On a quiet morning in November 2022, fear swept through a house near the University of Idaho. Four college students—Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin—were brutally stabbed to death in their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho. It was a crime that shocked their community and the entire nation.
As terrifying as that night was, two other roommates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, survived. Recently released court documents reveal that the two exchanged scared and frantic texts early that morning when strange and frightening things began happening around them.
It was around 4:22 a.m. when Dylan texted Bethany, saying she was “freaking out” because she’d seen a man in what looked like a ski mask covering his head and mouth. Bethany replied, saying she was also scared and told Dylan to “run” to her room. That night, Dylan ended up staying in Bethany’s room, too frightened to leave.
The next day, around noon, someone used Bethany’s phone to call 911 after one of their friends was found unresponsive. When police arrived, they discovered the horrifying crime scene.
Investigators later determined the four victims had gotten home around 1:45 a.m. Court documents also revealed that Dylan had messaged an Uber driver around 2:10 a.m., likely confirming her own ride home.
The investigation eventually led to Bryan Kohberger, a Ph.D. student studying criminal justice and criminology at Washington State University, just eight miles away from the crime scene. He was arrested and charged with the murders. Evidence tying him to the crime included DNA found on a knife sheath left at the scene and cell phone data placing him near the house. Investigators even collected trash from his parents’ home in Pennsylvania to confirm the DNA match.
On top of this, one of the surviving roommates told police she saw a figure dressed in black walk past her after hearing crying in the house. She described the man as wearing a mask that covered most of his face.
As the case heads to trial, with Kohberger pleading not guilty, the families and friends of the victims continue to search for justice. The trial is set to begin on August 11, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Kohberger’s defense team has argued against capital punishment, citing his diagnosis on the autism spectrum.
For the quiet college town of Moscow, the tragedy remains a painful memory—and the fight for answers and accountability continues.
