New Evidence Suggests Ethan Chapin Was Not Bryan Kohberger’s Intended Target During Idaho Four Killings

Newly released crime scene photos from the Idaho student murders have given investigators more insight on why Ethan Chapin was killed — even though they believe he was never the intended target of Bryan Kohberger.

The images, which were briefly released online by Idaho State Police before being removed, were reviewed by former FBI agents Jennifer Coffindaffer and Tracy Walder, who shared their assessments with the Daily Mail in an article published on Monday, February 2. Both experts said the photos reinforced theories about how the attack spiraled out of control.

Chapin, 20, was asleep in the bed of his girlfriend Xana Kernodle when Kohberger, 31, entered the second floor of the King Road home in the early hours of November 13, 2022. According to Coffindaffer, Chapin suffered fewer stab wounds than the other victims, but his injuries were enough to kill him.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Coffindaffer said Chapin was likely killed quickly out of necessity. One of his wounds severed his jugular vein, which indicated an effort to remove the greatest physical threat from the room.

“He killed the guy because he needed to,” Coffindaffer told the outlet, explaining that the attack downstairs had escalated beyond the killer’s original plan.

Walder, who also spoke with the Daily Mail, said the photos suggested Kohberger was already losing control by the time he encountered Chapin. Blood patterns and the state of the bedroom indicated a chaotic scene.

As the National Enquirer previously reported, investigators believed Kernodle was awake and fought back during the attack, but Chapin appeared to have been killed swiftly. Experts said the contrast in injuries supported the theory that his death was more strategic than anything else.

With Kohberger’s plea deal preventing a trial, the full truth of Chapin’s final moments will likely never be heard in court.