Movies

‘One Night in Idaho: The College Murders’ tells how families were affected by a brutal crime

BBG News

The most frequently asked question about the tragic incident on November 13, 2022, when four students from the University of Idaho – Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves – were viciously murdered in their off-campus residence in the town of Moscow, Idaho, is: What was the reason behind this horrific crime?

Without any clear reason or suspect to speak of, the city of Moscow found itself at the heart of an extensive investigation and a whirlwind on social media. This is the setting that Prime Video’s “One Night in Idaho: The College Murders” explores across four captivating episodes, set to be released this Friday.

In the docuseries “Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer,” Liz Garbus and Matthew Galkin, who both direct and produce, opted for a unique perspective. They wanted to delve into the heart of the storm, focusing on the untold stories of victims’ families and friends who had never spoken to the media before. This was their primary area of focus when it came to gaining access.

The narrative features unique conversations with Stacy and Jim Chapin, whose son Ethan is 20 years old, as well as Karen and Scott Laramie, parents of Mogen who is 21. Remarkably, they have refrained from discussing the murders even in multiple projects about the same topic. The tragic events not only devastated the town of Moscow but also deeply affected their own families.

In this discussion (with The Times), Garbus and Galkin covered several topics, such as how they earned the families’ confidence, the impact of social media on the case, and the last-minute developments that occurred just prior to the series release. A notable event was Bryan Kohberger’s plea agreement on July 2, which included a full confession to the murders. This agreement was made in an attempt to dodge the death penalty, weeks before his trial was scheduled to begin.
This conversation has been condensed and clarified for better understanding.

World & Nation

Bryan Kohberger accepted the plea agreement mere weeks before his upcoming trial, following an unsuccessful attempt by his legal team to remove the death penalty as a potential sentence option.

Could you tell me how and when did you start working on crime novels with author James Patterson?

Matthew Galkin began following this tale at the time it occurred, specifically in mid-November of 2022. I didn’t contact any significant figures within the narrative, such as family members, until almost spring of 2023. We were monitoring its progress to observe how it unfolded once an arrest was made and we could see the shape of the story emerge. Social media appeared to be a crucial factor in the enthusiasm generated around this story.

At the same time, Matthew was establishing the groundwork by connecting with the families involved in this story, I received contact from James Patterson’s company expressing interest in teaming up on a project related to this case. This happened quite coincidentally, and we built some crucial elements together while sharing resources and research. The movie was created by its own filmmakers, while the book [“The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy” by Patterson and Ward, set for release on July 14] was written by its authors. Essentially, they were working in tandem, helping each other out but with Matthew’s initial approach to the Chapin family being the foundation that ultimately led to this show.

In what ways did the gag orders imposed on law enforcement and those closely connected to the case create difficulties when sharing my account of events?

In the narrative we’re discussing, a sworn statement called a probable cause affidavit was submitted in early January of 2023. This document provided an outline of the investigative facts that had been gathered so far, leading law enforcement to the suspect and eventually resulting in their arrest. Therefore, we were able to share this story using the details revealed in the probable cause affidavit.

It can be difficult to fully narrate a story when not all characters are present, but in my previous work, we often chose projects that focused more on the victim rather than law enforcement. Given my background, I’ve told stories from this perspective before, and surprisingly, the restricted access we faced actually aligned with the narrative we aimed to create.

As a passionate documentarian, when crafting “Gone Girls” for Netflix, I found myself delving into chilling cases where the murders were decades old. Although there were no court-imposed silences, certain individuals chose not to speak for personal reasons. In our line of work, we must decide on our approach – what unique angle and perspective can we authentically convey? In this instance, it was evident that we had a distinct path to follow.

Does having a clear lane at the start encourage more people, even those who haven’t conversed with others before, to engage in conversation with you?

Galkin: I traveled to Washington state and reached out to Jim and Stacy Chapin, who are Ethan, Hunter, and Maizie’s parents. I persuaded them for a lunch meeting where we could discuss our ideas for narrating their story. I was likely the 50th person attempting to create a documentary about it at that time. They had been overwhelmed by journalists, filmmakers, and podcasters for several months prior, so it took around five or six months before I managed to meet with them.

