13 crucial minutes: A timeline of how the University of Idaho murders unfolded

A short period of just 13 minutes lies at the heart of the case involving American murder suspect Bryan Kohberger.

Bryan Christopher Kohberger was taken into custody by police and the FBI around 3am. Friday in Scranton, Pennsylvania, according to reports. Picture: Monroe County Correctional Facility

An updated timeline of the University of Idaho slayings was revealed in the case’s newly released police report, which indicates Bryan Kohberger allegedly carried out the horrific crime in as little as 13 minutes.

Before the police affidavit was made public on Thursday, officials had said they believed the four students were slain inside their off-campus Moscow home sometime between 3am and 4am on November 13.

According to the affidavit, the one-hour time frame has since been narrowed down to 25 minutes, with police now thinking Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kernodle’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin, 20, were killed between 4 and 4:25am.

It was also learned in the affidavit that police now believe Kernodle was still alive by 4:12am, as phone records indicate she was using TikTok at the time and therefore likely still awake, the New York Post reports.

The four victims lived in the home with two other roommates, Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen, who were all home after a night out by 2am, according to the affidavit.

Here’s a chilling breakdown of what happened beginning at 4am:

The four victims were found slain in their off campus home on Nov. 13. Picture: Monroe County Correctional Facility

4:00am

According to the slain students’ roommates, all of the victims were all asleep or at least in their bedrooms by around 4am, with one exception.

At approximately that time, Kernodle received a DoorDash food order at the residence from a delivery driver.

It would be the last contact any of the victims would have with someone before they were killed.

Police said they have identified the driver, who reported the delivery to authorities during the investigation.

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A timeline of Bryan Kohberger’s whereabouts. Picture: New York Post

Investigators said Xana Kernodle ordered the food at 4am after returning home from a party with her boyfriend. Picture: Instagram/Xana Kernodle

Around the same time roommate Dylan Mortensen — identified in the affidavit only as “D.M.” — said she heard what sounded like Goncalves playing with her dog in her third floor bedroom. Mortenson lived on the first floor.

Moments later, Mortenson told police she was woken when she thought she heard Goncalves say “there’s someone in here.”

Mortenson said she opened her bedroom door after hearing that someone might be in the house, but didn’t see anyone.

The house where the four students were murdered. Picture: David Ryder/Getty Images/AFP

Between 4-4:12am

Mortenson opened her door and looked around a second time after she thought she heard crying from Kernodle’s room.

She told police she heard a male voice utter something that sounded like “It’s Ok, I’m going to help you,” according to the affidavit.

4:12am

Police said that the voice also could have been Kernodle, as cellular records showed she was using TikTok around 4:12am and therefore likely awake at the time.

This is the last precise timestamp provided from the home the night of the killings in the affidavit.

4:17am

Five minutes after Kernodle appeared to be awake and using TikTok, a security camera located just 15 metres from her window at a neighbour’s residence caught “distorted audio” of what sounded like a “whimper followed by a loud thud,” the affidavit said.

A dog in the victims’ home can also be heard barking beginning at 4:17am, police said.

A security camera caught audio of a “whimper” and “thud” around 4:17am, according to the affidavit. Picture: David Ryder/Getty Images/AFP

Between 4:17-4:20am

Mortenson told police she opened a door for the third time at an unspecified time after hearing the crying when she had a bone-chilling encounter with a masked “figure clad in black clothing,” believed to be the killer.

She described the figure as a man about 177cm or taller and athletically built, but not very muscular.

She noted his bushy eyebrows as his nose and mouth were covered by the mask.

The intruder, whom Mortenson said she did not know, walked right by her while she stood in a “frozen shock phase,” she told police.

As the man headed towards the back sliding glass door, Mortenson locked herself in her bedroom. Police believe the murderer then left the scene.

“The combination of [Mortenson’s] statements to law enforcement, reviews of forensic downloads of records from [Funke’s and Mortenson’s] phone, and video of a suspect video as described below leads investigators to believe the homicides occurred between 4:00am and 4:25am,” police wrote in the affidavit.

4:20-4:25am

A white Hyundai Elantra believed to be driven by Kohberger was seen departing the area near the slain student’s off-campus home “at a high rate of speed,” around 4:20am, according to the affidavit.

Police have said they believe the crimes could have been carried out up until 4:25am.

A White Hyundai Elantra sought by police was seized at Kohberger’s parents’ home. Picture: City of Moscow Police Department

5:25am

After appearing to take a roundabout way home, the white car was caught on five cameras in Pullman, Washington and on the WSU campus, where Kohberger was living.

WSU police later identified a white Hyundai Elantra belonging to Kohberger with a Pennsylvania license plate.

Kohberger was living in a student housing facility just 1.2km from where he the vehicle was last spotted on camera around 5:27am.

Kohberger was extradited to Idaho on Wednesday and charged with quadruple homicide. Picture: Handout / Monroe County Correctional Facility / AFP

Kohberger, a 28-year-old criminology doctorate student, was arrested in an early morning SWAT raid at his parents home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania on Friday.

A white Hyundai Elantra matching one spotted by police on surveillance video was seized at the home.

He was extradited to Idaho on Wednesday and made his first court appearance in Latah County Court on Thursday (local time) where he was formally charged with four counts of murder and one count of burglary.

Legal experts have said that Kohberger could potentially face the death penalty if convicted. He is being housed in the Latah County Jail.

This article originally appeared in the New York Post and was reproduced with permission