Topline: Authors James Patterson and Vicky Ward draw on 300 interviews and police evidence to explore the motive behind one of the most chilling college-town murders in recent memory.
Published: July 17, 2025 8:30 am ET
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Friends and family reportedly believe Maddie Mogen, left, was the targeted victim in the Idaho murders. (Photos via Instagram/ABC7)
MOSCOW, ID — In the nearly two years since the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students, many have speculated about the killer’s motive, his movements, and the puzzle pieces that led investigators to his arrest.
A new book, The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy, by bestselling author James Patterson and investigative journalist Vicky Ward, attempts to shed new light on a case that has gripped the country and left a trail of unanswered questions.
Drawing on more than 300 interviews, including friends and relatives of the victims, the authors present what those closest to the case believe may have driven Bryan Kohberger to kill.
According to the book, released Monday and covered by ABC News, many believe that Kohberger specifically targeted Madison Mogen. “There was consensus that it was Maddie that Kohberger was going for,” Ward said. “And the victims’ families, I think, would all agree with that.”
Mogen was reportedly the first of the four students killed. Investigators found a knife sheath bearing Kohberger’s DNA underneath her body, a critical piece of evidence that ultimately linked him to the crime.
Kohberger, then a 28-year-old criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University, was described by Patterson as someone trained “to commit the perfect crime.”
Speaking to ABC News, Patterson added, “Had he not left the knife sheath, he probably wouldn’t have got caught.”
The authors recount the account of Emily Alandt, a close friend of the victims, who described recurring nightmares after the murders. In one version, Kohberger walks into the restaurant where Mogen worked, expresses interest in her, and is rejected — a scenario that, Alandt believes, could have sparked the attack. “That’s her best guess,” Ward explained. “That Bryan Kohberger targeted Maddie.”
According to Ward, when Alandt and her boyfriend were told Kohberger was the suspect, “they couldn’t put it together.”
Prosecutors revealed that Kohberger’s cellphone data placed him near the victims’ house at least a dozen times before the murders, almost always late at night. On the night of the crime — November 13, 2022 — he allegedly entered the off-campus home and killed Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. One roommate, Dylan Mortensen, survived and later told friends she saw a masked man inside the house carrying what appeared to be a black vacuum. “It sounded so surreal to them all,” Ward said.
Kohberger remained at large for nearly seven weeks after the killings. During that time, he changed his car registration and obtained a new license in Washington state, a detail that later helped him avoid early detection.
As People magazine reported, Kohberger registered his white Hyundai Elantra in Washington just five days after the murders — a state where front license plates are not required. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson noted this helped Kohberger evade early surveillance efforts, as the vehicle seen on nearby security footage had no front plate and initially didn’t match the suspected model year.
Court filings show that Kohberger switched his car’s registration and insurance in the months leading up to the murders, and changed his license shortly afterward. He then drove more than 2,500 miles home to Pennsylvania with his father, opting not to fly. Bodycam footage from two traffic stops during that trip show a dusty vehicle and a Washington state driver’s license — signs of a man trying to disappear in plain sight.
But his efforts unraveled when DNA from a used Q-tip found in his family’s trash linked him to the crime scene. On July 2, 2025 — more than two years after maintaining his innocence — Kohberger pleaded guilty to all counts. He now awaits sentencing on July 23, where he faces four consecutive life sentences for first-degree murder and an additional 10-year sentence for burglary.
For Patterson and Ward, the book is not just about the killer, but about honoring the victims — Mogen, Goncalves, Chapin, and Kernodle — and giving the public a fuller picture of who they were.
“You will meet Ethan and Kaylee and Maddie and Xana,” Patterson told ABC News. “You will meet them and you will feel them as human beings.”
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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New Book Suggests Idaho Victim Maddie Mogen Was Primary Target in Kohberger Killings
Authors James Patterson and Vicky Ward draw on 300 interviews and police evidence to explore the motive behind one of the most chilling college-town murders in recent memory.
By Jacob Charles
Published: July 17, 2025 8:30 am ET
Friends and family reportedly believe Maddie Mogen, left, was the targeted victim in the Idaho murders. (Photos via Instagram/ABC7)
MOSCOW, ID — In the nearly two years since the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students, many have speculated about the killer’s motive, his movements, and the puzzle pieces that led investigators to his arrest.
A new book, The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy, by bestselling author James Patterson and investigative journalist Vicky Ward, attempts to shed new light on a case that has gripped the country and left a trail of unanswered questions.
Drawing on more than 300 interviews, including friends and relatives of the victims, the authors present what those closest to the case believe may have driven Bryan Kohberger to kill.
According to the book, released Monday and covered by ABC News, many believe that Kohberger specifically targeted Madison Mogen. “There was consensus that it was Maddie that Kohberger was going for,” Ward said. “And the victims’ families, I think, would all agree with that.”
Mogen was reportedly the first of the four students killed. Investigators found a knife sheath bearing Kohberger’s DNA underneath her body, a critical piece of evidence that ultimately linked him to the crime.
Kohberger, then a 28-year-old criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University, was described by Patterson as someone trained “to commit the perfect crime.”
Speaking to ABC News, Patterson added, “Had he not left the knife sheath, he probably wouldn’t have got caught.”
The authors recount the account of Emily Alandt, a close friend of the victims, who described recurring nightmares after the murders. In one version, Kohberger walks into the restaurant where Mogen worked, expresses interest in her, and is rejected — a scenario that, Alandt believes, could have sparked the attack. “That’s her best guess,” Ward explained. “That Bryan Kohberger targeted Maddie.”
According to Ward, when Alandt and her boyfriend were told Kohberger was the suspect, “they couldn’t put it together.”
