Texts, 911 call transcription released in Moscow murder case

The Latah County Prosecutor’s Office revealed text messages and part of the 911 call from the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022, when four University of Idaho students were killed in their Moscow home.

In a recent court filing, the prosecution asked Ada County Judge Steven Hippler to admit this evidence and testimony from the two surviving roommates at the trial of suspect Bryan Kohberger. According to court documents, the two surviving roommates were home during the attacks and one of them witnessed a man in a ski mask and gave police a physical description.

Kohberger’s trial is scheduled to start in August. Kohberger faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary in the stabbing deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

The evidence sheds some light on the events of that day when an unidentified male reportedly entered the King Road house and the body of Kernodle was found unresponsive.

The text messages describe someone wearing a ski mask and a male wearing something over his head and mouth.

“I’m not kidding o am so freaked out,” one roommate texted just before 4:30 a.m. Nov. 13, 2022.

The roommate tried calling and texting Kernodle, Goncalves, Chapin and Mogen, but did not get a response back.

“Pls answer,” the roommate texted to Goncalves.

“R u up,” they texted to Mogen and Goncalves.

A text exchange from one roommate to the other states “Come to my room,” “Run,” “Down here.”

The 911 call was made hours after the murders were allegedly committed, just before noon. It was placed after the body of Kernodle was found unresponsive by an individual identified as H.J.

The dispatcher heard from the roommates and friends that Kernodle was not waking up and that a man was seen in the house during the night.

The dispatcher also heard heaving and crying throughout the call. Several different people spoke to the dispatcher during the 911 call.

“Okay. I need someone to stop passing the phone around because I’ve talked to four different people,” this dispatcher said during the call, according to the released transcription.

Latah County District Judge John Judge had previously ruled that this 911 call was admissible and the “emotion” in the callers’ voices was relevant to why both law enforcement and EMS were sent to the King Road house.

In another court filing, the prosecution listed the surveillance footage and records it is planning to introduce during the trial. These include records and footage from local businesses including the Corner Club in Moscow, Costco in Clarkston, Albertsons in Clarkston, and Sunset Mart in Moscow, among many others.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.