The grieving community of the University of Idaho dedicated a healing garden on Wednesday to honor the four students who were brutally murdered in their off-campus home nearly two years ago. Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, and Maddie Mogen are specifically commemorated by the student-designed flower patch, which serves as a tribute to all students who have lost their lives while enrolled at the school.
It’s a reminder that even in moments of sadness, always find light,” said Dean of Students Blaine Eckles at the unveiling ceremony. In the wake of tragedy, I take great inspiration from the amazing resilience of the families involved.
The Vandal Healing Garden and Memorial were established as a permanent space for quiet reflection, remembrance, hope, and healing. This comes after public outrage was sparked by the demolition of the off-campus rental where the four students were stabbed to death on November 13, 2022.
The small walking path features a “Memory Garden” and an overhang, nestled between several academic buildings and adorned with various flora and fauna. The garden was designed by the University of Idaho’s architecture students, inspired by community input. Earlier this year, there was public outcry when the three-story home at 1122 King Road was torn down, with protesters demanding that the building remain intact until after suspected killer Bryan Kohberger’s trial concluded in case it harbored any remaining evidence.
However, school officials who were given the house following the tragedy called the structure a “grim reminder of the heinous act that took place there.” A university spokesperson clarified that the memorial garden was not meant to replace the off-campus home since the site was never intended as a place of reflection. The Vandal Healing Garden and Memorial also honor other lost students beyond Kernodle, Chapin, Goncalves, and Mogen.
Prosecutors believe that Kohberger broke into the off-campus house around 4 a.m., stabbing the four friends to death in their bedrooms. Lifelong pals Mogen and Goncalves were sharing a bed at the time while couple Kernodle and Chapin were sleeping across the hall. Kohberger’s defense team claims he was not near the property but was instead on a late-night drive miles away in Washington State to look at the moon and stars.
At the time of the slayings, Kohberger was a criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University, just eight miles away from the house. The state will pursue the death penalty at Kohberger’s trial, which is set for June 2025.
