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Peacock documentary details Idaho murders

Right before the trial and sentencing of Brian Kohberger, the streaming platform Peacock released a documentary diving deeper into what really happened on that horrific night.

Brian Kohberger pled guilty to the brutal murder of four Idaho college students, Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, on July 2, and was later sentenced on July 23 to four consecutive life sentences without parole, for the murders that occurred in 2022.

The Peacock documentary, “The Idaho Student Murders,” opens with the chilling 911 call that was placed the morning the murders were discovered by surviving roommates.

The documentary features multiple friends of the victims, the family of the victims, Howard Blum, the author of “When The Night Comes Falling” a book based on the murders, multiple journalists, a retired FBI agent, a lawyer, and multiple other professionals who helped provide a better understanding of how the story unfolded.

It also features real phone calls, texts, and footage from hours before the murders, during the murders, and the weeks following the murders.

This documentary also provides a feel into the atmosphere of the town during the six weeks of unknown before Kohberger was arrested.

Friends of the victims also spoke about who the victims were as people and honored their memory.

The audience also receives a deeper look into how police concluded that Kohberger was the perpetrator.

Documentary filmmakers peppered in a few cameos from people who had close encounters with Kohberger before and after the murders, such as a student of his who remarked that after the murders he “put less time into his appearance.”

The film details how the police found Kohberger’s DNA on the button of the knife sheath that was left at the scene, along with his car’s appearance on camera footage near the scene which led to heavier police surveillance of Kohberger.

The documentary also featured police cam footage of Kohberger and his father traveling back to their Pennsylvania home from Washington state, where Kohberger was employed as a teaching assistant.

Local police along with the FBI, surveilled Kohberger all the way back to his Pennsylvania home where they witnessed him meticulously sorting his trash. This surveillance led to discovery of matching DNA which ultimately led to his arrest.

Since it was released before the trial, the documentary ends with Kaylee Goncalves’s brother expressing that no punishment will be severe enough for the crime Kohberger committed.

Although the motives are still unclear, and there are still multiple questions unanswered, if you enjoy true crime stories, this documentary is the perfect option for you.

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Mina Phillips is a reporter at the Lewistown Sentinel.

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