CRIME HOUSE DAILY
Night Watch: The Idaho College Murders Part 2
Date: October 21, 2025
Host: Katie Ring

Episode Overview

This episode—the second in a five-part Night Watch deep dive—focuses on the immediate aftermath of the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students: Kaylee Gonzalves, Madison Mogen, Zanna Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. Host Katie Ring takes listeners into the evolving crime scene, the initial police investigations, and the community’s traumatic reaction as events unfold and new evidence comes to light. The episode builds a vivid timeline, records insights from investigators, and examines how speculation and misinformation spread through the public during a time of fear and limited official information.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Crime Scene Discovery

[03:19–07:00]

• The day after the murders (Nov. 13, 2022), Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funk stand outside with friends as police discover the bodies.
• Officer Mitch Nunez discovers the victims: Zanna and Ethan in a second-floor bedroom, Kaylee and Maddie together in Maddie's third-floor room.
  • They all suffered multiple stab wounds.
  • The scene is described as "one of the most horrifying" encountered by Moscow police.
• Immediate efforts focus on preserving the crime scene, including removing Kaylee’s dog, Murphy, who was unhurt.

Notable Quote:

“His heart sinks. Maddie's bedroom door is ajar and he can see both young women on the bed covered in blood just like Zanna and Ethan.” — Katie Ring [04:20]

Victim Examination

[05:10–08:45]

• Police document extensive and violent injuries:
  • Zanna: Over 50 stab wounds, primarily defensive; evidence she tried to fight back.
  • Ethan: Fatal wounds to neck and leg; heavy blood loss, blood seeping through house exterior.
  • Maddie: Significant wounds not visible until examined by the medical examiner. Fatal injuries to lung and liver.
  • Kaylee: Extremely severe facial injuries, unrecognizable; only victim with signs of strangulation and subdural brain bleeds.
• The brutality leads police to believe all victims were killed by the same attacker.

Notable Quote:

“Kaylee’s facial structure is, quote, extremely damaged, which is in line with Officer Nunez’s report that she’s unrecognizable.” — Katie Ring [08:24]

Handling Notification & Trauma

[08:45–10:00]

• University of Idaho mistakenly sends a campus safety alert before police notify next of kin, intensifying the shock and pain for friends and families.
• Survivors and community members struggle with the realization that the killer is at large.

Notable Quote:

“Dylan is beginning to realize that the person she saw the night before wasn’t a prankster or some sketchy, random person. It was a killer. Her friend’s killer. The pain and trauma are almost unbearable.” — Katie Ring [09:39]

Early Investigation—Potential Motives

[11:15–13:15]

• Police begin questioning friends and witnesses, including reports of Kaylee being watched and followed weeks earlier.
• No evidence of sexual assault is found, but the violence and use of a knife raise the possibility of “piquerism” (arousal from stabbing), often a substitute for sexual gratification in some offenders.
• Forensic focus: Weapon is a non-serrated, single-edged Ka-Bar knife; the sheath is discovered at the scene.
  • Knife is military-style (US Marine Corps), suggesting possible recent purchase.
  • No broken blade tips found in bodies, but forensic testing of sheath for DNA and prints commences.

Notable Quote:

“According to some criminologists, this kind of stabbing indicates a sexual motive. It’s something known as piquerism, which is a sexual fetish where someone is aroused by penetrating the skin with a sharp object.” — Katie Ring [12:30]

Police Secrecy & Public Fallout

[16:57–18:30]

• Police keep details secret to protect the investigation, which breeds mistrust and accelerates rumor-mongering, especially targeting surviving housemates.
• With few answers, the public and media speculate on suspects and motives, causing more pain for those already traumatized.
• Most students leave campus; classes move online for safety.

