho.gov
- Notice Pursuant to Idaho Code § 18-4004A — coi.isc.idaho.gov
- Order Granting Defendant's Motion to Change Venue — coi.isc.idaho.gov
- Idaho Supreme Court, Order re Change of Venue — coi.isc.idaho.gov
- Plea Agreement — coi.isc.idaho.gov
- Judgment of Conviction and Commitment — coi.isc.idaho.gov
- City of Moscow / Moscow PD, “Arrest Made in Moscow Homicides” (Dec. 30, 2022) — www.ci.moscow.id.us
- Pennsylvania State Police, “State Police Arrests Suspect in Idaho Student Homicides” — www.pa.gov
- Fox News, prosecutors oppose bid to remove Judge Hippler (Oct. 9, 2026) — www.foxnews.com
- Fox News, Kohberger's court hearings vacated (Oct. 14, 2026) — www.foxnews.com
Follow the official record: Idaho Supreme Court, Cases of Interest.
Get the full case file
15 printable pages, 6 court documents explained, 31 numbered sources.
Buy the PDF · $9Independent educational resource. Not legal advice. Not affiliated with or endorsed by any court, agency, party, organization or family.