Idaho 4 Tragedy: The Bone-Chilling Evidence Bryan Kohberger Left Behind After Slaughtering Four College Students Seen in Newly Released Crime Scene Photos
Crime scene photos revealed chilling evidence left behind by Bryan Kohberger.
Jan. 23 2026, Published 4:06 p.m. ET
Newly released crime scene photos from the off-campus house where four University of Idaho students were brutally murdered in November 2022 revealed chilling evidence murderer Bryan Kohberger left behind, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The photos were among 3,000 files released by Idaho State Police. While the gruesome photos have since been scrubbed from the state website, many were analyzed prior to being taken down.
Kohberger accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to four life sentences plus 10 years for the fatal stabbings of Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.
Warning: graphic content below.
Size 13 Footprint Left in Snow
Size 13 footprints were found outside and inside the Moscow home.
One of the most haunting photos was taken from the backyard patio area of the Moscow, Idaho, home.
A blanket of snow covered the patio area, including a leather sofa and teal blue folding chair set up outside.
Chilling size 13 footprints were clearly visible in the snow and appeared to leave a path away from the glass sliding doors, where surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen previously told investigators she saw a tall, masked intruder exit the home after hearing unusual sounds and cries coming from upstairs.
Investigators also found size 13 shoe prints inside the home using a chemical agent.
When Kohberger was arrested at his parents' Pennsylvania home, law enforcement seized a Nike sneaker matching the size and prints from the crime scene.
Knife Sheath Found at Crime Scene Linked to Kohberger
A 13-inch leather knife sheath was discovered in Mogen's bedroom.
In one of the most damning photos in the batch was a snap of a 13-inch tan leather knife sheath, which fit a KA-BAR-style combat knife, the same weapon used against the four victims.
The knife sheath was located in Mogen's bedroom near bloodied sheets. A forensic analysis performed on the sheath reportedly uncovered DNA evidence matching Kohberger.
A month before the promising young adults were senselessly killed, Kohberger, who was a graduate student at nearby Washington State University studying criminal justice, purchased a set of knives.
A forensic analysis linked the sheath to Kohberger through DNA evidence.
Investigators traced the murder weapon back to Kohberger's purchase.
While investigators initially believed the suspect could have intentionally left the sheath at the crime scene, possibly to serve as a red herring, Kohberger later confessed to accidentally leaving the cover behind in a state of panic.
As RadarOnline.com reported, the Goncalves family slammed the release of the photos in a statement on Facebook.
The victim's family claimed they were given a brief phone call about the release, during which the crime scene photos were made public.
Goncalves' loved ones urged internet sleuths to be compassionate and put themselves in the family's shoes when viewing the photos, as they noted murder was not "content."
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Some of the photos released have been 'temporarily' removed for 'privacy concerns.'
The Idaho State Police later released a statement explaining the graphic photos were "temporarily" taken down due to "privacy concerns," which would allow the photos to be reviewed more thoroughly before release.
"Following adjudication of the criminal case, the Idaho State Police received a large volume of public records requests seeking the photographs," said a spokesperson for IPD.
"In making the redactions, the Idaho State Police also chose to follow Judge [Megan] Marshall’s permanent injunction, which required the City of Moscow to redact areas of the photographs depicting ‘any portion of the bodies of the decedents or the blood immediately surrounding them,'" the department's statement continued.
"After questions were raised, the records were temporarily removed for further review to ensure the appropriate balance between privacy concerns and public transparency was struck."
