Autopsy Reports Unsealed in 2022 University of Idaho Student Killings After Kohberger’s Guilty Plea
Ada County court unsealed autopsy reports for four University of Idaho students killed in November 2022. The documents describe multiple sharp-force injuries consistent with a Ka-Bar knife.
New York PostThe Ada County court unsealed autopsy reports for the four University of Idaho students killed on Nov. 13, 2022. The reports were prepared by Dr. Veena Singh, Spokane’s chief medical examiner, and contain no photographs.
Dr. Singh concluded that all four victims died from multiple sharp-force injuries consistent with a Ka-Bar Full Size US Marine Corps Fighting Knife. She noted that some wounds may have been caused by different parts of the same weapon and that each victim endured a high degree of pain and/or suffering.
Three of the four victims were in bed when attacked. Kaylee Goncalves, 21, also sustained blunt-force injuries to her face, showed signs of asphyxia, and had an unidentified object covering her mouth. Xana Kernodle, 20, was the only victim not in bed and displayed defensive wounds on her hands and arms.
The victims were Goncalves, her roommate Madison Mogen, 21, Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, 20. Police recovered a leather Ka-Bar sheath from the bed shared by Goncalves and Mogen; prosecutors stated the sheath contained Bryan Kohberger’s DNA. D.
In criminology at Washington State University 10 miles from the crime scene, was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania on Dec. 30, 2022. Investigators had used investigative genetic genealogy to identify him as a suspect.
The case was moved to Ada County after Kohberger requested a change of venue. He pleaded guilty last year, avoiding a possible death sentence by firing squad, and is serving four consecutive life sentences plus an additional 10 years. Prosecutors had planned to call Dr.
Singh to testify during the penalty phase of the trial. The newly unsealed reports form part of a larger batch of court filings released to the public.