Prosecutors revealed that Kohberger’s cellphone data placed him near the victims’ house at least a dozen times before the murders, almost always late at night. On the night of the crime — November 13, 2022 — he allegedly entered the off-campus home and killed Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. One roommate, Dylan Mortensen, survived and later told friends she saw a masked man inside the house carrying what appeared to be a black vacuum. “It sounded so surreal to them all,” Ward said.
Kohberger remained at large for nearly seven weeks after the killings. During that time, he changed his car registration and obtained a new license in Washington state, a detail that later helped him avoid early detection.
As People magazine reported, Kohberger registered his white Hyundai Elantra in Washington just five days after the murders — a state where front license plates are not required. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson noted this helped Kohberger evade early surveillance efforts, as the vehicle seen on nearby security footage had no front plate and initially didn’t match the suspected model year.
Court filings show that Kohberger switched his car’s registration and insurance in the months leading up to the murders, and changed his license shortly afterward. He then drove more than 2,500 miles home to Pennsylvania with his father, opting not to fly. Bodycam footage from two traffic stops during that trip show a dusty vehicle and a Washington state driver’s license — signs of a man trying to disappear in plain sight.
But his efforts unraveled when DNA from a used Q-tip found in his family’s trash linked him to the crime scene. On July 2, 2025 — more than two years after maintaining his innocence — Kohberger pleaded guilty to all counts. He now awaits sentencing on July 23, where he faces four consecutive life sentences for first-degree murder and an additional 10-year sentence for burglary.
For Patterson and Ward, the book is not just about the killer, but about honoring the victims — Mogen, Goncalves, Chapin, and Kernodle — and giving the public a fuller picture of who they were.
“You will meet Ethan and Kaylee and Maddie and Xana,” Patterson told ABC News. “You will meet them and you will feel them as human beings.”
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
New Book Suggests Idaho Victim Maddie Mogen Was Primary Target in Kohberger Killings
Authors James Patterson and Vicky Ward draw on 300 interviews and police evidence to explore the motive behind one of the most chilling college-town murders in recent memory.
By Jacob Charles
Published: July 17, 2025 8:30 am ET
Friends and family reportedly believe Maddie Mogen, left, was the targeted victim in the Idaho murders. (Photos via Instagram/ABC7)
MOSCOW, ID — In the nearly two years since the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students, many have speculated about the killer’s motive, his movements, and the puzzle pieces that led investigators to his arrest.
A new book, The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy, by bestselling author James Patterson and investigative journalist Vicky Ward, attempts to shed new light on a case that has gripped the country and left a trail of unanswered questions.
Drawing on more than 300 interviews, including friends and relatives of the victims, the authors present what those closest to the case believe may have driven Bryan Kohberger to kill.
According to the book, released Monday and covered by ABC News, many believe that Kohberger specifically targeted Madison Mogen. “There was consensus that it was Maddie that Kohberger was going for,” Ward said. “And the victims’ families, I think, would all agree with that.”
Mogen was reportedly the first of the four students killed. Investigators found a knife sheath bearing Kohberger’s DNA underneath her body, a critical piece of evidence that ultimately linked him to the crime.
Kohberger, then a 28-year-old criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University, was described by Patterson as someone trained “to commit the perfect crime.”
Speaking to ABC News, Patterson added, “Had he not left the knife sheath, he probably wouldn’t have got caught.”
The authors recount the account of Emily Alandt, a close friend of the victims, who described recurring nightmares after the murders. In one version, Kohberger walks into the restaurant where Mogen worked, expresses interest in her, and is rejected — a scenario that, Alandt believes, could have sparked the attack. “That’s her best guess,” Ward explained. “That Bryan Kohberger targeted Maddie.”
According to Ward, when Alandt and her boyfriend were told Kohberger was the suspect, “they couldn’t put it together.”
Prosecutors revealed that Kohberger’s cellphone data placed him near the victims’ house at least a dozen times before the murders, almost always late at night. On the night of the crime — November 13, 2022 — he allegedly entered the off-campus home and killed Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. One roommate, Dylan Mortensen, survived and later told friends she saw a masked man inside the house carrying what appeared to be a black vacuum. “It sounded so surreal to them all,” Ward said.
Kohberger remained at large for nearly seven weeks after the killings. During that time, he changed his car registration and obtained a new license in Washington state, a detail that later helped him avoid early detection.
As People magazine reported, Kohberger registered his white Hyundai Elantra in Washington just five days after the murders — a state where front license plates are not required. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson noted this helped Kohberger evade early surveillance efforts, as the vehicle seen on nearby security footage had no front plate and initially didn’t match the suspected model year.
Court filings show that Kohberger switched his car’s registration and insurance in the months leading up to the murders, and changed his license shortly afterward. He then drove more than 2,500 miles home to Pennsylvania with his father, opting not to fly. Bodycam footage from two traffic stops during that trip show a dusty vehicle and a Washington state driver’s license — signs of a man trying to disappear in plain sight.
But his efforts unraveled when DNA from a used Q-tip found in his family’s trash linked him to the crime scene. On July 2, 2025 — more than two years after maintaining his innocence — Kohberger pleaded guilty to all counts. He now awaits sentencing on July 23, where he faces four consecutive life sentences for first-degree murder and an additional 10-year sentence for burglary.
For Patterson and Ward, the book is not just about the killer, but about honoring the victims — Mogen, Goncalves, Chapin, and Kernodle — and giving the public a fuller picture of who they were.
“You will meet Ethan and Kaylee and Maddie and Xana,” Patterson told ABC News. “You will meet them and you will feel them as human beings.”
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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