Warning: Graphic content
This week, photos from the scene of the 2022 murder of four University of Idaho students were inadvertently released, prompting a strong reaction from the victims’ families.
The images depicted the interior of the off-campus house in Moscow, Idaho, where Zana Kernodle, Kaylee Gonsalves, Madison Mogen, and Ethan Chapin were fatally stabbed on November 13, 2022.
The Gonsalves family expressed that the release of these images displayed a significant lapse in judgment and essential safety measures, emphasizing that evidence from the quadruple murder should not have been made publicly available without stringent restrictions.
In a statement, the family said, “I think it’s important to consider what this really means. Try to view it as if it was your loved one.” They added, “Murder is not entertainment, and crime scene photos are not mere content.”
Earlier in court filings, the family had sought an emergency intervention to stop any further dissemination of the images.
A request for a temporary restraining order was filed on August 12, and it was granted by Judge Megan Marshall on August 15. A permanent injunction was subsequently issued on October 1, prohibiting the publication of certain materials, according to court records.
The city of Moscow’s attorneys informed the court that although they personally disagreed with the image releases, they were constrained by Idaho’s public records law, which generally promotes public access and permits only limited privacy exemptions. They referred to their role in the process as “intermediaries.”
Previously, the city had released edited body camera footage along with photographs of the interior at 1122 King Road.
These photos became public over three years after Brian Koberger was charged with murder.
In July 2025, Koberger pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder in a plea deal that allowed him to avoid the death penalty. As a result, he was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole and is currently incarcerated at the Idaho Maximum Security Facility.
The Idaho State Police did not provide immediate comment regarding the situation.