It’s clear they examined Liz’s past works, my past works, and I believe they found reassurance in the understanding that if we were tackling crime stories, these narratives typically don’t focus on the perspective of the criminal or law enforcement. Instead, they usually revolve around family members or victims. This knowledge made them feel more comfortable about having a significant influence over how Ethan’s story would be portrayed. They appreciated the opportunity to choose one project and fully immerse themselves in it, helping bring Ethan’s tale to the world through their own unique voice, rather than relying on others who may not have known Ethan to do so.

In the documentary, Ethan’s brothers and sisters, Maizie and Hunter Chapin, were also featured, alongside their parents. [Provided by Prime Video]

Did you know early on that social media would play such a big part in the case?

Galkin: The main themes we discussed during our initial chat with the Chapins were primarily about our approach to narrating the story and their insights into handling the chaotic world of social media speculations and intrusions. They’ve dealt with an overwhelming amount of noise and pressure from internet sleuths, people contacting them directly, creating theories about their kids, themselves, and their kids’ friends – a level of madness that I haven’t encountered before, especially given the magnitude of social media attention this story has garnered. While there have been crime stories involving social media, none have attracted this level of attention.

Social media now plays a significant role in how Americans perceive and process crime stories. For instance, in the case of the Long Island serial killer, where the victims weren’t widely recognized, social media and advocates could make a substantial impact. However, there are instances when the desire for more information can overshadow the truth of the story.

In your show, there’s not much focus on extensively describing the gory aspects of the killings. Could it be because of a confidentiality agreement from the law enforcement?

Galkin: To some extent, it was our choice as well. There are numerous other projects, including documentaries and news specials, that delve deeply into the gruesome events that took place in that house. From the start, we were discussing how best to present this story truthfully without dwelling excessively on those grim details. We didn’t want to avoid them altogether, but we found other parts of the narrative more intriguing and decided to focus on those instead.

Garbus: Spending time with these families helps you understand their pain and suffering. The way the aftermath of the trauma has impacted the whole friendship circle and all the young individuals involved, powerfully illustrates what occurred that fateful day. We aimed to live through their experiences.

In light of the latest updates regarding Kohberger’s plea agreement, have you adjusted the tag on your broadcast?

With the help of outstanding postproduction team members, we’re planning to revise the final screen to ensure viewers are well-informed about our appeal.

Towards the end of the series, discussions emerge regarding Kohberger and his possible identification as an ‘incel’ – someone who has not had success in romantic or sexual relationships. This label raises questions about whether this perspective could shed light on a potential reason for the murders.

At first, we found it intriguing: Why were these young women specifically chosen as targets? Although we might never discover the answer due to the plea deal, there were certainly hints suggesting connections to that particular subculture worth investigating. As parents watch this unfold and ponder their sons’ online activities, such discussions about media influence, the bombardment of messages young men encounter today, and how it’s becoming increasingly intense are essential.

Initially, was it decided that four episodes would be sufficient to tell this story? Given that Kohberger’s plea agreement situation is still developing, is there a chance we might see more chapters or continuation of the story?

Galkin: We believe that four episodes effectively conveyed the narrative we intended. However, if there’s interest in exploring more chapters with our subjects and partners, we would be willing. But for now, we feel we’ve told a complete story… Each episode provides a shift in perspective on this case, and each one offers a distinct viewpoint.

Garbus: Our filmmaking reaches a specific stage. With the agreement in place and the gag order being lifted soon, this movie captures the knowledge and understanding that the families had about this incident from the time of the tragedy up until recently. As more information becomes available over the coming weeks and months, we’ll see how much more there is to learn. However, this film is a snapshot of a particular period in their experiences.

Given the high level of curiosity surrounding this matter, as evidenced by numerous podcasts, documentaries, and news articles, are you concerned about it in any way?

When embarking on a project like this, while there are times when uniqueness isn’t at the forefront of your mind, it’s crucial to ensure that what we produce is distinct and valuable. After all, we will invest several years of our lives into it. We aim to contribute fresh insights to the ongoing discussion about the case. Moreover, it’s important to us that this is the platform chosen by the Chapins and Laramies to share their story, and we want to handle it with the care and integrity they expect. Essentially, we wanted to find a niche in the conversation that was essential, and in this case, we felt confident that we did.

From the start, we recognized that our series would stand out since it features individuals who had never shared their experiences before, and we intended to present it in a way that was completely unfiltered and untouched by external perspectives. Therefore, we weren’t concerned about duplicating what was already available on the market.

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2025-07-11 13:31

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