Notable Quote:

“People share a ton of criticism about how the friends handled things. Not only that, there’s speculation about whether any of them were involved themselves.” — Katie Ring [17:32]

Connections & Timeline Reconstruction

[18:30–21:15]

• Detectives consider Greek life connections and whether the murders are related to hazing, drugs, or alcohol—ultimately find no evidence pointing to these motives.
• Kaylee’s sister Olivia takes a lead in investigation:
  • Reviews Kaylee’s call logs and discovers surveillance footage from a food truck (“Grub Truck”) where Maddie and Kaylee stopped after leaving Corner Club bar.
  • Footage shows Maddie, Kaylee, and an unidentified man; this man is cleared as a suspect after questioning.
• Timeline established through digital and witness evidence:
  • 1:45am: Zanna and Ethan return home.
  • 1:56am: Kaylee and Maddie arrive via rideshare.
  • 2:00am: Dylan and Bethany arrive.
  • 2:26–2:52am: Kaylee places several calls to her ex-boyfriend.
  • 3:00am: Everyone reportedly in bed.
  • 4:00am: Zanna gets a DoorDash delivery.
  • 4:12am: Zanna scrolling on TikTok.
  • 4:00–4:20am: Dylan hears noises, sees a strange man in the house.

DoorDash Lead

[21:15–22:50]

• Investigators pursue the DoorDash delivery driver as a potential witness, confirming the driver did deliver food while the killer may have been inside the house.
• The driver is cleared but unable to provide descriptions of anyone suspicious.

Notable Moment:

“It sends a chill down investigators' spines to think that the killer was lurking inside the house, possibly in the midst of attacking Kaylee and Maddie, while Zanna and the Doordash driver were completely unaware.” — Katie Ring [22:17]

The Case Poised for Breakthrough

[22:50–23:12]

• The episode ends with a hint that a new piece of evidence soon comes to light, moving the investigation forward and teasing Part 3 of the series.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments with Timestamps

• “His heart sinks. Maddie’s bedroom door is ajar and he can see both young women on the bed covered in blood just like Zanna and Ethan.” — Katie Ring [04:20]
• “Kaylee’s facial structure is, quote, extremely damaged, which is in line with Officer Nunez’s report that she’s unrecognizable.” — Katie Ring [08:24]
• “Dylan is beginning to realize that the person she saw the night before wasn’t a prankster or some sketchy, random person. It was a killer. Her friend’s killer. The pain and trauma are almost unbearable.” — Katie Ring [09:39]
• “According to some criminologists, this kind of stabbing indicates a sexual motive. It’s something known as piquerism, which is a sexual fetish where someone is aroused by penetrating the skin with a sharp object.” — Katie Ring [12:30]
• “People share a ton of criticism about how the friends handled things. Not only that, there’s speculation about whether any of them were involved themselves.” — Katie Ring [17:32]
• “It sends a chill down investigators' spines to think that the killer was lurking inside the house, possibly in the midst of attacking Kaylee and Maddie, while Zanna and the Doordash driver were completely unaware.” — Katie Ring [22:17]

Central Themes & Tone

• The episode maintains a careful, empathetic, and analytical tone—factual, serious, but compassionate toward victims and survivors.
• Host Katie Ring contextualizes every investigative hurdle and community reaction, making clear the stakes of careful police procedure versus public right-to-know.
• The show underscores the deeply personal devastation for families and the bewildering effect of secrecy and speculation.

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |------------|------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:19–07:00| Police discover and analyze the crime scene | | 08:24 | Description of Kaylee’s devastating injuries | | 09:39 | Survivors and community process the horror and trauma | | 11:15–13:15| Motive theories, introduction of “piquerism”, and knife evidence | | 16:57–18:30| Consequences of police secrecy and eruption of speculation | | 18:30–21:15| Family investigation, timeline reconstruction | | 21:15–22:50| The DoorDash lead and its chilling implications | | 22:50–23:12| Hint at upcoming breakthrough in the investigation |

Conclusion

Part 2 of Crime House Daily’s Night Watch series on the “Idaho College Murders” immerses listeners in the intense chaos and pain of the investigation’s earliest hours and days. It provides a methodical account of crime scene forensics, early police theories, the dangers of rumor and misinformation, and the solace and progress found in careful, persistent evidence gathering. The episode ends with the promise that new evidence is about to push the case forward, setting up anticipation for Part 3.