The chilling murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle at an off-campus house at the University of Idaho gripped the nation, and Paramount+ is now diving into the case. Amid the release of Cybersleuths: The Idaho Murders, true crime fanatics want to learn more about the series and the new answers it’ll shed light on. 

What Is ‘Cybersleuths: The Idaho Murders’ About? 

The new Paramount+ series explores not only the headline-dominating case, but explores the “dynamic group of amateur TikTok detectives, led by #chroniclesofolivia, in their attempt to separate rumor from fact while examining police statements and hunting for digital clues.” 

“Because there weren’t really any answers, sleuthing went into overdrive,” a docuseries participant tells the cameras as part of the series’ trailer, with another adding that the case – and the online detective involvement – “started to take a life of its own.” 

Critics have their fair share of doubt, as shown in the trailer, with one noting, “Online, there is no vetting mechanism.” Yet another claims that many online sleuths got involved with the case in order to make money “off the victims’ stories.” 

The social media sleuths argue that they took the investigation to places the police simply couldn’t, but amid the series lives an important question: “Do TikTok sleuths do more harm than good?”

When Does ‘Cybersleuths: The Idaho Murders’ Premiere? 

The Paramount+ three-part series dropped on February 6, 2024, on the streaming service. 

What Happened During the Idaho College Murders? 

In the early morning hours of November 13, 2022, University of Idaho students Ethan, Madison, Xana and Kaylee were stabbed to death. The Moscow Police Department quickly ruled the deaths as “homicides,” with Mayor Art Bettge calling the killings a “senseless act of violence.” 

The severity of the case was exacerbated by the lack of answers provided by police in the weeks that followed. A break in the case came in late 2022, as neighboring student Bryan Kohberger was arrested and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. 

Kohberger appeared in court for the first time on January 5, 2023, and more information came to light about the night in question. One of the surviving roommates, known as D.M. in court documents, said she heard a man say, “It’s OK, I’m going to help you.” 

“D.M. described the figure as 5’ 10” or taller, male, not very muscular, but athletically built with bushy eyebrows,” the affidavit detailed. “The male walked past D.M. as she stood in a ‘frozen shock phase.’ The male walked towards the back sliding glass door. D.M. locked herself in her room after seeing the male.”

Idaho Murders
August Frank-Pool/Getty Images

Kohberger is facing the death penalty for the killings, and his legal team is exploring avenues to have the jury pool enlarged and moved outside of Latah County on the basis of fairness. His trial will likely take place in summer 2024 or 2025.  

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