Idaho college murders: As Kohberger admits to the brutal crime, here's the full timeline of events

On Nov. 13, 2022, four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death in an off-campus house in a crime that sent shockwaves through the town of Moscow and skyrocketed to national attention.

Now, Bryan Kohberger has admitted to the gruesome murders and pleaded guilty, after spending more than two years maintaining his innocence.

Here's the full timeline of the case:

Nov. 12, 2022

On the night of Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, roommates at 1122 King Road, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21, who were lifelong best friends, went out in Moscow, according to Moscow police.

That night, Ethan Chapin, 20, attended a formal with his sister, and then went to his Sigma Chi fraternity house with his girlfriend, 20-year-old Xana Kernodle, another 1122 King Road resident.

Two other roommates who survived the attack also went out in Moscow that night, police said.

Nov. 13, 2022

At 4 a.m., Kernodle received a DoorDash order, according to prosecutors.

Just after 4 a.m., Kohberger entered the house through the kitchen sliding door, went to the third floor and fatally stabbed Mogen and Goncalves, according to prosecutor Bill Thompson.

At about 4:17 a.m., a security camera less than 50 feet from Kernodle's room picked up sounds of Goncalves' barking dog and "distorted audio of what sounded like voices or a whimper followed by a loud thud," according to court documents.

Kernodle, who lived on the second floor, was still awake when Kohberger killed Goncalves and Mogen, and as Kohberger was "either coming down the stairs or leaving, he encountered Xana and he ended up killing her," Thompson said at the change of plea hearing. Kohberger then killed Chapin, who was asleep in Kernodle's room, he said.

Just before 4:30 a.m. the two surviving roommates were texting back and forth, according to court documents, and they appeared to grow frightened as their calls and texts to the four victims went unanswered.

"No one is answering," the roommate identified in the documents as "D.M." texted "B.F." between 4:22 a.m. and 4:24 a.m. "I'm rlly confused rn."

"Kaylee," D.M. texted Goncalves. "What's going on." And then to B.F. they said, "I'm freaking out rn."

D.M. makes reference to someone in "like a ski mask almost" to B.F., who responds, "Stfu."

"I'm not kidding," D.M. says, adding that they are "so freaked out."

"Come to my room," B.F. says. "Run."

Later in the morning, the roommate called friends over to their house because they thought one of the victims was passed out because she wasn't waking up, police said. At 11:58 a.m., a 911 call from one of the roommate's phones requested help for an unconscious person, police said.

Responding officers then found the four victims.

One of the roommates told authorities in the middle of the night that she saw a man in black clothes and a mask walking past her in the house, according to court documents. She described him as at least 5-foot-10, and "not very muscular, but athletically built with bushy eyebrows," according to the affidavit.

Authorities reviewed surveillance video and saw Kohberger's white Hyundai Elantra go by the victims' house three times, before entering the area for a fourth time at 4:04 a.m., according to the documents. Police said they traced the car's travel that night back to Pullman, Washington, where Kohberger lived as a criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University.

Kohberger's phone was tracked heading to Moscow before the attack, but the phone was off from 2:47 a.m. to 4:48 a.m., which "is consistent with Kohberger attempting to conceal his location during the quadruple homicide," the affidavit said.

He also returned to the area of the house where the four students were killed just after 9 a.m., about five hours after the murders, based on phone records, the affidavit also showed.

His phone was near the victims' house at least 12 times before the murders, at least as far back as August, according to the affidavit.

Nov. 29, 2022

Moscow police had asked the authorities to look out for white Elantras. On Nov. 29, a Washington State University police officer searched cars that matched that description at the university and found one registered to Kohberger, the affidavit said.

Nov. 30, 2022

Grieving families and classmates gathered at the University of Idaho on Nov. 30 for a candlelight vigil.

Ethan Chapin's mother, Stacy Chapin, cried as she told the mourners, "We are eternally grateful that we spent so much time with him. That's the most important message that we have for you and your families ... to make sure that you spend as much time as possible with those people. Because time is precious and it's something you can't get back."

Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, who had been inseparable since the sixth grade, "died together in the same room, in the same bed," Kaylee's dad, Steve Goncalves, said at the vigil.

Dec. 7, 2022

On Dec. 7, police announced to the public that they were looking to speak with the driver of a white 2011-2013 Hyundai Elantra that was seen near the victims' house early on Nov. 13.

Dec. 15, 2022

As police in Idaho searched for answers, Kohberger was stopped by Indiana police on Dec. 15 for traffic violations.

After Kohberger's semester at Washington State ended in December, he and his father drove across the country together in the white Hyundai Elantra, heading to the family's Pennsylvania home for the holidays.

Kohberger and his father were stopped twice on Dec. 15 while driving in Indiana, both times with the younger Kohberger in the driver's seat. They were first stopped by the Hancock County Sheriff's Office for speeding and then nine minutes later by the Indiana State Police for following another vehicle too closely, according to officials.

