One of the roommates who was unharmed during the slayings of four University of Idaho students allegedly heard one of the victims say “there’s someone here” moments before she heard cries and whimpers, according to court documents.
Bryan Christopher Kohberger is accused of murdering Kaylee Goncalves (21), Madison Mogen (21), Ethan Chapin (20) and Xana Kernodle (20) in a case that has received global attention.
Two other roommates, identified as “B.F.” and “D.M.” were present at the home at the time of the murders but were unharmed. Both roommates told authorities the victims “were at home by 2:00 a.m. and asleep or at least in their rooms by approximately 4:00 a.m. … with the exception of Kernodle, who received a DoorDash order” at about 4:00 a.m., according to the affidavit.
MOSCOW, ID – JANUARY 3: Police tape surrounds a home that is the site of a quadruple murder on January 3, 2023 in Moscow, Idaho. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)
D.M. told authorities she went to sleep in her room, located on the second floor, and was woken up around 4:00 a.m. “by what she stated sounded like Goncalves playing with her dog in one of the upstairs bedrooms, which were located on the third floor.” Goncalves owned the dog with her ex-boyfriend Jack Ducoeur, according to the affidavit. (RELATED: Cop: Idaho Murders Suspect Made Crucial Mistake That Led Authorities To Arrest)
“A short time later, D.M. said she heard who she thought was Goncalves say something to the effect of ‘there’s someone here,'” the affidavit continued. Authorities said the voice could have belonged to Kernodle, as cellphone data indicated she was awake on TikTok around 4:12 a.m.
D.M. told authorities she “looked out of her bedroom but did not see anything when she heard the comment about someone being in the house,” according to the affidavit.
“D.M. stated she opened her door a second time when she heard what she thought was crying coming from Kernodle’s room,” the affidavit said. “D.M. then said she heard a male voice say something to the effect of ‘it’s ok, I’m going to help you.'”
Authorities said a security camera picked up “distorted audio of what sounded like voices or a whimper followed by a loud thud,” at around 4:17 a.m., according to the court documents. “A dog can also be heard barking numerous times starting at 4:17 a.m.”
D.M. told authorities she once again opened her door after she heard crying “and saw a figure clad in black clothing and a mask that covered the person’s mouth and nose walking towards her,” the court documents show.
She described the male figure as at least 5’10” and “athletically built with bushy eyebrows,” according to the affidavit.
D.M. said the figure walked past her while she stood “frozen” in fear before he exited through the sliding glass door. D.M. said she then “locked herself in her room.”
It is unclear why D.M. waited until nearly noon that day to call authorities.
Kohberger, a graduate student studying criminology at Washington State University in Pullman, was arrested in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on a warrant for first degree murder. Screenshots circulating on social media, purportedly from Kohberger’s Reddit account, show he allegedly asked former prisoners to participate in a criminology study. Kohberger ostensibly asked for participants so he could “understand how emotions and psychological traits influence decision-making when committing a crime.”