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October 8, 2023 · 1:40 pm

Does how the victims were laid to rest give us any clues to what happened at 1122 King Road?

Later this week will mark the 11-month anniversary of the tragedy at 1122 King Road.

In the early hours of Nov. 13 last year, the Idaho 4 were killed at their home.

The deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin not only shocked the community of Moscow, but countless people nationwide and globally.

As 2022 wound down, Bryan Kohberger was arrested more than 2,000 miles away in his native Pennsylvania on Dec. 30. To date, Kohberger is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary.

Given there has been a gag order on the case in place for sometime now, getting accurate information and not online rumors can be difficult at times.

One thing that seems to be pretty clear from family statements, online research and so on is that the families of three of the four victims had their loved ones cremated.

Chapin, who did not live at the home but was visiting his girlfriend (Kernodle) when the murders took place, apparently was the only victim not cremated before being laid to rest in Washington State. At a vigil, Steve Goncalves said that his daughter and Mogen were in the same bed when they died. Now (December of 2022), Kaylee’s ashes are right next to Mogen’s at the Goncalves’ house, NewsNation’s Brian Entin reported.

If you’ve followed the case closely, you have heard reports that the crime scene was quite bloody. Unlike other manners of death, attacks with knives can be rather messy as one would expect.

So, while we do not like to deal in wild online rumors and such, it has been out there for a while now that Mogen reportedly had her throat slit and would have died rather quickly.

Meantime, reports that include comments from some of the family members, indicate both Goncalves and Kernodle put up a fight for their lives. If this in fact is true, one could reasonably gather that both victims suffered countless knife wounds and perhaps other forms of attack.

At the end of the day, cremation may have been the only viable option for three of the families. If their loved ones were attacked so viciously, trying to prepare a body for traditional burial may not have been a viable option.

If you stop and think about it, how many young adults have a conversation with their families about what funeral plans they’d want to have should they die unexpectedly at such a young age? My guess is none of these four murder victims had such discussions to any great length with their parents prior to Nov. 13, 2022. As such, the brutality that they came face to face with on that morning may have left their families no other choice but cremation.

I bring all this up because I still do not buy that one individual waltzed into that home during the middle of the night and quickly took four young lives.

It makes much more sense to me that more than one person did this horrific act.

If it was only one person as the police and prosecution seem to stand by, than is their timeline of the murders off? It would seem to take longer than 15 minutes or so for an individual in presumably dark conditions, on two different floors, meeting resistance from at least two of the victims, and not leaving a major blood trail out of the home to pull this off. Keep in mind that attacking an individual even if they are drunk and/or asleep is not like taking a knife to a pillow etc. If the police timeline is off, what else might be off about their case?

While many people (most notably the families) want answers, the fact that three of the four victims were reportedly cremated may give us some insight into simply how brutal these killings were and all that went into them both in terms of individuals and time involved.

Editor’s note: Xana Kernodle cremation notice from Findagrave.com.

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October 5, 2023 · 9:22 pm

Is Dylan getting bullied online?

One of the intriguing aspects of the Idaho 4 case has of course been the fact that two of the six people living there/visiting in the home at 1122 King Road on Nov. 13, 2022 survived the deadly massacre.

Roommates Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke made it out alive on that fateful day.

As we come up on the sad one-year anniversary of this tragedy this Nov. 13, much has been made online about the whereabouts of Mortensen and Funke since the tragedy took place.

Some accounts have Funke out of state now, possibly living and going to school in California. There have even been rumors that the former resident of 1122 King Road in Moscow is now engaged.

Meantime, not much has been put out there about what Mortensen, a Boise native, has been up to. Well, that is until now.

According to one report, Mortensen has been getting therapy in a sense and also has turned to the world of gaming. How much of this is true of course is up for debate.

One thing that is not really debatable is the attention Mortensen has gotten online.

While she certainly has her online supporters willing to treat her with kid gloves, others have been less than hospitable.

Honestly, I find myself in the middle ground when it comes to the former resident of 1122 King Road.

