New University of Idaho Students Reflect on Four Years Since Murders

Four years after four University of Idaho students were killed at an off-campus home, new students on campus reflect on the tragedy, Boise State Public Radio reported.

Ethan Chapin, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Madison Mogen, 21, died in November 2022. The killings drew national attention as investigators searched for the perpetrator, prompting many students to leave campus and finish the term remotely.

Most students enrolled at the time have since graduated and moved away. Yet newer arrivals still grapple with the legacy of that night.

U of I freshman Logan Henson was in high school when the murders happened. She told Boise State Public Radio that students still discuss the killings as a reminder to stay cautious during social outings.

“It didn’t deter me from being up here because it’s safe,” Henson said of her choice to attend the university, noting campus resources like Safe Walks and accompaniment services for vehicles.

“People are always watching out for you,” she added.

New University of Idaho Students Reflect on Four Years Since Murders

To honor the victims and other enrolled students who have passed away, the university opened the Vandal Healing Garden and Memorial in August 2024. Designed by students from the institution’s college of art and architecture, the space features a circular steel structure, benches, and garden paths.

Students, staff, and community members plan to gather at the memorial for a brief moment of silence.

“We didn’t know them, we were young, but, still I feel like, as a U of I student, that is something that still affects the way we function on campus,” Henson said.

Paige Wilton, the Editor-in-Chief of the student newspaper The Argonaut, said that the tragedy remains part of daily discussions.

“It will undeniably be a part of the university’s history that appears in conversations for years to come,” Wilton told Boise State Public Radio. “The celebration of their lives, I believe, still remains strong around the UI campus.”

Ahead of the anniversary, the university organized a Week of Remembrance and Kindness, encouraging people to complete four acts of kindness. Stacy Chapin, mother of Ethan Chapin, posted on social media about the initiative.

Madison mogen kaylee goncalves xana kernodle ethan chapin

“These gestures do not need to be grand gestures,” she wrote. “A thoughtful message, helping someone in need, giving your time or checking in on a friend.”

Families have also established foundations in memory of the victims, including the Made with Kindness Foundation for Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen, the Ethan’s Smile Foundation for Ethan Chapin, and Murder Has a Name for Kaylee Goncalves.

The legal case surrounding the killings concluded its initial trial phase after Bryan Kohberger was arrested following a six-week search. Investigators utilized cell phone data showing he visited the King Road home multiple times before the attacks, DNA linking him to a knife sheath, and surveillance footage of his vehicle.

Kohberger pleaded guilty in July 2025 to avoid the death penalty and received four consecutive life sentences alongside 10 years for a burglary charge. On July 27, he filed a petition in Ada County District Court to withdraw his guilty plea, according to court documents.

Kohberger is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, Dec. 10, for his first hearing since his conviction, according to the Ada County District Court filing.