In a startling revelation, an explosive new book claims Bryan Kohberger, the suspect in the brutal murders of four Idaho college students, had a single target on the night of the crime. According to investigative journalist Howard Blum's forthcoming book, *When the Night Comes Falling: A Requiem for the Idaho Student Murders*, Kohberger intended to kill Madison Mogen specifically, dispelling notions of a random killing spree.
Blum's book, set to be released on June 25, unveils significant details about the tragic night in November 2022 when Mogen, along with Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, lost their lives. “Officials believe Kohberger was after Mogen because he passed the rooms of two surviving roommates before starting the killing spree,” Blum explained in an interview with ABC News. “If he was just on a killing spree, it would have been natural, instinctive, to go to one of those doors. Instead, he goes up this narrow staircase and he turns directly into Maddie's room, and I think Maddie was his target.”
Further compounding the tragedy, Blum reveals that Kohberger's family had harbored suspicions about him even before his arrest. Kohberger’s father, Michael, reportedly felt uneasy when he picked up his son from school after the murders. “[Michael] has been reading the headlines - he knows that four students were killed 12 miles from his son’s house. He knows what a troubled son he has,” Blum noted. Despite these concerns, Michael did not confront his son about the possible connection.
The book also details an instance where one of Kohberger’s sisters approached their father to voice her suspicions. However, Michael chose to dismiss her concerns. “He can’t confront it,” Blum said about Michael's reaction at the time.
On the night of the murders, the two surviving roommates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, reportedly used their cellphones to communicate during and after the incident. Mortensen, 21, allegedly called out to her friends and roommates during the early morning hours of November 13 to quiet down. “Calm down, you’re being loud!” she reportedly yelled around 4 a.m., followed by, “I’m trying to sleep!” Mortensen later opened her door and saw Kohberger, whom she believed to be a partygoer, walking past her toward the back exit of the house.
Law enforcement determined that the four students were killed between 4 and 4:25 a.m., but it took another eight hours before police were called to the off-campus residence. In December 2022, Kohberger was arrested in Pennsylvania at his parents' house and charged with the murders.
Despite the mounting evidence, Kohberger has pled not guilty. His trial has yet to be scheduled, as prosecutors and defense attorneys continue to wrangle over the evidence and other data gathered throughout the investigation. A hearing on June 27 will discuss the schedule for the rest of the case, including dates for the trial and possible sentencing.
In a significant development earlier this month, a judge allowed investigators working for Kohberger’s defense team to review sealed DNA records used to narrow the pool of potential suspects. The DNA was crucial in the investigative genetic genealogy process, which involves running material found at the crime scene through public genealogical databases to identify suspects or their relatives.
Kohberger’s attorneys are also seeking a change of venue, a request that the judge has yet to rule on. The case continues to grip the nation, with the upcoming book by Blum expected to shed more light on the complexities and heartbreaking details of the murders.
*When the Night Comes Falling: A Requiem for the Idaho Student Murders* promises to be a revealing account, offering new insights and provoking further questions about one of the most shocking crimes in recent memory.
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