On the one hand, I do not believe she was directly involved in the killings of Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. There has been absolutely no evidence outside of the gag order that supports Mortensen having a hand in their deaths.

On the flip side of the coin, her actions (in truth inaction) during the time between when the murders reportedly took place and when 911 in fact was called are sketchy at best.

I will just say that anyone who had to open their bedroom door three times to “investigate” noises etc. at that time of the day and saw a masked individual only steps away from them had to know something was amiss.

Yes, the home had a reputation of being a party house off campus. Even with that in mind, it is by no means NORMAL to have a masked individual walking around your home at 4ish in the morning. It was not a frat prank nor was the mask being worn due to COVID.

So, Mortensen was either totally out of it and what she said in the PCA carries no water or she was sober and neglected to check on her roommates once safe to do so. Sorry, but she and her backers can’t have it both ways.

While I am happy Mortensen and Funke both survived, the fact they were allegedly texting one another during the timeline in question that the killings took place is also a little disturbing. While no one is saying they should have stormed into the second floor living area with the perp or perps in the home, once safe to do so to see what all the commotion was is more than a reasonable idea in many people’s minds.

At the end of the day, let us hope that we and more importantly the families involved get the answers to so many questions once the trial takes place.

As of now, there are more questions than answers when it comes to the survivors, notably Dylan Mortensen.

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October 3, 2023 · 9:40 pm

Second visit to 1122 King Road reminds one of terror that went on there

I first visited 1122 King Road last Memorial Day weekend on a trip to that part of the country.

With more than 30 years in journalism, I have always been curious about crime, especially the more high-profile cases. To say the Idaho 4 murders are high-profile crimes would likely be an understatement.

On a return visit to Idaho this past weekend that included stops in Moscow and Coeur d’ Alene, I again stopped by the home. Once again I wanted to leave flowers and a note for the four victims.

Some may find it a bit strange why a stranger would want to leave such things for four people no longer with us.

Quite simply, I think it is critical that we NEVER forget Kaylee, Maddie, Xana and Ethan.

No matter what we may think happened to them, who is responsible, what could have possibly been done to prevent it and so on, it is important the victims are NOT forgotten,

As I walked around downtown and the University of Idaho campus, I thought about how these four victims did exactly what I was doing not that long ago. Most of us following the case have seen the famous video clip of Kaylee and Maddie walking downtown only hours before their murders.

While in Moscow over the weekend, I also stopped and had lunch at the Mad Greek on Main Street. It was there of course where Maddie and Xana worked part-time jobs while going to school. There is a nice little photo collage by the bar honoring the four victims so that they will NEVER be forgotten.

As I said back in the spring when I wrote about my experiences seeing the home in person for the first time, it is surreal to be standing only yards away from where all this carnage took place on Nov. 13, 2022.

Not going to lie that many thoughts ran through my head while looking at and walking around the outside of the house what might have happened there that fateful Sunday morning.

Given the house knows but can’t talk, you can bet those walls and more would talk if they could.

At the end of the day, I will continue to leave flowers and a note any time I am visiting the area. That is true whether the house is one day demolished or not.

Four young lives breathed their last breaths of air on those grounds. Four young lives sadly saw terror up close and personal.

No matter our thoughts on guilt, innocence, a trial, whether the house should stand or be torn down and more, NEVER forget who died there.

When it comes right down to it, Kaylee, Maddie, Xana and Ethan should be with us now.

You can bet I and countless other people will do all we can to keep their memories alive.

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September 25, 2023 · 9:35 pm

Who do you want to see and hear testify at the Idaho 4 trial?

Yes, sooner or later there will be a trial in the Idaho 4 murder case.

That is short of the defendant Bryan Kohberger confessing and accepting a possible plea deal.

Honestly, given the circumstantial evidence against BK, I highly doubt he would confess to anything. It is up to Idaho to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the Pennsylvania native carried out the killings of four students (Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin) back on Nov. 13.

Trust me, I am no BK fan boy. If the guy is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, by all means I hope he gets the death penalty.

