A University of Idaho murder suspect allegedly came face-to-face with one of the surviving roommates just moments after the brutal stabbings, according to newly released court documents.
Dylan Mortensen, 21, told police she opened her bedroom door around 4 a.m. after hearing noises and saw a figure dressed all in black with a mask covering his mouth and nose walking toward her.
The police affidavit describes Mortensen standing in a “frozen shock phase” as the man—reportedly around 5’10” or taller with an athletic build and bushy eyebrows—walked past her and headed toward a sliding glass door. She then locked herself in her room.
Moments earlier, authorities believe the killer had stabbed four students to death inside the off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho. The victims were Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21. Another roommate, Bethany Funke, 21, was unharmed.
According to the affidavit, Mortensen first opened her door after hearing what she thought was Goncalves saying “there’s someone here.” She didn’t see anything unusual at first. Then she heard what sounded like crying from Kernodle’s room and opened her door a second time.
That’s when she reportedly heard a male voice say, “It’s ok, I’m going to help you.”
Police believe the killer left the scene shortly after that encounter. Video from nearby homes reportedly captured a car matching the description of suspect Bryan Kohberger’s vehicle leaving the area.
One major question still lingering: Why did it take nearly eight hours for anyone to call police? The encounter happened around 4 a. m.
, but authorities weren’t contacted until around midday.
Both surviving roommates were quickly cleared as suspects and have cooperated with the investigation. In early December, they broke their silence through letters read at a memorial service.
“Maddie, Xana, Kaylee and Ethan were all one of a kind,” the pastor read from their notes. Mortensen wrote about the “perfect pair” Xana and Ethan, adding, “I know it will be hard to not have the four of them in our lives, but I know they would want us to live life and be happy.”
Funke described the four slain students as “gifts to this world in your own special way.”
Bryan Kohberger, a 28-year-old Ph. D. student in criminology at Washington State University, was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania on Dec.
30. He waived extradition and was flown to Idaho. He appeared in court Thursday, charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary.
He has not yet entered a plea.
Authorities have not revealed any connection between Kohberger and the victims.
With so many unanswered questions—including that eight-hour gap before the 911 call—what more might the surviving roommates have to share as this case unfolds?
