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Hold onto your headphones as we unravel the chilling tales of the Idaho Four and the unsettling case of Michael W Koch. Discover the tragic stories of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, & Kaylee Goncalves, whose lives were brutally cut short in Idaho. Follow us as we delve into the horrifying case of 24-year-old Michael W Koch, charged with second-degree murder for the killing of 18-year-old Tawnya LaVonne Tom, just five days before Christmas in 2003.
We'll learn about the lives of the Idaho Four victims: Madi, Xana, Kaylee, and Ethan. We'll discuss their connections, the legacy they leave behind, and the profound impact their untimely deaths have had on their friends, family, and community. The case is riddled with complexities, we'll discuss the survivor BF, dissect the media coverage, and scrutinize the defense team's subpoena, as well as the motion to quash it.
Today we shared a promo for the podcast Technically A Conversation!
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Keywords for this episode: Moscow, University of Idaho, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen, Tik Tok, Ethan Chapin, Corner Club, Bryan Kohberger, white Hyundai Elantra, homicides, true crime, morbid, criminology, Pennsylvania, Pullman, Washington, BTK, NewsNation, Idaho Four, Michael W Koch, Motion to Quash
Pastebin: for sources.
--------- HIGHLIGHTS ---------
0:00:03 - PNW Haunts and Homicides Introduction (43 Seconds)
0:04:24 - Listener Suggestions and Unequal Cases (86 Seconds)
0:08:17 - Vile Abuse and Callousness (156 Seconds)
0:14:11 - Federal Jurisdiction on Native Reservations (39 Seconds)
0:20:35 - Violence Against Women (160 Seconds)
0:29:21 - Discussion of Family Genetics (108 Seconds)
0:32:42 - Distilling Core Aspects of Case (97 Seconds)
0:38:56 - Legal Aspects and Roommates' Living Arrangements (82 Seconds)
0:43:06 - Speculation and Law Enforcement Focus (101 Seconds)
0:52:52 - Listener Support and Patreon Benefits (96 Seconds)
--------- HIGHLIGHTS WITH TRANSCRIPT ---------
* PNW Haunts and Homicides Introduction | 0:00:03 - 0:00:46 (43 Seconds)
0:00:04 Speaker 1
Hi Cassie, hi Caitlyn, hi Creepy People, hello, we did it together.
0:00:12 Speaker 2
If you're new to our Creepy Corner of the World, this is PNW Haunts and Homicides, where we chat about true crime, paranormal and anything spooky, creepy, weird in the Pacific Northwest And we do a tour of reading at the end for deeper insight into the episode, so make sure you stick around if you're into that.
0:00:35 Speaker 1
Do we have any announcements? We do actually have a promo code, A promo code for what It is for the True Crime
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* Listener Suggestions and Unequal Cases | 0:04:24 - 0:05:50 (86 Seconds)
0:04:24 Speaker 1
Well, it's funny that you say that, because in both of these instances these are both listener suggestions. Oh, i was asked if we were going to cover the Idaho for And as I was typing back my response I was still kind of saying no. And then I heard about this case and I started gathering notes and collecting, collectoring, collectoring And collecting all the things that I wanted to have for my research for both of these And you put one in one hand and one in the other And they were very unequal in a way that didn't really make sense to me. And I know that not every case is going to become the kind of horrifying spectacle that the Idaho for case has become. I mean, Moscow is just very scarred from this whole incident. But man, it's not okay, it's not fair.
0:05:44 Speaker 2
Yeah. I don't know, i don't know how else to put it. Good job listener suggestions.
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* Vile Abuse and Callousness | 0:08:17 - 0:10:53 (156 Seconds)
0:08:17 Speaker 1
Yeah, it was Michael Koch that was said to become agitated when the victim, tanya LeVon Tom, allegedly kept repeating profanity. Okay, To which I say what the fuck is your fucking problem? you fucking piece of shit. Who the fuck cares? Anyway, per official statement provided in the case, Michael manually strangled Tanya before placing a chair on her neck, what On which he then sat. I don't like that, no, which is one of the ugliest things I've ever had to say aloud.
0:09:08 Speaker 2
I'm sorry, you had to say that.
0:09:11 Speaker 1
It's just such a vile way to abuse someone after you've already committed, ultimately, the most evil crime. It's such a callous and then also yet casual way of showing just a total lack of affect. Like I think about this. Who's creative like this in such a fucked up?
