The Tragic Case of “The Idaho Four”
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Rom. 12:21
Pastor’s Perspective, Stevens County Times, August 2025
By Pastor Tim White
In the early morning hours of November 13, 2022, one of the most senseless and heinous murders took place in Moscow, Idaho. Four college students (referred to by some as “The Idaho Four”), Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, were viciously and cruelly murdered while they lay in their beds. A little more than a month later, law enforcement arrested the now confessed killer.
They say the “wheels of justice turn slowly,” and after two and a half years, I think we would all agree. Yet, finally, in late July (as I write this), everything came to a conclusion that was not entirely welcomed by all involved. The deranged killer escaped the death penalty by confessing to these murders, but nothing more. Although he will never be a free man, some struggle with knowing he gets to live when their loved ones do not.
Our hearts go out to the families and close friends whose lives were upended by this needless and disturbing tragedy. Even President Trump personally expressed his condolences and deep sorrow for the pain the surviving family members and close friends have gone through after all this time.
How does anyone “move on” from something so tragic as this? I don’t believe in “moving on,” but in “moving through” grief one step at a time.
Please make no mistake about it: time alone cannot heal the sorrow of loss, and the more tragic the circumstances surrounding that loss, the more crucial it is to grieve properly. It would be hard to imagine a more tragic circumstance than what surrounds the murder of these four college students.
It has been said before that, “It’s not circumstances and trials in life that shape you, but how you respond to them.” I could not agree with this statement more. As much as we may try, we cannot control life’s circumstances and the behavior of others, but we can, and must, control what we can – the condition of our heart and the focus of our mind.
This week (7/21-24), the nation got to hear the “Victim Impact Statements” from family and friends of the murdered students. We heard everything from mocking and scorn for the deranged killer to personal expressions of loss, grief, and regret. These statements were essential steps in their grieving process.
And then, Xana’s aunt, Kim Kernodle, had her turn, and her words reveal a crucial element necessary to “move through” grief and loss. Here is a partial quote from her statement: “(addressing her niece’s killer) … I am here today to tell you that I have forgiven you, because I can no longer live with that hate in my heart, and for me to become a better person, I have forgiven you.”
After processing the grief of such a tragic loss for two and a half years, Xana’s aunt issued the killer an “eviction notice” through forgiveness, saying his evil can no longer live “rent-free” in her heart and mind. Now she is free to begin living life again. Understand me, this will not be easy, but she has taken a step onto the pathway to emotional health and spiritual vitality.
Jesus teaches that forgiveness towards others is not an option for the follower of Christ: “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matt. 6:14-15 NIV84). The eternal consequences of unforgiveness could not be greater.
The Apostle Paul writes to the Ephesian believers to always be “forgiving (of) each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Eph. 4:32b). The more we understand how hopelessly separated we were from our Creator due to our sin nature, and therefore under His deserved wrath, the more we are in awe of the forgiveness we now can have through faith in Christ’s substitutionary work on the cross.
If a holy and almighty God will forgive us, then we must forgive others. To refuse to forgive others is to place ourselves above God and place our souls in jeopardy. Understandably, in cases like the savage murder of these four students, we can begin to wonder if this is an exception to that rule. Whether this case is an exception or not, there is something more significant at play here.
We understand that to forgive others, as commanded, does not mean dismissing their evil deed(s) or refusing to see that they face the lawful consequences for their actions. Nor does it imply “let’s be friends” or anything else that can be perceived as minimizing the wrongs that have been done. The offender is not even required to accept forgiveness, and in some cases, may not even be aware of it – because it is not so much about the criminal as it is about your heart.
The daughter of missionaries in Palau, whose entire family was attacked in 1985, and she, at 11, was viciously abused, stated years later: “The enemy tried to keep me in a state of unforgiveness — convincing me that if I would just hate those people, I would be in control of my life. I would have power over them, and they couldn’t hurt me anymore. But instead, it became like a noose around my neck until I listened to God’s voice to love and forgive. Forgiveness releases us from Satan’s hold and from the attachment of reliving the pain of a memory again and again.” – Jadie (See the Story of Darrell and Sherri Beebe, https//:2b4giving.com, currently living in Rathdrum, ID).
Holding on to unforgiveness, no matter how seemingly justified, is no different than “eating poison and expecting the other person to die.” The best form of “revenge” on the offender is to forgive them because, in doing so, their evil deeds lose their power over your heart and control of your mind.
Anger is easy; forgiveness is another story. As one author put it: “The problem is within us. The answer lies outside of us.” Forgiveness is a process that requires time, patience, and the work of the Holy Spirit in a willing heart. There is hope for those who turn to the Father.
Some closing scriptures that offer hope that life and freedom are ahead: “If God is for us, who can be against us?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Rom. 8:31b & 37). And finally, in Php 4:13, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”
I pray that the families affected by this and any other tragedy may find the hope and freedom that faith in Christ and a proper understanding of forgiveness can bring to their hearts, minds, and lives. Remember this admonition: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom. 12:21)
If you or someone you know is dealing with grief and loss, here are some resources to help in the grieving process: Focus on the Family has a Grief-Loss Resource to help at www.focusonthefamily.com/resources-grief-loss/; and the Billy Graham Association has a “Courage in Grief” resource on their website: https://pages.billygraham.org/courage-in-grief.