‘Best friend’ found murdered University of Idaho student Ethan Chapin

The best friend of University of Idaho murder victim Ethan Chapin reportedly made the heartbreaking discovery and then dialed 911, according to a new report that adds a fresh layer of emotion to the chilling case.

NewsNation revealed Wednesday that the longtime buddy found Ethan Chapin and his girlfriend Xana Kernodle stabbed to death in bed. Sources say the friend even checked for a pulse before calling for help.

The four students—Chapin, Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves—were killed in their off-campus Moscow home on November 13. It had been previously reported that Dylan Mortensen’s phone was used to make that 911 call nearly eight hours after the attacks.

Now, according to NewsNation, it was actually Chapin’s best friend who made the call using Mortensen’s phone. Mortensen, one of two surviving roommates, had reportedly come face-to-face with the masked suspect around 4 a. m.

that morning.

A police affidavit notes Mortensen described seeing a figure in black, about 5’10” or taller, with an athletic build and bushy eyebrows. She told officers she locked herself in her room after the encounter, frozen in shock.

Legal representatives have said Mortensen was terrified, and that shock may explain the delay in reporting the slayings. The other surviving roommate, Bethany Funke, also did not call authorities until hours later.

Bryan Kohberger, a former Washington State University graduate student, faces four counts of murder in connection with the stabbings. He has indicated he plans to plead not guilty at his upcoming arraignment.

As the investigation continues, many are left wondering—what exactly happened during those long, silent hours inside that house?