Autopsy Reports Unsealed in University of Idaho Case

The autopsy reports for the University of Idaho students killed in November 2022 have been released by the Ada County court. This follows Bryan Kohberger’s request for a change in trial venue. The examinations were conducted by Dr. Veena Singh, Spokane’s chief medical examiner. She was expected to testify in the trial’s penalty phase before Kohberger pleaded guilty.

Dr. Singh’s findings indicated that the victims had wounds matching those from a “Ka-Bar Full Size US Marine Corps Fighting Knife.” Some injuries may have been inflicted by different parts of the weapon.

The victims included: Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. All suffered multiple sharp-force injuries and significant pain. Goncalves, age 21, also had blunt-force injuries on her face and signs of asphyxia.

Kernodle appeared to have fought back, displaying defensive wounds on her hands and arms. A leather Ka-Bar knife sheath, with Kohberger’s DNA, was found in the same bed where Goncalves and Mogen lay.

Investigators identified Kohberger as a suspect using genetic genealogy, tracing him to the area near the crime scene. He was apprehended at his parents’ house in Pennsylvania.

Kohberger, a Ph.D. student in criminology, pleaded guilty last year. He received four life sentences and an additional 10 years. His initial time in prison reportedly involved complaints about food and treatment by other inmates.