Clues with Morgan Absher and Kaelyn Moore

Episode Title: MURDERED: Idaho Murders
Release Date: October 1, 2025

Episode Overview

In this gripping episode, hosts Morgan Absher and Kaelyn Moore meticulously break down the infamous Idaho student murders— the brutal 2022 quadruple homicide that captivated the nation. With the recent lifting of gag orders and new case files released, the duo provides an updated, comprehensive retelling, correcting widespread rumors, unpacking the investigative process, and examining newly revealed forensic and behavioral details about both the victims and the killer, Brian Kohberger.

Main Discussion Points and Insights

1. Case Introduction & Immediate Aftermath

[00:48–11:02]

• Police Discovery (11:56am, Nov 13, 2022):
  Authorities arrive at 1122 King Road, Moscow, Idaho, following a call about a housemate "not waking up after a night of drinking." Officer Nunez & team encounter a grisly scene:
  • Zanna Kernodle (20): Found on the floor, stabbed
  • Ethan Chapin (20): Zanna’s boyfriend, dead on the bed
  • Madison Mogen (21) and Kaylee Gonsalves (21): Found in bed on the third floor, both stabbed; Kaylee’s injuries especially severe

"He can tell just from looking at her that Zanna has been stabbed repeatedly...nothing like this has ever happened in the town of Moscow before." – Kaelyn [06:48]

• Victim Backgrounds:
  • Kaylee and Madison: Life-long friends, inseparable, both seniors with bright futures
  • Zanna: Uplifting, accomplished gymnast, ambitious
  • Ethan: Known for his warmth, first boyfriend to Zanna

2. The Surviving Roommates: Key Witnesses

[10:43–16:16]

• House Layout Explained: [10:56]
  Basement (Bethany’s room), second floor (Dylan and Zanna; kitchen access), third floor (Maddie and Kaylee)

• Dylan’s Account: First Crucial Clue [11:02–13:15]:
  Awakened by noises at 4am, thought to be Kaylee and her dog. Heard a scream, “someone’s here,” crying, then a male voice, “it’s okay, I’m going to help you.” Sees a tall, masked man with bushy eyebrows, heading out the sliding kitchen door. Too scared, she stays in her room.

"Something she specifically remembered, though, were his bushy eyebrows peeking out under the mask." – Morgan [12:39]

• Next Morning:
  Dylan and Bethany can’t reach housemates, eventually call friends to help; after discovery, police are summoned.

3. Investigative Response & Scene Details

[18:49–24:35]

• Initial Investigation:
  Police round up witnesses, eventually release few public details, sparking rampant speculation.

• Forensics at the Scene:

  • Police secure the chaotic, contaminated scene (surviving roommates, friends present before police).
  • Kaylee’s dog Murphy, uninjured, is removed to preserve evidence.
  • "They don't want the scene to be contaminated any more than it already had been." – Kaelyn [21:38]

4. Victims’ Injuries: Second Major Clue

[22:35–27:20]

• Graphic Details:
  Zanna: Over 50 wounds, mostly defensive
  Ethan: Slashed throat, fatal upper torso stab wounds
  Madison: Defensive injuries, fatal wounds to chest/abdomen
  Kaylee: Multiple stabs, facial trauma, only victim with blunt force injuries and strangulation signs

"Kaylee's injuries are probably the worst and most disturbing...she was the only victim to also show signs of strangulation." – Morgan [24:52]

• Notably, none were sexually assaulted; discussion of picarism as possible motive

5. Forensic Breakthrough: The Knife Sheath (Third Major Clue)

[27:20–31:53]

• Discovery:
  Marine Corps Ka-Bar knife sheath on the bed; traced to mass-market, not military-issue.

• Forensic Work:
  DNA profile (male) recovered from sheath button; no matches in CODIS, so sent to Othram (private genetic genealogy lab).

"The sheath found at the scene...has a stamped USMC emblem...an ISP officer, former Marine, recognized it immediately." – Morgan [28:34]

• Victims’ families clarify that contrary to rumors, substantial DNA was found on the sheath

6. Dead Ends and Social Media Chaos

[31:53–35:44]

• Rumors & Disinformation:
  Early tips focus on Greek life, but all are quickly dismissed; victims universally liked.

• Online Sleuths:
  Social media, especially TikTok, became a disruptive force, harassing survivors and spreading conspiracy theories.

"The way that social media terrorized the two surviving roommates is horrendous." – Morgan [35:06]

7. Break in the Case: The White Hyundai Elantra (Fourth Clue)

[35:57–41:30]

• Security Footage:
  White Hyundai Elantra, no front plate, circles house several times between 4:04am and 4:20am — seen fleeing at high speed.

• Identification:

  • Car traced to Brian Kohberger, PhD student at WSU, Pullman, WA (10 mi away)
  • Physical match to suspect (eyebrows, height)

"This was a huge deal because Brian clearly had bushy eyebrows just like Dylan had described." – Kaelyn [38:07]

8. About Brian Kohberger: Behavioral and Digital Profile

[41:30–47:09]

• Background:

  • Troubled youth; past drug abuse, isolated, concerning online behavior (posts depicting depersonalization, visual snow)
  • Studied psychology, then criminology; known for rudeness, awkwardness, misogyny as WSU TA

• Internet History:

  • Used Reddit to survey criminals’ methods, emotions
  • Potentially used academic studies to understand or prepare for the murders

9. Narrowing the Net: DNA and Cell Phone Records

[50:11–56:48]

• Genetic Genealogy Magic (Fifth Clue):
  Othram maps DNA from sheath to Kohberger via his family tree (Italian ancestry + PA roots); direct familial match from discarded Q-tip

• Cell Data (Sixth Clue):

  • Cell tower pings show phone off during murders (suggests intentional alibi manipulation), but historical data reveals many late-night trips to the house over 5 months, indicating stalking

"There were at least 12 different occasions when Brian's cell phone connected to towers that covered 1122 King Road...He was likely watching the house for a long time." – Morgan [55:06]

• Return to Scene:
  Minutes after the murders, Kohberger’s phone returns to the area— possibly to surveil police response.