After Kohberger's arrest, the sheriff's department and state police said there was no information at the time on the suspect in the Idaho crimes or specific information on the white Hyundai Elantra.

The state police added, "The Trooper, having learned the two had been stopped minutes before by a Deputy from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, who he knew was working just down the interstate from him, used his discretion and released the two men with a verbal warning."

Dec. 27, 2022

On Dec. 27, police recovered trash from Kohberger's parents' house in Pennsylvania. A lab determined the DNA from the trash belonged to the father of the male who left DNA on the knife sheath dropped by one of the victim's bodies, according to an affidavit.

Dec. 30, 2022

Kohberger, then 28, was arrested in Pennsylvania in the early hours of Dec. 30.

Kohberger was extradited from Pennsylvania to Idaho on Jan. 4.

Jan. 11, 2023

Classes resumed at the University of Idaho on Jan. 11 for the first time since Kohberger's arrest.

Among the students returning to campus were Ethan Chapin's brother, Hunter, and sister, Maizie.

"Hunter was very glad to be back at the fraternity and Maizie was warming up to the idea but it was so good to hear all of the girls squeal with delight upon seeing her," their mom, Stacy Chapin, wrote on Facebook. "It did this momma’s heart good to hear it!!"

May 22, 2023

Kohberger -- who was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary -- chose to "stand silent" during his arraignment on May 22. By not responding, the judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

The charges made Kohberger eligible for the death penalty.

Aug. 2, 2023

A court filing submitted on Aug. 2 revealed Kohberger's alibi: he claimed he was driving alone on the night of the murders.

Dec. 28, 2023

The scene of the crime, 1122 King Road, was demolished on Dec. 28, 2023, after the property owner donated the home to the school.

Kaylee Goncalves' family was firmly against knocking down the house, saying doing so would "destroy one of the most critical pieces of evidence in the case" before a trial date was even set.

University President Scott Green said, "While we appreciate the emotional connection some family members of the victims may have to this house, it is time for its removal and to allow the collective healing of our community to continue."

The sunrise demolition took less than two hours.

Sept. 12, 2024

On Sept. 12, a judge ruled that the trial would be moved from Latah County, where the crime took place, to the capital city of Boise, agreeing with the defense who argued that Latah County was tainted by pretrial publicity.

Oct. 9, 2024

In October 2024, Kohberger's trial date was pushed back from June 2025 to August 2025.

As the case inched forward, defense attorneys sought to toss out the death penalty and get DNA evidence excluded -- both arguments denied by the judge.

June 30, 2025

On June 30, just weeks before his trial was set to begin in August, Kohberger agreed to plead guilty to all charges: four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary.

Kohberger will be spared the death penalty and sentenced to four consecutive life sentences on the murder counts and the maximum penalty of 10 years on the burglary count, according to the plea agreement. Kohberger also waived his right to appeal, the agreement said.

Prosecutors, who met with victims' families three days before the plea was signed, called the plea a "sincere attempt to seek justice" for the families.

But the parents of victim Kaylee Goncalves blasted the move, accusing prosecutors of mishandling and rushing the plea deal. The Goncalves family told ABC News they contacted prosecutors the day after the plea was signed, asking for the terms to be amended to include additional requirements: a full confession and the location of the murder weapon. The family said prosecutors turned down the request, explaining that an offer already accepted by the defendant could not ethically be changed.

Idaho law requires the state to afford violent crime victims or their families an opportunity to communicate with prosecutors and to be advised of any proposed plea offer before entering into an agreement, but the ultimate decision lies solely with the prosecution.

July 2, 2025

On July 2, Kohberger admitted to the killings at his change of plea hearing, marking the first time since his arrest that Kohberger spoke during court proceedings.

Judge Steven Hippler asked if he "killed and murdered" each victim, naming the four students. Kohberger stoically responded "yes" each time.

Later, the judge asked Kohberger how he pleaded for each count of murder, again naming the four students, prompting tears from their families. Kohberger quickly said "guilty" each time, again showing no emotion. Defense attorneys have attributed Kohberger’s "flat affect" to autism spectrum disorder.

Madison Mogen's family said through a spokesperson after court that they fully supported the plea agreement, calling it the "best outcome possible." Ethan Chapin's family also attended the hearing, saying they were there "in support of the plea bargain."

Kaylee Goncalves' family, however, was disappointed the plea agreement didn't include Kohberger revealing a motive, saying the plea "represented an easy way out and no answers."

What's next?

Sentencing is set for July 23.

Despite the plea, questions remain. A motive is not known, and the murder weapon was never found.

ABC News' Luke Barr, Kayna Whitworth, Jenna Harrison, Sasha Pezenik, Timmy Truong, Nick Cirone, John Capell and Dea Athon contributed to this report.