Unsealed Autopsy Reports of University of Idaho Victims

The Ada County court recently unsealed the autopsy reports for the University of Idaho student victims. This decision followed Bryan Kohberger’s successful request to transfer the case venue. Dr. Veena Singh, the chief medical examiner in Spokane, conducted these autopsies. Prosecutors noted she was meant to testify during the penalty phase if Kohberger had not entered a guilty plea.

University of Idaho students Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, and Xana Kernodle tragically lost their lives in November 2022. A photo shared by Goncalves on Instagram features the four students before the incident. Accompanying them were two other housemates who survived.

The reports reveal that all victims endured injuries consistent with a ‘Ka-Bar Full Size US Marine Corps Fighting Knife’. This knife is believed to be the murder weapon. Some wounds suggested different parts of the knife might have been used.

The autopsy confirmed that the students suffered from multiple sharp-force injuries. They experienced significant pain during the attack, which occurred around 4 a.m. as three of them were sleeping. Goncalves also sustained blunt-force injuries and showed signs of asphyxia, likely due to an object covering her mouth.

Investigations revealed that Xana Kernodle was the only victim awake during the attack. She displayed defensive wounds on her hands and arms. Police discovered a leather Ka-Bar sheath in the bed with Goncalves and Mogen, containing Kohberger’s DNA.

Authorities used investigative genetic genealogy, leading to Kohberger as a suspect. He was located attending classes near the crime scene and was arrested in Pennsylvania on December 30, 2022.

Kohberger was studying criminology at Washington State University. After pleading guilty, he received four consecutive life sentences, avoiding the death penalty. While in prison, Kohberger complained about the food and how other inmates treated him.