10. Final Evidence and Arrest

[57:04–61:53]

• Matching DNA:
  Trash surveillance in PA captures DNA from Kohberger’s father— familial match to crime scene DNA. Probable cause established.

• Arrest:
  Kohberger captured at parents’ home, extradited. Subsequent searches of car and apartment reveal thorough cleaning, possible bloody stains but no murder weapon.

• Kohberger’s Question:
  "Who else did you arrest?" (raises possibility of accomplice, or attempt to confuse police)

11. Trial, Guilty Plea, and Sentencing

[62:14–66:01]

• Charged with four counts first-degree murder; no bail.
• Defense raises alternate DNA suspect theories and points to unexplained details.
• Months before trial, on June 30, 2025, Kohberger pleads guilty, likely to avoid death penalty, and is sentenced to four consecutive life sentences (July 23, 2025).

"Brian was not forced to offer up a motive or really any other details on this crime. And that has been… one of the hardest parts in all of this." – Kaelyn [63:30]

• Families’ Reactions:
  Kaylee and Zanna’s families objected, wanted a trial and death penalty; Maddie and Ethan’s families supported plea for closure.

12. Recent Revelations: Case Files, Behavior, Pre-Crime Signs

[66:01–77:48]

• After the Gag Order Lift (July 2025):
  • New files, photos, phone data released
  • New details:
    • Kohberger took a bathroom selfie hours after the murders, hands red from scrubbing, giving a thumbs up [66:54]
    • Searched for serial killer cases, monitored police scanners, analyzed police press releases, researched purchasing new cars after his became suspect

"He was searching that day phrases like wiretap and psychopaths paranoid, which...take that for what you will." – Kaelyn [69:01]

• Unusual Calls:
  On the day of the murders, Kohberger made 5 long calls to his parents (especially his mother), totaling about three hours — content unknown, but includes her sending him an article about the crime [70:52]

"Experts said that the article that she sent him about Zanna came through via text while they were on a call together." – Kaelyn [71:45]

• WSU Red Flags:

  • Rude, dismissive of women, several altercations recorded
  • Surveyed criminals, focused on sexual burglaries in conversations, stole from students
  • Female students feared him, one reported, “My class’s TA looks like a murderer” [73:59]

• Predatory Behavior:

  • Stripper reported he muttered about wanting to kill people, referenced “anyone I want”
  • Multiple pre-murder incidents suggest stalking:
    • Kaylee felt watched, possibly followed at grocery, dog Murphy lured into woods, friends heard someone in bushes

13. Aftermath and Reflection

[82:08–88:44]

• Kohberger in Prison:
  After plea, transferred to maximum security, now spends nearly all time in solitary, complains about conditions.

• Impact on Survivors and Public:
  Focus on the trauma for Dylan and Bethany, noting online harassment and the importance of empathy for real victims.

"You cannot imagine how you're going to respond in a circumstance like that." – Morgan [83:43]

• Family Foundations & Advocacy:
  • Ethan’s Smile Foundation: Tulip bulbs funding scholarships (over $105,000 raised)
  • Made With Kindness Foundation: Honors memory of victims
    • "If you're a true crime fan…just remember that there's always real people involved." – Kaelyn [86:02]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On True Crime Fandom:
  "Comment on cases the way that you would want people to comment if it was your loved one that passed away." – Kaelyn [87:02]

• Victims’ Legacy:

  • "I recommend watching some of those [victim impact statements] because they are very, very impactful." – Morgan [87:57]

Important Timestamps

• [00:48] – Case Introduction, discovery by police
• [06:48] – Officer Nunez’s reaction at the scene
• [12:39] – Dylan’s description of suspect: “bushy eyebrows”
• [22:46] – Graphic injuries described (skip ahead if needed)
• [27:20] – Discovery of the knife sheath
• [35:57] – Identification of the suspicious Hyundai Elantra
• [38:07] – Kohberger matches “bushy eyebrows”
• [41:30] – Kohberger’s psychological/online profile
• [50:11] – Genetic genealogy DNA breakthrough
• [55:06] – Cell phone evidence and stalking period
• [66:54] – Selfie hours after murders
• [70:52] – Unusual call log with Kohberger’s mother
• [73:59] – Student: “My class’s TA looks like a murderer”
• [86:02] – Call for empathy in online communities
• [87:57] – Importance of victim impact statements

Tone & Language

The hosts balance empathy for the victims and families with analytical, detailed forensic breakdowns. Speculation is flagged and always tied back to case documents or direct quotes. They display sensitivity especially concerning graphic content and ongoing trauma, repeatedly emphasizing responsible true crime discussion.

Resources & Advocacy

• Ethan’s Smile Foundation: Buy tulip bulbs to fund scholarships (link).
• Made With Kindness Foundation: Honor the victims (link).
• Call for responsible reporting and online discussion around true crime.

Missing Person of the Week

Kevin Collins Jr. Last seen Feb 27, 2025, Salem, NJ.
Contact: NJSP Troop A, 856-769-0775 or 609-882-2000 x2554.

This episode provides a sensitive, thorough, and up-to-date analysis of the Idaho student murders, blending narrative storytelling with forensic and behavioral insights, while always centering the humanity of those impacted.