Idaho murders: Xana Kernodle likely awake when killed, court records reveal

ByKayna Whitworth ABCNews logo
Friday, January 6, 2023
Idaho College Murders Updates
Idaho College Murders UpdatesProsecutors visit the Idaho murders house for what could be the last time before it is set to be demolished next week.

MOSCOW, Idaho -- More details are being released about the grisly murders in Idaho.

Police believe Bryan Kohberger stabbed the students to death between 4 a.m. and 4:25 a.m. on November 13, 2022.

RELATED: Idaho college murders timeline

Earlier reports said the victims were likely sleeping, however, new court records show at least one victim -- Xana Kernodle -- was likely awake during that 25-minute window. Records show she was getting a DoorDash delivery at 4 a.m. and minutes later was on TikTok.

One of the surviving roommates heard cries from Xana's room before opening her own door to see a masked man coming toward her, so close that she could see his bushy eyebrows before he walked past her and out the sliding glass door.

ABC News contributor and former FBI agent Brad Garrett says his criminology background doesn't mean he is criminally sophisticated

Up until this release of the affidavit, police had not revealed one of the two roommates who survived was actually awake and witnessed the intruder.

"Releasing that information could potentially do two things: put them in jeopardy and also maybe more complicate your ability to identify him," said ABC News contributor and former FBI agent Brad Garrett. "He might start getting rid of things, evidence that you might at some point be able to seize."

ABC News contributor and former FBI agent Brad Garrett says while the car is terrific evidence, it doesn't put him in the house.

Police said last fall, Kohberger, who was a graduate student in criminology, had applied for an internship with local police in nearby Pullman, Washington.

ALSO SEE: Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger cleaned car, was seen wearing surgical gloves, source says

Around the same time, investigators said cell phone data shows he made at least a dozen late-night trips near the victims' home.

"It looks like, to me, for several weeks -- including the night that this happened -- there were three or four passes in front of this house before he eventually parked and went into the house," Garrett said.

ABC News contributor and former FBI agent Brad Garrett talks about cell phone data showing Bryan Kohberger near the scene of the crime at least 12 times.

Kaylee Goncalves's father wants to know why a killer went after these students.

"There's still more to be gathered, we're not done yet. And we can make this stronger. So I think it was a restaurant or a coffee shop or something like that. That put, put this predator in their path," said Kaylee's father, Steve Goncalves.

"So these were just girls that went to sleep that night and a coward, you know, a hunter that went out and he picked his little opponent."

The sliding glass doors is how authorities believed the suspect left the home. They also said that they can use cellphone data to place Kohberger back here near the home five hours after the murders, around 9:20 a.m. That was also nearly three hours before that initial 911 call was made.

RELATED: 2 surviving roommates break silence after University of Idaho murders

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