The release of unsealed autopsy reports in the Idaho murders case has shed devastating new light on the final moments of four University of Idaho students who were stabbed to death in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022. A review of the newly released documents reveals the full extent of injuries each victim suffered — and shows that one victim endured significantly more trauma than the others.
Background: The Idaho Murders Case
In the quiet college town of Moscow, Idaho, four students — Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20 — were found stabbed to death inside their off-campus rental home at 1122 King Road. According to investigators, the attack unfolded in the early morning hours, believed to have taken place around 4 a.m., while three of the four victims were asleep.
The killings set off a nationwide manhunt. Bryan Kohberger, a then-28-year-old Ph.D. criminology student at neighboring Washington State University, was arrested in December 2022 at his parents’ home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, following an extensive cross-country investigation.
After a lengthy legal process, Kohberger accepted a plea deal on July 2, 2025, pleading guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. As per the agreement, he was sentenced on July 23, 2025, to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 10 years for the burglary charge. He declined to address the court during sentencing.
Autopsy Reports Idaho Murders: Key Findings Unsealed
Following Kohberger’s sentencing, courts began unsealing a large volume of case documents, including the full autopsy reports conducted by Dr. Veena Singh, Spokane’s chief medical examiner. According to Fox News Digital, the reports confirmed that all four victims died from multiple sharp-force injuries consistent with a single-edged, non-serrated knife — believed to be a Ka-Bar military-style knife, though the weapon itself was never recovered.
According to the unsealed filings, the victims collectively sustained at least 150 stab wounds. The medical examiner concluded that all four “endured a high degree of pain and/or suffering” during the attack. Below is a detailed breakdown of what the autopsy reports revealed for each victim.
Xana Kernodle: The Most Severely Injured Victim
Of the four victims, Xana Kernodle sustained the most catastrophic injuries. As per the unsealed autopsy documents reviewed by Court TV and other outlets, Kernodle’s body showed a minimum of 67 wounds, including:
- Seven stab wounds to the chest
- 25 incised wounds of the upper extremities
- 23 stab and incised wounds of the scalp, face, and neck
Forensic death investigator Joseph Scott Morgan, speaking on Court TV’s Closing Arguments with Vinnie Politan, described the severity of Kernodle’s injuries as indicative of extreme rage. “This is, in fact, overkill; this is a frenzied event,” Morgan said, according to Court TV.
Prosecutors believe Kernodle — who had received a DoorDash delivery around the time of the murders — may have been awake and encountered Kohberger inside the house, which could explain the escalated violence directed toward her.
Madison Mogen: Stabbed at Least 28 Times
Madison Mogen was found together with Kaylee Goncalves in Mogen’s third-floor bedroom, both lying in bed beneath a comforter. According to the unsealed autopsy reports reviewed by RadarOnline, Mogen sustained at least 28 stab wounds, including:
- 13 stab and incised wounds to the scalp, face, and neck
- Five stab wounds to the chest
- 10 incised wounds of the upper extremities
The reports also noted injuries to her lung and liver, perforations of the subclavian vein and artery, and damage to blood vessels in the chest wall. Investigators found no blood on the bottoms of her feet, indicating she did not stand after being attacked, as per the Fox News Digital report on the unsealed records.
Kaylee Goncalves: Approximately 38 Sharp-Force Wounds
Kaylee Goncalves was found alongside Mogen in the same bedroom. According to the supplemental expert filing reviewed by Fox News Digital, Goncalves sustained approximately 38 sharp-force injuries, including:
- 24 stab and incised wounds of the scalp, face, and neck
- 11 stab and incised wounds of the chest
- Three stab and incised wounds of the upper extremities
The autopsy further revealed that Goncalves had suffered blunt-force injuries to her face, that an unidentified object appeared to have been used to cover her mouth, and that she showed signs of asphyxia. Punctures on the outer table of her skull, scalp lacerations, bruising around her eyes and face, and a broken nose were also documented in the medical examiner’s report.
Ethan Chapin: 17 Sharp-Force Wounds
Ethan Chapin sustained the fewest injuries among the four victims, with approximately 17 sharp-force wounds, according to the unsealed filings. As per the KHQ report on the released case files, Chapin was stabbed under his left clavicle, severing major blood vessels, which proved fatal.
Chapin was found in a separate bedroom on the second floor of the residence, where he had been staying with girlfriend Xana Kernodle the night of the murders.
The Crime Scene and How the Attack Unfolded
According to prosecutors, Kohberger entered the off-campus home through a rear sliding glass door off the kitchen in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022. He proceeded upstairs to the third floor, where he stabbed Mogen and Goncalves.
Evidence at the scene and autopsy findings indicated that none of the four victims left their bedrooms after being attacked. Two other roommates — Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke — were present in the home that night on the first floor but were not harmed. As per investigators, Mortensen later told authorities she saw a masked man leaving the residence in the early morning hours.
The entire attack is believed to have unfolded in approximately 15 minutes, according to reporting by Yahoo News citing forensic analysis.
Forensic Analysis: What the Wounds Reveal About Kohberger’s State of Mind
The volume and distribution of wounds — particularly on Xana Kernodle — have prompted forensic experts to weigh in on Kohberger’s likely psychological state during the attack. According to forensic psychologists cited in reporting by Yahoo News, the differential in injuries between victims may expose a deeply personal motive — with Kohberger’s fury potentially escalating when a victim unexpectedly confronted him.
Many of Kernodle’s wounds are believed to be defensive in nature, suggesting she fought back. The frenzied nature of the attack on her, compared to the other victims, suggests the encounter with her was unplanned.
Bryan Kohberger’s Current Status
Following his sentencing, Kohberger was transferred to the Idaho Maximum Security Institution in Kuna, where he is housed in J Block — a long-term restrictive housing unit. According to People and A&E, he spends 23 hours per day in his cell, with one hour of outdoor recreation. He is moved in restraints at all times.
In August 2025, Kohberger reportedly requested a transfer to another area of the prison, alleging threats from other inmates, but as per reporting from Biography.com, he remained in the same unit. He has offered no public statement regarding his motives or the events of November 13, 2022.
Why the Autopsy Reports Matter
The unsealing of the Idaho murders autopsy reports marks a significant moment in one of the most closely watched criminal cases in recent American history. While Kohberger’s guilty plea spared the victims’ families a lengthy trial, the autopsy findings — now part of the public record — provide the most complete forensic picture yet of what happened inside 1122 King Road.
For the families of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, these documents are both a source of profound grief and a form of hard-won transparency. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson, when asked why Kohberger was not required to provide a detailed factual allocution as part of the deal, noted that the law does not give courts or prosecutors the power to compel such a statement.
The families, however, did have the opportunity to speak directly at sentencing, confronting Kohberger in open court.
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