Tribute planned to honor four Idaho students on anniversary of their deaths
A vacant, overgrown lot rests on King Road at the edge of the University of Idaho campus. The stillness comes in stark contrast to the home that once stood there, brimming with activity from the college students who lived there.
Three years have now passed since a man entered the house in the middle of the night and fatally stabbed four U of I students on Nov. 13, 2022. His actions — still largely unexplained — have continued to leave their mark on the state of Idaho.
The victims were seniors Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, both 21; and junior Xana Kernodle and freshman Ethan Chapin, both 20.
The three women lived in the six-bedroom, three-bathroom home with two roommates who went unharmed in the attack. Chapin slept over for the night with Kernodle, his girlfriend. All four students were members of the university’s popular Greek life system.
The four students’ deaths “shook our state to its core,” said Gov. Brad Little, a U of I alumnus.
“With each passing day, we get better at healing together and learning to rely on each other for strength,” he said in a statement. “Idahoans continue to offer our love and support to the families and many, many loved ones of these four beautiful souls.”
In an effort to help the campus and greater Moscow community move forward, the house was reduced to rubble and removed nearly two years ago in the midst of prosecuting Bryan Kohberger, who pleaded guilty to the murders earlier this year. Mementos left by friends and loved ones — including stuffed animals, framed messages and an Idaho Vandals pennant — remain at the foot of the property. The site lays fallow but is one day intended to become an affordable housing site, U of I President Scott Green previously told the Idaho Statesman.
A memorial garden was erected and dedicated last year to the four students near the campus arboretum and botanical garden. On a visit to the permanent place of remembrance, it’s possible to cross paths with resting moose or a curious fox near the native plants, showcasing an area of campus still full of life.
“Our university has worked for three years to rebuild, never forgetting Ethan, Xana, Maddie and Kaylee but instead growing through their legacy,” Green said in a statement to the Statesman. “Our student body, employees, alumni and community are stronger than ever before. On this third anniversary, we reflect and remember.”
Members of the campus Greek life community plan to gather at the garden Thursday evening to pay their respects on the three-year mark.
In July, Kohberger accepted a plea deal to avoid the death penalty and the need for a trial. He was sentenced to four consecutive life terms in prison with no chance of parole, ending the lengthy legal process that kept his name and the crime in the national headlines.
The former Washington State University graduate student, who turns 31 next week, now resides at Idaho’s maximum security prison south of Boise.
