Filing from victim's mother restricts release of some records in Kohberger case

Alex Brizee, The Idaho Statesman on Aug 18, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

BOISE, Idaho — The city of Moscow is temporarily restricting the release of certain images or videos from inside the off-campus home where four University of Idaho students were killed, a result of a judge’s order after one of the students’ parents filed a petition over the release of images of her daughter’s bedroom.

Karen Laramie, the mother of Madison Mogen, filed the petition for a temporary restraining order after hundreds of crime scene photos were released by the city in response to a public records request. KTVB was the first news outlet to publicize a handful of the redacted photographs, and since then dozens of other outlets have published some of the released images.

In the weeks since Bryan Kohberger was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences in prison for the first-degree murders of Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation have released hundreds of public records and conducted interviews — shedding light on a case that brought national attention to the state.

On Friday, 2nd Judicial District Judge Megan Marshall issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the city’s release of any images, audio or video depicting the inside of Mogen’s bedroom until a hearing on the request for an injunction is held. TROs typical last two weeks, but a preliminary injunction can last until the court makes a final decision on the request.

Upon review by Marshall, the images that have been released didn’t constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy, according to a news release from the city. But there are portions of videos and photographs, specifically including body-camera footage, that haven’t been released, and even redacted they could constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy, she said.

Because of this, the city will not release any more photographs or videos of any of the victim’s bedrooms until Marshall makes a decision, despite the order applying only to Mogen’s bedroom, the release said.

Making the images public has received pushback from families, specifically the Goncalveses, who expressed concern.

“In regards to the crime scene photos being released of Kaylee, Maddie, Ethan and Xana. We know they are out there, but we are begging you to not share them,” the Goncalves family wrote on its Facebook page less than two days after some were publicized. “These pictures are extremely private, and cause immense pain and trauma for all of our families.”

_____