Newly released crime scene photographs from the 2022 University of Idaho murders provide a detailed look at the evidence that led to the conviction of Bryan Kohberger. The images, which were briefly uploaded online by Idaho State Police before being removed, include previously unseen details from the off-campus house where four students were killed.
Among the most significant pieces of evidence revealed in the photographs is a tan leather knife sheath found at the scene. Investigators believe Kohberger, then 27, dropped the sheath in Madison Mogen's bedroom in a moment of haste. The sheath was crucial in the investigation, as forensic teams recovered trace DNA from it. This DNA, combined with genetic genealogy, allowed investigators to build a family tree that eventually identified Kohberger.
Another critical piece of evidence highlighted in the photos are large footprints found in the snow outside the home. These prints, consistent with a size 13 shoe, matched a pair seized from Kohberger's family residence. Images also show footprints made visible by a chemical blood detection mix inside the house, underscoring the forensic work conducted at the scene.
The photographs also illustrate the violence of the attacks. Blood is visible soaked into bedding and smeared across walls and furniture. A small bloodstain found nearly seven feet above the floor on a door frame in Mogen's bedroom suggests the force used during the assaults.
Kohberger, a criminology PhD student, is believed to have entered the residence through an unlocked sliding glass door in the early hours of November 13, 2022. He is thought to have gone to the third floor where Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen were sleeping. The other victims, Xana Kernodle and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, were on the second floor.
Investigators theorize that Kernodle may have heard a disturbance and encountered Kohberger as he fled Mogen's room, leading him to drop the knife sheath. Kernodle and Chapin were subsequently killed in their bedroom. Kohberger had no known connection to the victims, and no motive has ever been publicly revealed.
Records indicate Kohberger had stalked the area in the weeks prior to the murders, visiting over 20 times. He took measures to conceal his identity on the night of the killings, wearing dark clothing and a mask, and disabling his phone. After the attacks, he reportedly attempted to clean his vehicle and apartment to remove evidence.
Idaho State Police stated that the release of the images complied with public records laws but acknowledged complaints regarding the graphic nature of some photos. They indicated plans to review and re-release the images. Kohberger pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder on July 2, 2025, and received a sentence of life imprisonment. He is currently held in isolation at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution.