The new true crime docuseries One Night in Idaho: The College Murders is now streaming on Prime Video, with all four episodes released today, July 11. The timing is striking, as just one week ago, on July 2, the primary suspect Bryan Kohberger accepted a plea deal to avoid the death penalty.
On November 13, 2022, four University of Idaho students, Madison Mogen, 21; Ethan Chapin, 20; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; and Xana Kernodle, 20, were murdered in their off-campus home in the middle of the night. Bryan Kohberger was arrested in connection with the murders on December 30, 2022. The case shocked the country and sparked widespread controversy, as Kohberger had long pleaded innocent.
Nearly three years later, last Wednesday, Kohberger pled guilty to the murders without providing any explanation for his motive. The victims’ families have expressed anger and disappointment at the deal, after the court claimed it was intended to spare them the graphic details.
The new docuseries One Night in Idaho: The College Murders focuses on the families and friends of the victims, featuring exclusive interviews with Stacey and Jim Chapin (Ethan’s parents) and Karen and Scott Laramie (Madison’s parents).
One Night in Idaho: The College Murders is based on James Patterson and Vicky Ward’s upcoming book, The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy, set to be published on July 14. In addition to the interviews included in the series, the book draws from over 300 interviews about the case. Still, it remains to be seen what new perspective the docuseries or the book might bring to a case that now appears to be concluded with Kohberger’s plea.
