Idaho death scene public-photo ban following Moscow murders becomes law
Photos that show people who died in incidents investigated by police or coroners will no longer be released under Idaho’s public records statute after the governor signed a bill into law Thursday.
Senate Bill 1250, sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, and Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, was inspired in part by the University of Idaho student murders in November 2022. Law enforcement agencies eventually provided official images from inside the crime scene, which included the victims’ bodies behind redactions, in response to formal requests made under the Idaho Public Records Act.
Alivea Goncalves, the eldest sister of one of the four college student victims, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, worked closely with Wintrow on the legislation. She also twice testified by video and phone during Senate and House committee hearings.
The other three victims in the high-profile incident were Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. A former Washington State University graduate student, Bryan Kohberger, now 31, was sentenced to life in prison for the U of I student murders at an off-campus home in Moscow.
“When the first scene photos were released, they were everywhere, all at once,” Alivea Goncalves told a House committee last month. “Within an hour, they were completely unavoidable.
“My stomach sank, my heart rate spiked and the panic set in.”
With no opposition, the bill cleared the Idaho Legislature and arrived on Gov. Brad Little’s desk on Wednesday. He signed it Thursday morning, and it takes effect July 1.
“Gov. Little was proud to sign Senate Bill 1250 into law today,” Joan Vargas, Little’s press secretary, said in a statement to the Idaho Statesman. “He commended Alivea Goncalves, the bill’s sponsors, and all those who worked diligently to secure its passage. Their efforts will help protect grieving families from the additional pain of having sensitive photos released that should remain private.”
The new law bill includes an exception that allows family members of the deceased person to request the images from police or a coroner after their death investigation is complete. In cases of violent crime, next of kin can obtain the photos once criminal prosecution, including all appeals, is resolved.
The Goncalves family celebrated the bill’s signing in a brief post on their Facebook page Thursday.
The bill, also co-sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, is the second in the 2026 legislative session signed by Little that the Moscow murder case helped spur. An update to Idaho’s Son of Sam law will help prevent prisoners from making money by revealing details of their crimes. That also goes into effect July 1.
This story was originally published March 26, 2026 at 2:10 PM.
