While we should always first and foremost remember the victims in the Idaho 4 tragedy, the two surviving females have garnered a lot of attention over the last six months. 
For anyone following the case since news broke on the Nov. 13, 2022 tragedy, the names of survivors Dylan Mortensen (pictured above) and Bethany Funke have come up.
The two were not harmed in the early morning hours of Nov. 13 while three of their roommates and the boyfriend of one of the women were murdered.
If you are at all familiar with the 19-page PAC released a few months back, you know that Mortensen is mentioned as having reportedly seen the suspect on the home’s second floor. While not being able to give a precise description, the Boise resident said she saw a figure clad in black with a mask moving towards her second floor bedroom. The suspect then proceeded to exit the home via the kitchen slider door that leads to the patio. What happened to the suspect from there is not clearly known.
Fast-forward to Dec. 30 in Pennsylvania and arrested and charged with four counts of felony murder and a single count of burglary, alleged killer Bryan Kohberger, 28. Kohberger remains in jail, set to stand trial beginning Oct. 2.
When we get to the trial, it is certainly a possibility that both Mortensen and Funke will be called to testify.
So, will it be the prosecution or the defense calling one or both to testify? As it stands, both sides may want to have one or both women go on the record in front of a jury.
From the prosecution side of things, they hope Mortensen especially can nail down that in fact is was Kohberger she saw that night on the second floor of the home. It has been rumored that the defense may look to call Funke to the stand, claiming she may have some exculpatory information that could possibly clear their client.
You can also figure that the defense will look to have Mortensen get on the stand. They will likely claim that the young woman can’t definitively say under oath it was their client she saw in the home on Nov. 13 right after the murders.
As important as those things are, imagine the possible field day the defense could have with Mortensen for her reported actions (or to some her inactions) over the next 7-8 hours following the killings.
Among the things they may want Mortensen to explain would be:
- Why did you or Funke wait so long to call 911? Is it possible one or both of you wanted to remove some potentially illegal items such as drugs for instance?
- Were you under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time you claim to have seen an individual in the home ultimately making their way to the kitchen slider door? If you were under the influence, how can any of your statements be 100 percent credible?
- Have you ever done drugs in your life, specifically at 1122 King Road?
- If you heard crying and whimpering coming from Xana’s room as you indicated, why not go check on her once it was safe to do so?
If you are the prosecution, do you take a chance on calling Mortensen and/or Funke to the stand? It may well be they choose not to.
Meantime, you would have to think the defense team will be chomping at the bit to call both of them.
While you can argue one or both likely did not know their four friends has just been killed, the noises Mortensen reportedly heard should have at least warranted a welfare check on the four when safe to do so.
Buckle up…. I think this trial will be one for the ages when it eventually gets going.
Photo credit: DailyMail
As we near the start of summer in a few weeks. we’re still many months away from a trial in the murder of four University of Idaho students last Nov. 13 in Moscow. 
Seeing 1122 King Road in person was surreal, sad and a number of other emotions. It certainly made it hit home a lot closer. I would say the only similar experience would have been when I went to the Gulf Coast as a reporter shortly after Hurricane Katrina. While seeing the damage brought by Katrina on CNN etc. was quite an impact for sure, seeing it with your own eyes was 10 times greater.
As a journalist of more than 30 years, I have followed countless crime cases. That is both for reporting on and out of personal interest. The tragic killing of 4 University of Idaho students last Nov. 13 (2022) has stayed with me through now. My goal with this blog is to keep readers up to speed on the latest happenings, present some theories, and engage with readers. Most importantly, I want to see justice prevail for Kaylee, Maddie, Xana and Ethan. 
