Hi, crime junkies. I'm your host, Ashley Flowers. And I'm Britt. And the story I have for you today is one I know you've heard of. It was a case that made every news station nationally at some point. And post-Caren Reed, we were all gearing up for this trial to dominate public attention all over again. But less than two weeks ago, there was a shocking turn of events. Just a month and

half out from trial, the defendant accepted a plea deal, agreeing to plead guilty in exchange

for the death penalty being taken off the table. And it's a move that has the public, and more

importantly, the victim's families, split. Some people are happy that he's accepting responsibility without dragging everyone through a spectacle at the expense of taxpayers.

But others are frustrated because the trial was their chance at possibly getting an answer to the one question that has mystified a nation.

Why?

Now, there's a gag order still in place, but plenty of clues have been

dropped along the way. And we're going to make our best attempt at breaking down this complicated

case for you to try and get at that answer. Why did Brian Koberger kill four students at the

University of Idaho?

Music kill four students at the University of Idaho. It's around 4 a.m on November 13, 2022, when Dylan Mortensen wakes up to some noises in her off-campus home at 1122 King Road.

Now, she's been out drinking the night before, so she's still a bit buzzed, and her understanding of what's going on is a little hazy. But it sounds like maybe a different roommate who stays in the room on the

floor above her is like up playing with her dog or something. But as she gets her bearings a little bit,

she thinks she hears that roommate, Kaylee Gonzalez, say, there's someone here. So Dylan gets out

of bed, cracks her door to peek out, but she doesn't see anything. And she tries to shake it off,

close her door, go back to bed, probably telling herself like the bumps in the night or nothing.

But she still hears noises. And then she hears crying. Except it's not coming from Kaylee's room upstairs.

It sounds like it's coming from a room on her floor, her other roommates, Zana Kurnodles.

And then she hears what sounds like a voice, a man's voice saying, it's okay, I'm going to help you.

Now she tries looking out her door another time, only to see the same empty, dark hallway.

But she can't ignore whatever sixth sense is tugging her to her door to check just one more time.

And I can almost imagine it feeling like this amorphous energy getting closer and closer as she opens her door once more

...