The ongoing investigation into the Idaho murders has taken a new turn with the release of crucial cell phone data.
According to the Daily Mail, this data reveals what the surviving roommates of the slain University of Idaho students did in the hours leading up to their emergency call.
On November 13, 2022, a brutal attack shook the quiet community of Moscow, Idaho, when someone murdered four students—Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, and Ethan Chapin—at an off-campus house at 1122 King Road. Authorities have charged Bryan Kohberger with the murders and will bring him to trial in August 2025. The court moved the proceedings to Ada County after changing the venue from Latah County.
Amid the chaos of that tragic morning, details about the survivors' actions have been sparse until recently. The defense has now released new data from the cell phones of the surviving roommates, shedding light on their activities between the time of the attack and when the police were finally called. This information includes instances of texting, accessing social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, and making phone calls.
One of the roommates, Dylan Mortensen, encountered a masked intruder at approximately 4 AM, an interaction that has become pivotal in both the prosecution and defense narratives. Following her harrowing experience, Mortensen and another roommate, Bethany Funke, began a sequence of communications that started at 4:19 AM, lasting about 18 minutes, during which Funke initiated the exchange.
Funke, grappling with the morning's shocking events, used her phone to reach out to others, including her parents, in addition to engaging with social media. Mortensen’s phone records illustrate similar activity, indicating multiple logins to social media throughout the morning.
It wasn't until 11:56 AM that a 911 call was made from Funke’s phone, several hours after the purported sighting of the masked intruder. The call transcript, as released, captures a tense scene with the callers explaining their confusion and fear, hinting at the gravity and confusion of the situation.
Responding officers arrived at the home to discover the lifeless victims, concluding from the outset that they had been stabbed in an act of unconcealed brutality. This belated call has raised numerous questions regarding why there was a delay and what transpired during the intervening hours.
The defense has used these revelations to suggest a narrative where Mortensen and Funke might have had the opportunity to flee or seek help sooner but did not. This aspect of the response time is likely to be a focal point in Kohberger’s trial, as both sides attempt to construct a timeline of events that aligns with their respective arguments.
The defense has petitioned the court to exclude certain messages from evidence and has objected to how witnesses describe the suspect, specifically challenging the focus on physical traits like "bushy eyebrows," which they argue could bias the jury. This motion underscores the complexity of the legal strategies at play, combining factual analysis with psychological influence.
In their filings, defense attorneys have also addressed the demeanor expected of Kohberger during the trial, particularly behaviors associated with autism that jurors might misinterpret. They argue that jurors should not view any unconventional behavior as disrespectful or indicative of guilt but rather as a manifestation of his condition.
As the trial date approaches, both the community and the legal teams prepare for a court case laden with emotional and forensic scrutiny. The outcome will hinge not only on the physical evidence and eyewitness accounts but also on the interpretation of the actions and decisions made in those crucial hours depicted through the newly emerged phone records.
Legal analyst Duncan Levin notes, "It’s clear that the defense is positioning her [Mortensen’s] testimony as a key area of attack, likely because they recognize how crucial her account is in the prosecution’s case." This statement underscores the strategic legal battles ahead, where every detail from the roommates' actions to the defendant's demeanor could sway the jury’s perception.
The defenses' focus on timing and the subsequent actions—or inactions—of the roommates will play a critical role in the unfolding narrative at the trial. As new details emerge from both forensic evidence and personal accounts, the complexity of this case continues to grow, drawing national attention to a small town left reeling from an unimaginable tragedy.
As proceedings continue, the community holds its collective breath, awaiting answers and justice for the four lives abruptly and tragically cut short in Moscow, Idaho.
