5 Key Pieces Of Evidence That Suggest Who Bryan Kohberger’s Primary Target Was

The question of who Bryan Kohberger targeted in the brutal 2022 quadruple homicide has remained the most compelling and chilling mystery of the entire case. As of December 18, 2025, the official motive for the killings of University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin is still not known to the public, with Kohberger’s trial currently scheduled for August 2025. Despite the lack of an official statement from the Latah County Prosecutor’s Office, a significant body of circumstantial evidence, combined with investigative details and claims from the victims’ families, points strongly toward one specific individual as the alleged primary target, with the others tragically becoming collateral victims of a calculated attack on the King Road house.

This article dives deep into the known evidence and the most credible theories surrounding the alleged motive, examining the connections, the crime scene details, and the behavior of the suspect before and after the November 13, 2022, attack. The focus is on the four bright lives lost and the emerging details that suggest a terrifying pattern of surveillance leading up to the horrific event.

Remembering the Victims: Profiles of the Four University of Idaho Students

Before examining the evidence of targeting, it is vital to remember the four University of Idaho students whose lives were tragically cut short. They were not just victims in a high-profile case, but young people with vibrant futures, close friends, and loving families.

• The Facts Of Life Cast Where Are Eastlands Girls Now 2024 Updates 2tx8p

• Kaylee Goncalves (21): A senior from Rathdrum, Idaho, majoring in General Studies. Kaylee was set to graduate early and had plans to travel to Europe. She was best friends with Madison Mogen and was known for her outgoing personality. Her dog, Murphy, was also present during the attack.
• Madison “Maddie” Mogen (21): A senior from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, also majoring in General Studies. Maddie and Kaylee were inseparable, often referred to as a pair. They were together at a local bar, The Corner Club, and a food truck, before returning to the King Road residence in the early hours of the morning.
• Xana Kernodle (20): A junior from Avondale, Arizona, majoring in Marketing. Xana was an active member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority and was known for her warm spirit. She was dating Ethan Chapin at the time of the murders.
• Ethan Chapin (20): A freshman from Mount Vernon, Washington, majoring in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism Management. Ethan was Xana’s boyfriend and a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He was visiting Xana at the house that night.

The Evidence That Points to a Specific Target

While prosecutors have yet to publicly state a clear motive, investigators have confirmed that the King Road residence was targeted for a "specific reason," suggesting the crime was not random. The following five points of evidence and strong family claims are central to the theory that one of the four victims was the intended primary target.

1. Stalking Claims and Pre-Attack Surveillance

The most compelling evidence suggesting a specific target comes from the family of Kaylee Goncalves. Kaylee’s sister, Alivea Goncalves, has publicly claimed that Kaylee had mentioned incidents of being watched or stalked in the months leading up to the murders. This alleged pattern of pre-attack surveillance aligns with the profile of an assailant who selects a specific victim and then studies their routines before escalating to violence. Furthermore, it has been revealed that Kohberger’s phone pinged near the King Road residence on multiple occasions prior to the night of the murders, suggesting he was familiarizing himself with the area and the house’s occupants.

2. The Specific Location of the Attack Within the House

The four victims were found in two different locations: Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were on the second floor, while Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen were found together in a bedroom on the third floor. The father of Kaylee Goncalves, Steve Goncalves, made a notable comment, suggesting the killer "didn't have to go upstairs," which is where Kaylee and Maddie were sleeping. This detail has been interpreted by many to mean that the killer’s primary goal was on the third floor, and the victims on the second floor (Xana and Ethan) were attacked because they were in the way or witnessed the perpetrator. The fact that Kaylee and Maddie were in the same bed further links them as the potential focus of the attack.

• The Unseen Story Jessica Simpsons Battle For Privacy And Body Image In A Digital Age Mlvqa

3. Bryan Kohberger’s Alleged Social Media Following

Court documents and subsequent media reports have indicated that Bryan Kohberger followed at least one, and possibly all, of the female victims on social media, specifically Instagram. This digital trail provides a direct, albeit one-sided, connection between the suspect and the victims, reinforcing the theory that he was observing them and perhaps fixated on one of them before the attack. The nature of the following—whether it was one person or all three women—is a critical detail that could solidify the identity of the primary target. This behavior is consistent with an offender who develops a parasocial relationship with a target before acting.

4. The Lack of a Known Connection and the "Specific Reason"

The prosecution has yet to present any evidence of a direct, personal relationship between Bryan Kohberger and any of the four victims. Kohberger was a Ph.D. student at Washington State University (WSU), located just a short drive from the University of Idaho in Moscow. The absence of a clear motive or personal link has led investigators to conclude that Kohberger targeted the house for a "specific reason." This strongly suggests a target of opportunity based on location, or a target selected through stalking and observation—not a personal dispute. The target was likely chosen because of their routine, their presence at the house, or a perceived vulnerability.

5. The Order of the Attacks

New details about the order in which the victims were murdered have been suggested to offer insight into the crime, though the exact sequence is not officially confirmed. If the killer moved directly to the third floor first, or if the attacks on the second floor were a necessary step to reach the third floor, it would strongly indicate that the occupants of the third floor—Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen—were the original focus. The fact that Kaylee’s family publicly stated their belief that she was the target remains the most persistent and emotionally charged theory in the case, suggesting they may have been privy to details not yet fully released in court.

• 5 Shocking Facts About Anna Congdon Penn State Sweetheart To Nfl Fiances Social Media Firestorm Cc90e

The Target Conclusion: A Case of Calculated Fixation

While the Latah County Prosecutor’s Office has maintained a tight lid on the specifics of the motive, the weight of the circumstantial evidence strongly suggests that one of the four students was the primary focus of Bryan Kohberger’s attention. The combination of alleged stalking, social media following, and the family claims pointing to Kaylee Goncalves as the individual who felt she was being watched makes a compelling case for her as the intended target. Madison Mogen, her best friend, was tragically with her, while Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin became victims of circumstance, simply being present in the house at the wrong time.

As the trial date approaches in August 2025, the defense team, led by Anne Taylor, continues to challenge the evidence, including the DNA evidence and the use of the White Hyundai Elantra in the area. The world awaits the trial that may finally reveal the full truth of the motive and, definitively, who Bryan Kohberger truly intended to target in the horrific Moscow, Idaho, murders.