Having said that, I have serious doubt as of now the prosecution would get a 12-0 jury vote to convict him.

There are too many loose holes right now in my mind to call this a slam dunk case.

So, once we do get to trial, who are you most interested in seeing and hearing from?

Among the possibilities could be:

Bryan Kohberger – Wouldn’t it be something if the defendant himself got up there and answered questions? Of course doing so would open himself up to cross-examination from the prosecution. My gut tells me lead defense attorney Anne Taylor will not allow her client to get on the stand. Then again, hearing from the man who allegedly killed four people would make for a fascinating trial.

MPD – Hearing from one or more of the Moscow Police Department members on the scene at 1122 King Road that fateful day would be compelling too. My guess is we will absolutely hear from one or more of them. Among the things I’d want to know would be did they possibly contaminate the scene? Did authorities have all the proper gear on when they went in and out of the home? It is known by most accounts that the two surviving roommates and Ethan’s friend Hunter were in the home at some point before police arrived in the afternoon. How many other University of Idaho students were in that home before authorities got there?

Coroner/medical examiner – We are most definitely going to hear from the coroner/medical examiner. Their testimony is critical to determining how and approximately when the four victims died. Speaking of that, where is the toxicology report? We are now past 10 months since these tragic deaths and no toxicology report to my knowledge has been made public. And before someone says it is no business of the public, I say BS. Taxpayers have a right to see and hear their local governments in action. Not doing so leads to conspiracy theories among other things. The public has a right to know if any drugs were found in the systems of the four victims. If there were, such a thing could change how this case is looked at. I bought the lone stalker theory early on but now feel totally different as to what went down in those early morning hours at 1122 King Road. That does not make the four victims bad people IF drugs were involved and they sure as hell did not deserve to die.

Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke – Last; many people will be interested to see if the two survivors take the stand. If I am Taylor, I absolutely call them to testify. While I do not believe either were involved in the crimes, I 100 percent think Mortensen’s comments in the PCA are sketchy. One can’t have it both ways. Either the Boise native and U of I student was drunk and/or high and her statement to police is flawed at best or she was totally sober and not calling 911 once safe to do so was a major gaffe on her part. And before anyone screams they’re just kids, it has been documented “kids” under 10 have called 911 before in distress. Mortensen said she saw a figure with a mask on come towards her bedroom as she stood nearby. It was NOT a frat prank nor was the mask on due to COVID. Sorry, but most people are dialing 911 when safe to do so if they spot an intruder in their home at 4 ish in the morning. Doing so may have led to the arrest of a perp or perps much sooner. It also MIGHT have given at least one of the victims a fighting chance to get help and to the local hospital. I will be quite interested to hear from the medical experts at trial if any of the victims likely bled out. If so, getting them help as soon as possible could well have meant the difference between possibly living and more than likely dying.

As we eventually do get to what is sure to be one of the biggest trials in recent memory, who do you want to see and hear from on the stand?

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September 19, 2023 · 9:22 pm

Did you learn anything new from the recent 48 Hours episode?

If you got chance to catch this past Saturday night’s 48 Hours episode on CBS, would you say you learned anything new by it?

As one who has been wrapped up in this case, I would say I did not learn much.

My observations of the recent episode would be:

