Idaho murders: Autopsy shows Xana Kernodle fought back as Bryan Kohberger stabbed her 67 times

Newly unsealed court documents detail how University of Idaho student Xana Kernodle fought back against her killer, Bryan Kohberger, during the November 13, 2022 attacks that left four students dead.

According to the filing, Kernodle, 20, sustained 67 stab wounds during the early morning massacre inside the off‑campus home in Moscow, Idaho.

The report, obtained by People, shows that despite being unarmed and nine inches shorter than Kohberger, who was carrying a KA‑BAR knife, she fought fiercely in her final moments.

Investigators believe Kernodle may have heard a disturbance upstairs after receiving a late‑night food delivery and went to check on her friends Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves.

When she encountered Kohberger, she likely fled to her bedroom, with evidence suggesting the killer chased after her.

Crime‑scene findings cited in the court filing indicate transfer blood from Mogen and Goncalves was found on the stairs and near Kernodle’s room. Their autopsy reports show both women were killed before they could get out of bed, meaning the blood markings were likely left by someone else, believed to be Kernodle.

Once Kohberger caught up with her, the struggle turned violent. The autopsy recorded 23 stab and incised wounds to her face, neck, and scalp; seven to the chest; four to the abdomen; and more than two dozen to her arms and legs.

Deep defensive cuts exposed bone, and blood on the bottom of her feet and wiped blood on her body showed she continued to fight as she was attacked.

Kernodle’s injuries included punctured organs and broken blood vessels, along with bruises and scrapes across her body. Her body was discovered near her boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, who was killed before he could get up, according to his autopsy report.

In the aftermath, surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen initially misidentified Kernodle’s body due to the extent of her injuries. DNA evidence later showed Kernodle and Chapin were near each other during the attack, with each having traces of the other’s blood beneath their fingernails.

The court filing also notes the chaotic struggle may explain why Kohberger left behind the KA‑BAR knife sheath that ultimately linked him to the scene. Classmates later recalled seeing him with cuts and scratches after the killings.

The evidence gathered against Kohberger led him to plead guilty to four counts of murder, avoiding the death penalty.

If not for Kernodle’s resistance, investigators say he may have slipped away undetected, but instead, he will spend the rest of his life in prison.