Police may have never caught Bryan Kohberger if it weren’t for the actions of one of the University of Idaho murder victims…
The criminology graduate student tried to carry out the perfect crime. He stalked the area where the four students live and apparently befriended Kaylee Goncalves‘ dog before the attack. After the brutal murders, he attempted to cover his tracks and delete the history of his purchase of the knife he used on Amazon. Kohberger even changed his car registration from an out-of-state Pennsylvania registration to an Idaho one, all so he could add a license plate to the front of his vehicle since it wasn’t in the security footage. He did everything he could to get away with the murders, but the whole time there was a smoking gun. And police believe that’s most likely because of Xana Kernodle.
Those following the case know the most crucial piece of evidence to tie Kohberger to the crimes was a knife sheath with his DNA on it. Idaho State Police Lt. Darren Gilbertson, the lead investigator for the case, told ABC News on Tuesday that Xana was probably the reason Kohberger got so sloppy and left it behind.
Related: Bryan Kohberger Had Keepsakes He’d Secretly Taken From Female Co-Workers In Car!
Kohberger broke into the four college students’ home on King Road in the early hours of November 13, 2022, entering through the sliding door in the kitchen. He went straight upstairs to Maddie Mogen‘s third-floor room where she and Kaylee Goncalves were in bed and killed them. Gilbertson said:
“He chose to go in and kill someone — one right away became two, because they were in bed together.”
It was theorized that one of the two girls was probably the target for Kohberger — though police never found a single connection between him and any of the four victims. And infuriatingly Kohberger hasn’t explained himself…
But Xana unfortunately also became Kohberger’s next victim. She was awake — having ordered some late night DoorDash. As Gilbertson explained, she was eating in the kitchen on the second floor when she most likely heard the commotion from the killer. He said law enforcement thinks Xana went upstairs to Madison’s room, which possibly distracted Kohberger. According to Gilbertson, he may have been “thrown off” — feeling “like he has to do something.”
Kohberger then left Madison’s room to follow Xana downstairs — but left behind the sheath with his DNA. Gilbertson noted that investigators believe he wasn’t panicking and running after Xana at that moment. Instead, he calmly walked down the stairs and said:
“It’s OK, I’m here to help you.”
JFC, that’s chilling.
Per court documents, that’s what one of the surviving roommates said she overheard a male voice say in the house. The beer pong table near the stairs also wasn’t disturbed, so Gilbertson believes he moved systematically around the home. The cop went on to share that Xana said, “somebody’s here,” which one of the surviving roommates on the first floor heard. Gilbertson added that “when Xana made it to her doorway” on the second floor, “Kohberger begins to stab her.” An “intense struggle” then ensued. Xana fought for her life, suffering over 50 stab wounds — most of which were defensive wounds. Her boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, who was in her bed, was also stabbed to death.
Absolutely horrible…
But she beat him in another way. If it wasn’t for Xana distracting Kohberger, who knows what would’ve happened? He may never have left behind crucial evidence, and then police may not have caught him. But thanks to her, the four students got some justice. Kohberger has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
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[Image via Kaylee Goncalves/Instagram, Ada County Sheriff’s Office]
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