Idaho Authorities Explain Why Graphic Murder Scene Photos Were Wiped After Family Was Left Outraged

Idaho State Police have spoken out after photos of the murder scene at the off-campus house where four University of Idaho students were killed were uploaded online and swiftly removed.

On Tuesday, January 20, nearly 3,000 unseen graphic photos were released, and the family of Kaylee Goncalves said they were hardly given any notice. Goncalves, 21, along with Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Ethan Chapin, 20, were brutally stabbed to death in their Moscow apartment on November 13, 2022, by Bryan Kohberger.

“Following adjudication of the criminal case, the Idaho State Police received a large volume of public records requests seeking the photographs,” an Idaho State Police department spokesperson told the New York Post in a statement on Thursday, January 22.

They told the publication that the pictures were “temporarily” taken down due to privacy concerns.

“In making the redactions, the Idaho State Police also chose to follow Judge 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 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,” the statement said. “This was a tragic case, and we do not take the impact of the crime or the release of records lightly.”

The photos — which show blood splattered, smeared and pooled inside the victims’ bedrooms — will reportedly be released again, though a date has not been provided.

Goncalves’ family stated via a Facebook post that they were notified of the release at 11:04 a.m., and about 12 minutes later, the pictures were already online.

“Murder isn’t entertainment & crime scene photos aren’t content,” the family said in a statement. “Kaylee Jade, I am so sorry that this has happened to you. I am so sorry that people who never even knew you, now post about you, suggesting things about your life  that are so untrue. We will never quit fighting for you.”

“We know so many of you arm chair detectives will turn this into your show(profits) zooming into things, ‘analyzing blood splatter’, suggesting that things ‘don’t add up’ yada yada yada,” the statement continued. “It’s disrespectful and gross.”

Kohberger, 31, pleaded guilty to the murders in order to avoid the death penalty. He is currently serving four life sentences without parole.