Did Bryan Kohberger utter victim's name during attack? Idaho police say no

Kevin Fixler, The Idaho Statesman on Aug 18, 2025

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BOISE, Idaho — A newly disclosed Idaho State Police report about the Moscow college student homicides includes reference to an initial interview with a surviving roommate, during which she is said to have heard Bryan Kohberger use one of the victims’ names during the crime. Since the investigative reports became available over the weekend, the information has been widely disseminated nationally.

But the detail conflicts with a follow-up interview just days later with the same roommate. It also diverges with previously released reports from the Moscow Police Department that reference the roommate’s initial interview shortly after police arrived to the off-campus house on King Road.

Idaho State Police Lt. Darren Gilbertson, who helped lead the investigation, told the Idaho Statesman on Monday that investigators don’t believe Kohberger said a victim’s name. The roommate had time to “collect her thoughts and provided an in-depth response” a few days later, he said.

The state police report stated a roommate who went unharmed in the attack told the first responding officer that she was awoken in the early morning hours to crying and also heard a male voice say: “It’s OK, Kaylee, I’m here for you.” Though the roommate’s name is redacted in the report, the narrative corresponds with information that police have cited to Dylan Mortensen.

The four victims were University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. The three women lived in the King Road house with Mortensen and another female roommate, and Chapin was Kernodle’s boyfriend and slept over for the night.

Idaho State Police Detective Jeff Talbott wrote in his report that the information from Mortensen’s initial interview was relayed to him by Moscow Police Sgt. Dustin Blaker, who was another officer to respond to the crime scene on Nov. 13, 2022. That detail was either miscommunicated or misheard, Moscow Police Chief Anthony Dahlinger told the Statesman on Monday.

Through the course of the investigation, detectives found no corroboration that Kohberger said a victim’s name, he said.

“The investigators do not believe the suspect uttered any names,” Dahlinger said in an email. “What was confirmed was that Dylan reported hearing a male’s voice stating something to the effect of, ‘It’s OK, I’m going to (or I’m here to) help you.’ ”

Moscow Police Officer Mitch Nunes wrote Mortensen said in her initial interview with him on Nov. 13 that she heard a commotion around 4 a.m., followed by a male voice saying: “You’re gonna be fine. I’m gonna help you.” Mortensen’s second interview with police on Nov. 17 includes similar language, and again lacked reference to a specific victim.

Goncalves was found fatally stabbed in one of the third-floor bedrooms with Mogen, while Kernodle’s body was located in her second-floor bedroom with that of Chapin, according to the probable cause affidavit.

In addition, the affidavit noted that Mortensen heard crying from Kernodle’s second-floor bedroom and a male voice saying, ”It’s OK, I’m going to help you,” without reference to a victim’s name.

Kohberger, 30, pleaded guilty to the students’ murders and was sentenced last month to four consecutive life sentences in prison. In exchange for dropping the death penalty, he agreed to waive all appeal rights and also receive no chance of parole.

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