Newly released autopsy reports expose the savage brutality of the University of Idaho murders, revealing over 50 defensive stab wounds on one victim.
Story Snapshot
- Bryan Kohberger sentenced to four life terms for the November 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students in a brutal stabbing attack
- Autopsy reports released after sentencing reveal extreme violence: over 50 defensive wounds on Xana Kernodle, 20+ stab wounds on Kaylee Goncalves, severed arteries on multiple victims
- DNA evidence from a KA-BAR knife sheath left at the scene proved pivotal in linking Kohberger to the murders
- Crime scene documents describe blood pools, smeared walls, and victims rendered unrecognizable by the ferocity of the attack
Unprecedented Document Release Reveals Horrific Crime Scene
Hours after Bryan Kohberger received four consecutive life sentences plus 10 years in early 2026, Moscow Police Department released approximately 300 pages of previously sealed investigation documents. The records paint a horrifying picture of the November 13, 2022 crime scene at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho. Police narratives describe discovering four University of Idaho students stabbed to death in their beds, with blood pooling throughout the off-campus residence. Investigators found victims pale and rigid, their faces so damaged they were difficult to recognize. The kitchen door stood ajar with blood smeared across walls and floors, marking the path of unspeakable violence.
Autopsy Reports Detail Defensive Wounds and Savage Attack
The medical examiner reports reveal the extreme brutality inflicted upon Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. Goncalves sustained more than 20 stab wounds along with brain bleeding, while Kernodle showed over 50 defensive wounds concentrated on her hands, indicating she fought desperately against her attacker. Chapin suffered severed jugular and subclavian arteries, as did other victims. Forensic analysis confirmed the weapon was a very sharp, single-edged, non-serrated blade consistent with a KA-BAR knife—a tan leather sheath for such a knife was found on a bed at the scene, bearing Kohberger’s DNA.
Unsealed records in Idaho student murders detail victims' injuries, final movements https://t.co/CnlqownpaH
— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 27, 2026
DNA Evidence and Investigative Breakthrough
The investigation turned on forensic evidence that connected 30-year-old Bryan Kohberger, a criminology PhD student at nearby Washington State University, to the crime scene. Touch DNA recovered from the knife sheath proved pivotal when investigators matched it to Kohberger through a discarded Q-tip sample. Police documents also note that Kohberger purchased a similar knife on Amazon and that witnesses observed suspicious injuries on his face and knuckles in October and November 2022, which he attributed to a car accident. A Walmart employee reported seeing a tall white male seeking a black ski mask approximately two to three weeks before the murders. These investigative leads, combined with the DNA match, led to Kohberger’s December 2022 arrest.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WunbL-ZwU9g
Justice Served Through Solid Evidence and Guilty Plea
Kohberger pleaded guilty to all charges to avoid the death penalty, accepting four life sentences without possibility of parole. The case demonstrates how meticulous police work and modern forensic science can bring perpetrators to justice even in the most heinous crimes. For families of the victims and the Moscow community, the document release provides long-awaited transparency about the investigation, though it reopens painful wounds. The precedent set by releasing sealed documents post-conviction may influence future cases where public interest demands accountability. This case reinforces the importance of DNA forensics in violent crimes and validates the investigative patience required when physical evidence becomes the prosecution’s strongest tool against evil.
Sources:
Moscow police release chilling details of University of Idaho murders – KOMO News
Police documents detail “strange” incidents near scene of Idaho student murders – CBS News