0:09:46 Speaker 2
way.
0:09:46 Speaker 1
How is anyone actually like this? I don't know, it's gross. I just I had no words. I had to read it almost innumerable times to like wrap my head around that this is like something that happened, yeah.
0:10:17 Speaker 2
I just hate it too, because, like, when you're talking about a woman, you know he was mad that she was cursing.
0:10:24 Speaker 1
Like was it just because she was a woman cursing, or Maybe because he thought she was a woman cursing who was also cheating.
0:10:35 Speaker 2
I don't like people who try to shut women up and that's like the ultimate, I mean yeah, he manually strangled her and then put a chair on top of her neck.
0:10:47 Speaker 1
So that's one clear cut way of saying I don't want you to speak.
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* Federal Jurisdiction on Native Reservations | 0:14:11 - 0:14:50 (39 Seconds)
0:14:11 Speaker 2
Yeah, there's so many people living with it every day.
0:14:16 Speaker 1
That's crazy. I just realized the other parallel that both of these cases have. I'm going to tell you The case was handled by the federal government as it had taken place on a Native American reservation Okay, and Michael Koch actually qualified for enrollment in the Cowlitz tribe. The FBI has jurisdiction over most serious crimes involving tribal citizens
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* Violence Against Women | 0:20:35 - 0:23:15 (160 Seconds)
0:20:35 Speaker 1
Since 2017, activities aimed at establishing May 5th as a national day of awareness on this issue have worked to bring it to the forefront of our nation's consciousness, and I think that you can judge from my tone and the length of this article that it really doesn't feel like there's been enough movement on that front. No, but if you weren't sure, there it is for you in a nutshell, because violence against women, and particularly indigenous or Native women, is still all too horrifically frequent and commonplace, which, sadly, the violence against women that might be a factor in both of the cases I wanted to discuss today. All right, some of you are probably super psyched to get into this because you can't get enough of the Moscow murders or the University of Idaho murders, but here's how much. I kept this case at an arm's length distance. Until I began my research, i didn't even know that one of the victims, Madi or Madison Mogen, 21 years old, was an only child born in, of all places, Eugene, Oregon, that's before her family ended up moving to Idaho. Now I'm going to just dive right in here and, of course, we're going to get some background. Her parents would eventually divorce As Maddie grew up. Those that loved her remarked that she really liked to make people laugh. Her sense of humor is said to come through in many of her now infamous TikTok videos. I'm unsure of the status of her social media account. I didn't go hunting for it. I'm willing to take everyone's word for it And all of the pictures that I have seen of each of these kids through Osmosis and through my research. They look like sweet kids.
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* Discussion of Family Genetics | 0:29:21 - 0:31:09 (108 Seconds)
0:29:21 Speaker 1
Just kind of like my dad's side of the family, who everyone maintains I am biologically related to. I admire those people. Yeah, i'm confused by them. It's puzzling. He was also majoring in sports management. Oh, lots of sportsing. Of course he was, and he was a fraternity member as well. God fuck me up. He was a triplet, oh my gosh. Yep, who was born in Seattle but mainly grew up in Idaho, and his was a close knit family.
0:30:10 Speaker 2
No.
0:30:11 Speaker 1
His siblings also attended Idaho U.
0:30:17 Speaker 2
Wow.
0:30:20 Speaker 1
If the whole triplet thing didn't break your heart, maybe this will you, fucking monsters. He reportedly had adorable dimples, which I feel like makes everyone think that you have an absolutely contagious smile.
0:30:39 Speaker 2
You have to right. If you have dimples, I guess Caitlyn.
0:30:42 Speaker 1
I don't, i just I'm not that impressed. But you know, the triplet thing gets to me.
0:30:49 Speaker 2
Oh, that is so sad. I just hate that. I really do. It makes me think of Harry Potter and I don't like it. It makes you think of you know.
0:30:59 Speaker 1
Fred and George. Oh yeah, no, i mean, my dad has twin brothers and twin sisters, so, yeah, that that one fucked me up.
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* Distilling Core Aspects of Case | 0:32:42 - 0:34:19 (97 Seconds)
0:32:42 Speaker 1
I've really tried to distill aspects of this case down to the core, like the need to know stuff, in order to make it really easy to understand some of the basic facts of the case, now that we've kind of got some of them worked out, primarily based on the affidavit dating back to January 5th.