  • Steve Goncalves (father of victim Kaylee Goncalves) seems open to the idea the killer or killers could be those other than currently held Bryan Kohberger. Meantime, Kristi Goncalves (mother of Kaylee) seems quite certain that Kohberger is responsible for her daughter’s death and the deaths of Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.
  • It was nice to see and hear from the father and sister of Kernodle. The Goncalves Family has mostly been in the forefront of this case, notably doing interviews. It is important to hear from the other three families should they choose to speak. We did hear early on in the case from the Chapin Family but not so much lately. Mogen’s parents have been rather silent to date on the case. Of the four victims, Mogen was the only one without siblings. I respect each family in deciding how they best want to handle media requests and so on.
  • Dismissing drugs as a motive for the tragedy I feel is premature. Just because officials said early on there was no drug connection does not make it true. I think it is important to keep all possibilities on the table until the trial ends. I still would like to know what it meant when Maddie told Kaylee that night while walking in downtown Moscow hours before their deaths that she had told Adam everything. What was it that Maddie supposedly told Adam? I seriously doubt it had to do with boyfriends etc.
  • Howard Blum (one of those interviewed for 48 Hours and writing a book on the case) was spot on when noting this was far from a slam dunk case. If the best the prosecution has is some touch DNA on a knife sheath, I’d say there is a good chance at least one juror could send this case to a not guilty verdict. The cell phone evidence and the defendant’s vehicle reportedly being spotted (though never positively identified) in the neighborhood can be explained away by a good defense attorney such as Anne Taylor.
  • One thing I did not hear in this recent episode and would love to know is have any of the families (notably the Goncalves Family) talked with survivors Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke? I still think this case could be swung one way or the other on their testimony at trial. I’d be shocked if the defense does not call both to testify. Given Mortensen’s story is shaky at best, it will be interesting if we find out if the four families have had any conversations with DM before the gag order went into effect.

If you watched 48 Hours from this past Saturday evening, any new takeaways for you?

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September 17, 2023 · 2:08 pm

Plans to demolish 1122 King Road again on hold

While the trial of alleged murderer Bryan Kohberger will not kick off Oct. 2 as had originally been planned, it does not mean things are not happening behind the scenes.

Recently, the University of Idaho announced for a second time that it would not tear down the home where four students were murdered on Nov. 13, 2022.

Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were slain in the home in the early morning hours of Nov. 13 last year in a crime that has gained worldwide attention.

With this second announcement that the home will remain standing for now, it gives pause to think about the pros and cons of such a decision by the school who owns the home.

On the con side, students and others in the area will be reminded of the tragedy as the home continues to stand.

It also means 24/ security will continue at the residence to keep people out. Sadly, some people would try to more than likely break in and/or damage the property.

On the plus side, the biggest piece of evidence in this crime remains there.

Yes, the home does not look or feel inside like it did when the murders took place last fall.

According to reports, some of the walls and floorboards were removed by authorities. Chemicals used to treat this bio-hazard site also would take a toll on the integrity of the home inside.

Even with all that to think about, I absolutely support keeping the home up until the trial ends.

Should a jury request to see the inside of the home, it of course is up to the judge in the case to grant such a request.

Yes, you can argue that the changes to the home since the murders would present a jury with a different setting. Even with that in mind, a jury could gain more insight into the case by walking around the inside of the home if for nothing else than to see its layout.

You can look at thousands of pictures, dozens of videos etc. taken by authorities inside the home since the murders and it is still NOT the same as being on location for your own eyes and ears. I know if I was on that jury I’d absolutely request to see the layout for myself.

As we moved forward to an eventual trial, hopefully university officials stick to their word and keep the home standing.

Kudos to the security staff protecting the home from those who’d look to do something that most of us would never think of doing.

It is one thing to drive or walk by and snap a picture or two, shoot a video etc. of the home as opposed to trying to desecrate the location where four young lives were savagely taken.

With that to think about, do you support university officials and their choice to leave the home standing for now?

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September 3, 2023 · 1:37 pm

Do you believe all you see and hear on social media?

As we are coming up on the sad 10-month anniversary soon of the killing of four University of Idaho students, one can’t help but feel a little overwhelmed with all they have seen and heard on social media.

Sites like YouTube have been full of rumors, theories and more as to what happened to Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in the early hours of Nov. 13, 2022 at 1122 King Road.

One such rumor I saw recently was that three of the four victims were tortured and killed elsewhere, then brought to their final resting place in the home. The allegations said only Mogen was in fact killed in the home.

I’ve also seen reports on YouTube that the four were killed because as part of a drug operation that had gone south. Mogen is alleged to have flushed thousands of drugs down a toilet and thus ticked off those running the operation.

