Rosanne Austin, JD, PCC, and her husband (20+ years law enforcement) break down the Idaho murder case from November 2022, where four University of Idaho students were killed. They analyze the investigation from their professional perspectives and reveal a fertility connection - victim Ethan Chapin was one of IVF triplets.
Criminal investigation and evidence collection
Key Insights
Actionable Advice
On November 13, 2022, four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death in their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho. The victims - Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Gonsalves, Maddie Mogen, and Zanna Kernodle - were killed in what appeared to be a random attack that shocked the small college community.
The small Moscow police department, which hadn't seen a homicide in seven years, was immediately overwhelmed by the quadruple murder. With only about 25 sworn officers, they quickly called in FBI and Idaho State Patrol support to handle the complex crime scene and evidence collection.
Brian Kohberger, a PhD student studying criminal justice at nearby Washington State University, was caught through DNA evidence left on a knife sheath at the crime scene. Despite his education in criminology, he made critical errors that led investigators to him through familial DNA matching and vehicle tracking.
Victim Ethan Chapin was one of IVF triplets, highlighting how fertility journeys create deeply wanted children. His family's loss, along with the other families, demonstrates both the preciousness of life and the incredible resilience families show in seeking justice and finding meaning after tragedy.
“On the night of November twelfth twenty twenty two, all four of these kids I'm gonna refer to them as kids because they all were. I mean, they were between ages twenty and twenty one”
— Rosanne Austin▶ 3:16
Four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death on November 13, 2022, by Brian Kohberger, a PhD student studying criminal justice at nearby Washington State University. The victims were Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Gonsalves, Maddie Mogen, and Zanna Kernodle.
“he made one critical and crucial mistake, luckily for the victims”
— Rosanne Austin▶ 28:01
Investigators found DNA on a knife sheath left at the scene, matched it through familial DNA databases, and identified Kohberger through his white Hyundai Elantra seen fleeing the scene. His phone had pinged in the area 23 times before the murders.
“Ethan Chapin was one of the three triplets that the Chapin family had, and the Chapins had IVF babies”
— Rosanne Austin▶ 36:46
Victim Ethan Chapin was one of triplets born through IVF to the Chapin family. His sister Olivia later gave birth to a daughter in room 1113 at 4 AM - numbers that matched the murder date and time, which she saw as signs from her deceased sister.
“it also would fall in line with somebody who's traumatized, would behave in a way that might not make sense to the outside world”
— Rosanne Austin▶ 12:21
Dylan, the surviving roommate, was likely in shock and trauma. She heard sounds but initially thought it was roommates playing, saw a masked intruder, then went to sleep with another roommate. Trauma responses don't always follow logical patterns.
“There's a huge difference between being vigilant about your own safety and living in abject terror”
— Rosanne Austin▶ 43:38
Lock your doors and windows even in safe areas, be aware of your surroundings, and understand there's a difference between being vigilant and living in fear. Don't make yourself an easy target for opportunistic criminals.
Personal safety requires vigilance without living in fear - there's a crucial difference between being aware and being terrorized
As a former prosecutor, Rosanne saw countless cases where unlocked doors and windows led to sexual assaults and violent crimes, emphasizing the importance of basic security measures
In major investigations, families must advocate for themselves and not rely solely on law enforcement to solve everything
Olivia Gonsalves, Kaylee's sister, immediately dove into the investigation, grabbed Kaylee's phone, contacted the rideshare driver, got his statement, and provided it to law enforcement - becoming a crucial force in seeking justice
Small communities may lack the resources and experience for complex investigations, making outside expertise crucial
Moscow, Idaho had only about 25 sworn officers and hadn't had a homicide in 7 years, meaning investigators may never have worked a homicide case before facing a quadruple murder
The greatest justice for families isn't necessarily from the system, but from choosing to live vibrant, meaningful lives
Each family affected by the Idaho murders went on to do amazing things in the victims' names, with Olivia Gonsalves giving birth to a daughter named after her sister in room 1113 at 4 AM - the exact date, room number, and time connected to the murders
Trauma responses don't always make logical sense to outsiders, and delayed reactions are normal
Dylan, the surviving roommate, heard commotion and saw a masked intruder but didn't call 911 for 8 hours, falling asleep instead - a response that seems illogical but fits trauma patterns
Personal safety requires vigilance without living in fear - there's a crucial difference between being aware and being terrorized
▶ 43:38In major investigations, families must advocate for themselves and not rely solely on law enforcement to solve everything
▶ 39:50Small communities may lack the resources and experience for complex investigations, making outside expertise crucial
▶ 18:55The greatest justice for families isn't necessarily from the system, but from choosing to live vibrant, meaningful lives
▶ 49:31Trauma responses don't always make logical sense to outsiders, and delayed reactions are normal
▶ 12:21“You can rely on government and law enforcement to handle all aspects of major investigations”
CONSIDER: Families must advocate for themselves and actively participate in seeking justice
“The greatest justice for all of them is their peace because I don't believe that you're gonna necessarily get justice from the system”
“We can't rely on government to fix all of our problems at all the time”
“There's a huge difference between being vigilant about your own safety and living in abject terror”
“he made one critical and crucial mistake, luckily for the victims”
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EP289: The Explanation to Her “Unexplained” Fertility Issues: Chrissie’s Story
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Frameworks & Methods
Key Shifts
When you fight from vision rather than despair, you bring completely different energy to your fertility journey
Francois observed that Super Cat's entire mood and motivation changed when she shifted from fighting from despair to fighting from hope after doing the Fearlessly Fertile program, leading to their natural conception at 38 after six failed IVFs.
Nobody knows you like you, and at the end of the day, doctors go home to their children - you have to do what you need to do to go home to yours
Super Cat was told she needed donor eggs and a gestational carrier after six failed IVFs, but by advocating for herself and doing her own research, she conceived naturally at 38 during a Christmas vacation in New York.
Statistics are not your destiny - you can choose to be an outlier rather than a statistic
Erika overcame stage 4 endometriosis, multiple failed IVF cycles, and a 0% chance of natural conception to conceive naturally at 31 after 9 years of trying.
Fertility challenges transcend age - you can have the diagnosis of someone in their fifties while in your twenties
Erika was told at 29 that her AMH and egg counts were like those of a 50-year-old, yet she still conceived naturally at 31.
