WHILE IDAHO SLEPT

How a quadruple homicide upended an Idaho college town.

In his latest, Appelman, a private investigator and author of The Kill Jar, engrossingly analyzes the 2022 case involving the murders of four University of Idaho students. Early on, he brings the young victims into focus and then generously elaborates on their lives throughout the book. On Nov. 13, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogan, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin were slaughtered by a knife-wielding intruder in their off-campus residence. Only two roommates survived—one frozen in fear as the murderer brushed past her in a darkened hallway. Appelman brings these chilling details to life as he sifts through police files and witness statements to piece together a crime that flooded the college town with FBI, local police, press, and citizen detectives. Security video catching a white vehicle repeatedly passing by the property complemented DNA found on the military blade sheath left behind at the scene. Diligent detective spadework and a digital device trail led to the arrest and indictment of Bryan Kohberger, a criminology doctorate student and teaching assistant who had a history of depression and heroin use. Grim forensics amplify the disturbing nature of the crime and ensuing investigation, including Kohberger’s historically sociopathic behavior and details on the gore-soaked crime scene. However premeditated his alleged murderous fantasy was, a series of crucial missteps (besides leaving the knife sheath behind) showed his involvement, including using his own car to return to the location the next morning with his phone, which authorities tracked. In fairness, Appelman also examines numerous gaping “holes” in the prosecution’s package, which weakens the case against Kohberger, as well as fascinating social media speculation. Riveting reenactments, intimate human-interest profiles, and urgent prose combine to create a tale of horrific butchery and a must-have exposé for readers following the still-ongoing developments.

A chilling, balanced, meticulously reported true crime story.