If you spend time on YouTube or Tik Tok, you can also discover that some allege there are underground tunnels all over Moscow, including one at the home where the four were discovered dead. This then leads to allegations that drugs were running through such tunnels and so on.

Honestly, with the gag order in place all these months, it of course fuels speculation of all kinds on social sites.

Some have stated that defendant Bryan Kohberger was an informant and got caught up in a drug case gone really bad. Others will tell you that BK followed all three female victims on social media and was stalking at least one of them. Both claims have never been verified by authorities…. so just more chatter to fuel speculation.

At the end of the day, my theory is drugs were involved but not to the level of some highly organized cartel. No college student is likely going to be taken out by a well-run cartel because they allegedly flushed some drugs down a toilet.

More likely, I think drugs to some degree played a role in the four being killed. If that is true, it of course may well come as a shock to the parents grieving the loss of their loved ones.

Last; when all is said and done, we may find out this senseless tragedy was the result of a fight involving frat boys and it spilled over to 1122 King Road.

While pretty much anything is possible at this point, take time to think things through no matter which side of the guilty/not guilty side you find yourself on involving the defendant.

So, what do you think truly went on in the early morning hours of Nov. 13 that took four young lives?

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August 30, 2023 · 9:15 pm

What should be Kohberger’s biggest concern?

As we await the trial of Idaho 4 murder suspect Bryan Kohberger, what should be his biggest concern?

From getting a fair trial to the evidence against him, there is no doubt a lot on the plate for lead defense attorney Anne Taylor and her team.

With that in mind, what do you think should be Kohberger’s biggest concern once we finally get to trial?

Among the concerns I see:

  • Getting a fair trial in first place – Assuming the trial is held in Moscow and not moved to Boise or elsewhere, can BK get a fair trial at the end of the day? While one would like to think so, one may also have some doubts. I support cameras in the courtroom, feeling they will not have a negative impact on things. I do have some concerns that there is a cover-up of some sorts going on and BK may end up being the fall guy at the end of the day.
  • Trace DNA evidence on sheath – There is much talk even all these months later about the trace DNA evidence reportedly discovered on the knife sheath in the bed of victim Maddie Mogen. Is it legit or was it in fact planted? I have no doubt that the defense team will bring in their own DNA experts to refute anything the prosecution puts out there related to DNA. Let’s not forget this was a party house and countless males were there less than a month before the murders took place and one or more there when at least two of the bodies were found. It is safe to say that home was a walking biological lab with all the people in and out of there before and after the killings.
  • Vehicle reported in the area – Much has been made of BK’s white Elantra supposedly being near 1122 King Road on the day of the murders. Unless there is a clear photo of BK behind the wheel and/or of his license plate taken, it is all speculation to me. Then again, much of this case has to do with speculation.
  • Cell phone pings – It has also been reported numerous times that BK’s phone pinged in the area of 1122 King Road home on countless occasions. Allegations that he turned the phone off around 2:47 a.m. and it did not come back on until after the four students were murdered of course looks bad. Even with that in mind, cell phone pings even in the driveway of the home or the street do not equal proof one took part in murder.
  • He allegedly followed one or more victims on social media – How many times have we heard that the suspect followed one or more of the three deceased females on social media? While that has never been verified, what if he did in fact follow one or more of the victims? How many people do you follow on social media? Chances are the number may be rather high and chances are a fair number of them are of the opposite sex. In no way does that equal you murdering any of them. Also keep in mind BK and the 3 victims were within 10 years of age of one another. He may well have met one or more of them out and about, at a house party at 1122 King Road etc. The social media link is way overblown in my mind.

As we eventually do get to trial, circumstantial evidence could pile up and make it difficult for BK to escape a guilty conviction.

On the flip side of the coin, the state needs to prove beyond a reasonable doubt they have the right killer.

IMO, they have not done so to date and will need some very convincing evidence to do so for this man to be convicted and possibly get the death penalty.

If you were defending BK, what would worry you most?

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August 29, 2023 · 9:28 pm

Do you question the narrative?

