Idaho student murders survivor heard chilling words from killer who stabbed her four housemates to death
Netflix’s brand-new documentary on the Idaho Student Murders is a harrowing watch, and includes never-before-seen bodycam footage of one of the two survivors of the incident telling police the chilling words she heard the killer say.
Called The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare the documentary, releasing Wednesday, 29 July, covers Bryan Christopher Kohberger’s quadruple murder of college students Madison May Mogen, Kaylee Jade Goncalve, Xana Alexia Kernodle, and Ethan James Chapin in their home.
Two of their housemates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, survived the horror attack from Kohberger, with Funke having seen Kohberger in their home and even hearing him speaking chilling words amid his disturbing crimes.
Warning: This article contains discussion of content that some readers may find distressing.
Kohberger stabbed the four students to death, and was later sentenced to four consecutive life sentences for four counts of first degree murder and one count of felony burglary.
The at-the-time 28-year-old PhD student Kohberger pled guilty to all charges to avoid the death penalty.
Kohberger’s disturbing statement recounted by a survivor of the attack who saw the killer in her home
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The true crime documentary includes police bodycam footage of Dylan speaking to a police officer, recounting how she saw a man dressed in black inside their home.
She said, as shown in the new Netflix doc: “I was in my room, and I was trying to go to bed and I heard Kaylee go upstairs. Like ‘Ok I’m going to go to sleep now. She’s going upstairs’. And then all of a sudden I heard her scream. And she ran downstairs cause she saw someone.
“I called her name but I jumped up and locked my door because I was so scared. And then I heard her go in.. I think it was the bathroom. And I remember her sobbing. I remember hearing this guy’s voice that I didn’t recognise saying ‘You’re going be ok, I’m gonna help.’”
Dylan explained that he then opened the door to look after his housemates didn’t respond to his calls. He said that he saw a ‘guy pass by’ who looked at him but didn’t come towards him or say anything to him.
In an affidavit she had told police he was wearing a mask and black clothing and was in ‘frozen shock phase’ when he walked by.
Heartbreaking effect attack had on the two surviving roommates
Both Bethany and Dylan wrote impact statements that were read out in court during Kohberger’s trial, stating that he ‘took away their lives’.
Bethany said in her statement: “That was the worst day of my life and I know it always will be.
“I still think about this every day. Why me? Why did I get to live and not them? The fear never really leaves… I hope that they are remembered for who they are, not what happened to them.”
Dylan said in her statement: “What happened that night changed everything. Because of him four beautiful, genuine, compassionate people were taken from this world for no reason.
“He didn't just take their lives. He took the light they carried into every room. He took away how they made everyone feel safe, loved, and full of joy.
“He took away the ability for me to tell him that I love them and that I'm so proud of them. He took away who they were becoming and the futures they were going to have. He took away birthdays, graduations, celebrations, and all the memories that we were supposed to make. All of it is gone.
“And all the people who loved them are just left to carry that weight forever… What he did shattered me in places I didn't know could break.”
The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare is available to watch on Netflix Wednesday, 29 July.
Topics: True Crime, Netflix, Bryan Kohberger, Documentaries, TV and Film
Michael Slavin