0:33:11 Speaker 2
Of this here. Yeah, right, more like duh, but just to clarify, i don't know.
0:33:17 Speaker 1
No, i mean it's fair, because it's a lot of names, it's a lot of dates, it's just a lot. At the rented home where this group lived, there's an entrance or exit on both the first and second floors of the home.
0:33:35 Speaker 2
There's an entrance and exit on the second floor of the home I'm going to send you picture here Maybe you just jump out into the pool.
0:33:43 Speaker 1
No, maybe possible. All right, we decided to pause so that I could show Cassie the exterior and a really creepy YouTube video of an interior tour of the home that I hadn't watched until just now. And no, that will not be in the Pastebin, that is not one of my resources.
0:34:08 Speaker 2
Yeah, I'm glad I didn't know the story before you showed me the tour of the house.
0:34:12 Speaker 1
Yeah, it'll still come to you in your dreams, thanks, okay.
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* Legal Aspects and Roommates' Living Arrangements | 0:38:56 - 0:40:17 (82 Seconds)
0:38:56 Speaker 1
Oh, this happened not even seven months ago. Wow, the prosecutors, which is a podcast. They've covered so many of the legal aspects of this story so far, and this specifically and obviously in a much more lawyerly fashion than I really can. Bf did apparently agree to speak to his attorneys, but they're going to have to come to her, which means they'll be making a pit stop in Reno, where she currently resides, which seems more than fair. That does seem fair, mm-hmm. Anyway, moving on from that, the second unnamed roommate, DM & Xana, were on the second floor, along with the common area rooms such as the living room and the kitchen, as well as the patio on the backside of the property. Kaylee and Madi's rooms were both upstairs, but that night they were sleeping together in one bed. Oh, they're basically sisters, so there's literally nothing weird about this.
0:40:15 Speaker 2
Oh, it just seems sweet.
0:40:17 Speaker 1
Mm-hmm.
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* Speculation and Law Enforcement Focus | 0:43:06 - 0:44:47 (101 Seconds)
0:43:06 Speaker 1
There's enough information publicly available at this point that almost anyone involved in or researching the case in any God-forsaken capacity seems confident enough in saying that he was not involved in any way, and neither were any of those other people.
0:43:26 Speaker 2
Oh my gosh, that is just crazy that people just go and speculate on these people and like before it's even finished.
0:43:35 Speaker 1
Which is why we don't ever fucking do this. But here we are. Yeah, yeah, there's so much information available about this case, which is great. Spoiler alert none of these people are who law enforcement is focused on currently in connection with the case. Remember, i mentioned that little. You know the affidavit? Yeah, none of them were. Nope. This particular group of law enforcement officers seems to actually kind of mostly sort of have their shit together. Oh, okay.
0:44:23 Speaker 2
That's very reassuring.
0:44:26 Speaker 1
Yeah, i mean it's tough because I know it's been hard on the families and they've been at times a little bit critical of law enforcement And I get that and their feelings are very valid. But this is all turned around very quickly.
0:44:46 Speaker 2
It seems like it.
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* Listener Support and Patreon Benefits | 0:52:52 - 0:54:28 (96 Seconds)
0:52:52 Speaker 1
So we love getting messages of support, case suggestions and stories from our listeners, so please keep sending them our way. We always send anything from, specifically, our SuperDuperVIP Patreon club to the top of the list, but we will always respond, even just to say a quick thank you, because every single interaction we have with our listeners really fuels us. It does, it does. Are you going to cry? No, i'm not going to cry.
0:53:27 Speaker 2
She looks misty. No, we really are thankful.
0:53:31 Speaker 1
I've just covered two horrible cases that were both listener suggestions. So this is what you guys do to me. Thanks, i guess, yeah, and if you've made it this far and you're like, what the hell is Patreon? That was real weird that you listened for that long and also that you don't know. Yet It's a monthly subscription with a range of price points and benefits. Every member gets a personalized welcome card, a shout out in an upcoming episode, which is obviously SuperDuper new, because we just did it for the first fucking time.
0:54:12 Speaker 2
Yeah, that was kind of exciting. Yeah, yeah.
0:54:16 Speaker 1
You'll get exclusive bonus content and episodes and hopefully so much more.
0:54:22 Speaker 2
Yeah, you get ad free episodes, and you also get a video of our Tarot Reads too, that's true, so that's always fun.
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