Demolition of the off-campus residence where four University of Idaho students were murdered last year is underway, against the wishes of at least two of the victim’s families.
The property was given to the school shortly after the killings, and plans to raze the building and establish a memorial space were announced. That schedule was paused in July after some families voiced concerns over the potential value of the residence as evidence in the case against accused murderer Bryan Kohberger.
Teams for both the prosecution and defense had extensive access to the house this fall after proceedings were delayed when Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial. Investigators say they were able to create detailed renderings and additional documentation, and all parties and the court have signed off on demolition.
In an email sent December 22, Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson wrote to university officials, “we anticipate no further use of the 1122 King Road premises.”
So much of the inside of the residence has substantially changed since the killings, a jury walkthrough during the trial would not be authorized, Thompson wrote.
“We appreciate the UI’s help in facilitating the investigators gathering the necessary measurements, etc., to enable creation of illustrative exhibits that should be admissible and helpful to the jury,” he wrote to the University.
Housemates Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and her visiting boyfriend Ethan Chapin were found stabbed to death November 13, 2022. Police arrested Bryan Kohberger the last week of December, and he was later indicted by a grand jury on four counts of first degree murder. Kohberger was a graduate student at nearby Washington State University when the killings took place. Most evidence in the case has been sealed by the court. Prosecutors have already filed to seek the death penalty.
In a joint statement Wednesday, the Goncalves and Kernodle families continued to express disappointment in the University’s decision, which they called ‘madness.’
Questions about sightlines, audio evidence (how sound may have traveled between rooms and floors) and access to entrances or exits are among their concerns.
“These are just a few of the things the family has thought of that no one can seem to answer about the King Road house,” they wrote. They want assurances their questions can be answered by the imaging and models gathered by investigators.
In a statement through their attorney earlier this month, the Goncalves family questioned spending money on imaging and scale models or rendering when the house could simply be left standing.
Their statement was a response to University of Idaho President Scott Green’s December 14 announcement that it was time to demolish the house to eliminate the reminder of the killings and help the community move forward with healing.
University spokeswoman Jodi Walker echoed that sentiment by email Wednesday, writing that she didn’t foresee anything that would delay demolition beyond its scheduled 7 a.m. start Thursday morning.
“While we know there is a lot of emotion around the demolition, we also feel strongly this is the right decision for our community,” Walker wrote.
The demolition could take several days to complete. The school says it chose winter break to minimize the impact on students.
Prosecutor Thompson has asked the court to schedule a jury trial in the summer, to avoid disrupting the school year. The Latah County Courthouse is across the street from Moscow High School. In his filing, Thompson wrote he expects the trial could take around six weeks.
The court has not set a start date for the trial.
