Idaho Prosecutors Unveil 3D Model of Murder Scene After Kohberger Accepts Life Sentence Deal

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Authorities in Idaho have publicly released a detailed 3D model of the off-campus house where four University of Idaho students were brutally murdered in 2022, following the sentencing of Bryan Kohberger to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The model, initially intended for use during trial proceedings, was unveiled after Kohberger pleaded guilty on July 2 as part of a plea agreement that removed the death penalty from consideration.

Bryan Kohberger, 29, admitted to the killings of Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Kaylee Goncalves, who were found stabbed to death on November 13, 2022, at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho. In exchange for avoiding capital punishment, Kohberger received four consecutive life sentences for first-degree murder, along with an additional life sentence for felony burglary.

The King Road house, which stood near the University of Idaho campus, was demolished in December 2023. Prior to its demolition, prosecutors had commissioned a 3D replica of the residence to aid in presenting the case at trial. Images of the replica, now released to the public, show an unfurnished but accurate interior and exterior layout of the home.

During a pre-sentencing hearing in June, Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson initially referred to the replica as a “dollhouse” but later corrected himself, opting for the term “model house.” The replica was approved for demonstrative use by Judge Steven Hippler, though it was not admitted as formal evidence due to defense objections.

Judge Hippler, who presided over the case, lifted the gag order on July 23 following Kohberger’s sentencing. The end of the order allowed law enforcement and court officials to release previously sealed investigative records, shedding further light on the harrowing crime.

Police reports disclosed that Mogen and Goncalves were found side by side in one of the upstairs bedrooms, both covered by a blood-soaked pink blanket. Officers described a scene that bore signs of a violent struggle. Kernodle, found on the second floor, appeared to have defensive knife wounds on her hands. Investigators also recovered a tan leather knife sheath at the crime scene, believed to be a key piece of evidence linking Kohberger to the murders.

The case, which drew national attention due to its gruesome nature and the suspect’s background as a criminology graduate student, has now officially concluded with Kohberger permanently incarcerated. The release of the 3D model offers the public a rare glimpse into the layout of the crime scene, preserving a record of the location that no longer exists.

While the legal proceedings are now resolved, the impact of the murders continues to be felt in the university town and among the victims’ families, who are left to process the loss without the prolonged ordeal of a capital trial.