"Terrifying Texts Reveal Survivors’ Desperate Pleas as Bryan Kohberger Hid in Their Home"
Ever find yourself stuck in a nightmare scenario, texting your friends back and forth like detectives in a horror flick—unsure if you’re about to solve a mystery or just get trapped in one? Well, that was exactly the chilling reality for Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen, the two survivors of a gruesome massacre that shook an Idaho student house to its core. As the night’s horrors unfolded around them, they exchanged frantic messages, piecing together what was happening while the unimaginable tragedy claimed four of their housemates. And talk about an eerie twist—Dylan reported spotting the killer wearing something almost like a ski mask, turning their hide-and-seek into a desperate battle with the unknown. Now, here’s a question I keep circling back to: In moments of terror, when do we freeze, fight, or—believe it or not—try to connect with danger itself? The psychology behind those eight harrowing hours before the police were called is as haunting as the case itself. Meanwhile, Bryan Kohberger, who pleaded guilty to the murders but dodged the death penalty, now claims he wants to backtrack on his plea. Wild, right? Buckle up, because this story’s layers run deep and dark. LEARN MORE
Warning: This article contains discussion of content that some readers may find distressing.
The two survivors from the scene of a horrific series of murders in Idaho sent text messages to each other as they tried to work out what was going on.
Bryan Kohberger avoided the death penalty for pleading guilty to the murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, who he stabbed to death on 13 November, 2022 in their student house.
Two other students, Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen, were also in the house at the time and survived the attack by hiding, with them calling the police several hours later.
While they were hiding they sent text messages to each other and their fellow housemates trying to figure out what was going on, and those messages were part of the court documents for the case.
The messages provide an insight into the terrifying experience Bethany and Dylan went through as they didn’t know what was happening in their home, with Dylan saying she saw the killer wearing something over his face.
Dylan Mortensen said she saw the killer (Latah County Prosecutor’s Office)
In the messages sent at around four in the morning Dylan and Bethany discuss how no one else in the house is replying to them, and then Dylan describes the killer wearing something like a ‘ski mask’.
Dylan started by saying to Bethany ‘No one is answering. I’m rlly confused rn’, and then tried to message Kaylee Goncalves ‘Kaylee. What’s going on’ to no response.
Bethany then responded to Dylan saying ‘Ya dude wtf. Xana was wearing all black’, and Dylan replied that she was ‘freaking out rn’ and wrote of the killer ‘No it’s like ski mask almost’.
Bethany wrote back ‘Stfu’ and ‘Actually’ before Dylan continued describing Kohberger’s attire, writing ‘Like he had soemtbinf over is head and little nd mouth’, adding ‘Bethant I’m not kidding o am so freaked out.
Bethany agreed and after Dylan said her phone was about to die she was invited to ‘run’ to Bethany’s room to hide together.
Dylan later said that she heard Kohberger talking to one of his victims, saying: “It’s okay. I’m going to help you.”
Locking the door to hide together, the two women later contacted their friend Emily Alandt who arrived with her boyfriend Hunter Johnson where they discovered a harrowing scene.
They didn’t call the police for eight hours, and forensic psychologist Dr Keri Nixon said they most likely froze, since people tend to think of the ‘fight or flight’ response but people can also ‘freeze’ and do nothing or ‘fawn’ and try to connect with the threat.
Speaking in the Netflix documentary, Anthony Dahlinger, the Chief of Police for the local Moscow Police Department, said: “We asked the question why did the roommates wait eight hours to call the police?
“There are so many reasons why you may not, people are in shock, it’s traumatic – I mean I can’t imagine, being of that age and being able to comprehend that this horrific thing just occurred.”
While Kohberger accepted a deal to plead guilty and avoid the death penalty and was sentenced to life in prison, he has since claimed he wants to retract his guilty plea.
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