With no Idaho 4 trial starting Oct. 2 (trial was postponed to a date and time to be announced), it is a good opportunity to look back at the tragic Nov. 13, 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students.

So, how comfortable are you with the narrative from the Moscow Police Department and others in a position of power?

While I bought into the stalker theory early on, I moved away from it months ago.

Why would someone like myself who has three-plus decades of reporter experience and has followed countless high-profile crime cases question the police narrative?

Guys like Ted Bundy, Danny Rolling and other notorious serial killers sadly made their mark by killing young women. Some of those women were killed in college settings. So, isn’t it possible that defendant Bryan Kohberger was trying to be just like them?

Sure, while Kohberger could have been infatuated with one or more of the three victims, such a scenario seems less plausible if you put emotions aside and think things over.

Any of the victims could have been easily kidnapped at a time and choosing of Kohberger’s.

The idea that the Washington State University teaching assistant would just waltz into 1122 King Road in the middle of the night because he was infatuated with Kaylee, Maddie or Xana seems a stretch at this point. Why risk being caught, potentially getting the bleep beaten out of you etc. when kidnapping them while on the way to/from school, walking or jogging, at the store etc. would be so much easier?

Even with a gag order in place. I’ve also got trouble with no full autopsy report being released, no toxicology report on the four victims, no 9-1-1 call let out after nine months and so on. Putting such information out there for the public is not going jeopardize BK’s chance to have a fair trial.

While this may not be a police and/or University of Idaho coverup, something smells fishy here.

Even though Kohberger does not strike me as having the highest IQ in the world, I also do not think he’s a dummy.

So, what might officials be hiding?

Could it be that drugs were involved or even a pay-for-sex scandal involving police or university officials?

That is not to say that any of the women living in the home or those like victim Ethan Chapin visiting were bad people.

Let’s face it; some college students get mixed up in things that may have started out rather innocent. At times, they can get in over their heads. That by no means says what happened to them on Nov. 13 was in any means justified. It was NOT justified and the person/s responsible need to pay a major price.

All four victims should be with us today living some of the best years of their lives.

With that in mind, are you beginning to question the bag of goods we are being sold by MPD and U of I?

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August 26, 2023 · 1:01 pm

Should cameras be allowed in the courtroom?

Although the trial date of Oct. 2 for Idaho 4 defendant Bryan Kohberger is off, there will be a trial.

One of the big points of contention has been whether or not to allow cameras in the courtroom.

On the one hand, you have some saying cameras in the courtroom are not only a distraction, but they also can prejudice some as to their views on the defendant. It is inevitable when cameras are in the courtroom that they are going to often focus on the defendant and his counsel.

On the flip side of the coin, you can argue cameras are good for a number of reasons.

Among them:

  • Educational to the public – Having cameras in the courtroom can prove to be educational to the public. How many of us can really call ourselves experts when it comes to the judicial process? While I have some knowledge of how things work in the courtroom, I would not call myself an expert by any means. Even with 34 years in the field of journalism and having covered some courtroom events, I’d not label myself an expert in how it all works. As such, I think allowing the public to see how a trial works can be beneficial now and later down the road.
  • More likely to have transparency – While I would by no means label myself a conspiracy theorist, I do have my doubts at times how our government in general goes about doing things. That can also trickle down to the state and local governing bodies. I think to take away even a hint of doubt in if things are on the up-and-up, having cameras in the courtroom can lessen and even remove those who may say the trial is rigged to one degree or another.
  • Taxpayer dollars at work – Finally, who do you think pays the salaries of many of the people in the courtroom, the governing bodies involved etc. and makes it so they can go to work in the first place in that facility? Yes, we the taxpayers. I feel it is important that we get to see our tax dollars at work.

There are definitely arguments for and against cameras in the courtroom.

If it were up to me, EVERY trial deserving such coverage would be available to the public to view live, not via a media pool, sketch artists etc.

So, do you want cameras in the courtroom when Kohberger goes to trial or are you fine without them there?

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