Newly released court documents have revealed the terrifying real-time text exchange between two surviving roommates as the 2022 University of Idaho home invasion unfolded just feet away from them.
The unsealed records detail how Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke communicated in frantic darkness while killer Bryan Kohberger was inside their off-campus Moscow residence.
Panic in the Dark
According to official filings from the Latah County Prosecutor’s Office, Mortensen first attempted to call her roommates at 4:19 a.m. after hearing strange noises upstairs. When no one picked up, she messaged Funke on the ground floor.
“No one is answering,” Mortensen texted at 4:22 a.m., adding seconds later, “I’m rlly confused rn.”
As Mortensen glimpsed a figure clad in dark clothing moving through the hallway, her messages grew increasingly panicked. She described seeing a man wearing “like ski mask almost” over his forehead and mouth.
Funke quickly responded from the lower floor: “Come to my room. Run. Down here.”
Moments of Freeze and Fear
Court documents show Mortensen fled her room and ran straight to Funke’s downstairs bedroom, where the pair locked the door. On her way, Mortensen briefly spotted victim Xana Kernodle on the floor, initially believing her friend was intoxicated or passed out.
Inside the locked room, both young women tried calling their housemates repeatedly. None of the calls were answered.
The text logs reveal Mortensen sent follow-up messages hours later at 10:23 a.m. reading, “Pls answer” and “R u up??” before family members were contacted. A 911 call reporting an unconscious person was eventually placed at 11:56 a.m. after outside friends arrived at the home to check on the residents.
What We Know
The Timeline: Prosecutors state the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin occurred between 4:00 a.m. and 4:17 a.m.
The Text Exchange: Mortensen and Funke exchanged urgent messages between 4:22 a.m. and 4:24 a.m. before locking themselves inside a ground-floor bedroom.
The Delayed Call: Trauma experts and investigators emphasized that victims experiencing extreme trauma often freeze or fail to comprehend catastrophic events immediately. Law enforcement never alleged any wrongdoing by either surviving roommate.
The Resolution: Bryan Kohberger pleaded guilty in July 2025 to four counts of first-degree murder, receiving four consecutive life terms without parole.
Why This Matters
This horrifying case touched a raw nerve across America, raising hard questions about personal security, college campus safety, and modern social media culture.
In the aftermath, both surviving roommates endured relentless online harassment and unfounded conspiracy theories while coping with severe psychological trauma. Their experience shines a critical light on the reality of traumatic shock—how the human mind reacts under extreme fear—and the destructive impact of internet speculation during active criminal investigations.
The unsealed text messages serve as a heartbreaking reminder that behind every viral headline are real young lives forever altered in a single night.