The victims of killer Bryan Kohberger “endured a high of pain and suffering” in the brutal attack at a student house share, an autopsy has revealed.
Autopsy reports for the University of Idaho students were unsealed by the Ada County court and revealed the shocking final moments of Kohberger’s victims. Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Ethan Chapin, 20, and Xana Kernodle, 20, were killed by multiple sharp-force injuries while three of the four were sleeping at about 4am on November 13, 2022.
Criminology student Kohberger was sentenced to four consecutive life terms in prison after he pleaded guilty to the murders. Officials said Kohberger visited the students’ home several times before the murders.
View 3 ImagesKohberger brutally murdered his victims (Image: AP)
The autopsy reports, conducted by Spokane’s chief medical examiner Dr Veena Singh, revealed all four victims suffered wounds “consistent” with a “Ka-Bar Full Size US Marine Corps Fighting Knife,” which is believed to be the murder weapon.
She also noted other wounds might have been caused by different parts of the weapon. Kaylee suffered blunt-force injuries to her face and an “unidentified object” was used to cover her mouth, reports the New York Post.
Kernodle was the only one who was not in bed at the time of the attack and suffered wounds to her arms and hands. Officers later found the a leather sheath that matched the blade in the bed alongside Kaylee and Madison.
Prosecutors said Kohberger’s DNA was on the sheath. Investigators found potential genetic leads which they ultimately matched with Kohberger, who attended classes about 10 miles away from the students’ house share.
View 3 ImagesKohberger pleaded guilty after he risked facing the death penalty by firing squad (Image: Ted S Warren/POOL via ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)
Kohberger was arrested at his parent’s Pennsylvania house on December 30, 2022. The autopsy report was released as courts continue to provide more information about the case to the public.
Kohberger had been studying for a PhD in criminology at Washington State University, just across state lines. Kohberger pleaded guilty in order to avoid death by firing squad.
Previously unseen crime scene photographs numbering in the thousands from the murders were released last month by Idaho State Police. The 3,000 images, which are graphic in nature and show signs of struggle, were made public before quickly being taken down.
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The images showed blood soaking into bed sheets and smeared across walls furniture and other personal belongings. After the photos were released, Ms Gonclaves’ mum Kristi took to Facebook to share a bold message.
“FU BK!!!!! I wish Steve (Kaylee’s father) could have one minute in that cell with him. One min, that’s all it would take,” she wrote in a January 30 Facebook post.