Crime
Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle Honored at Close Friends’ Wedding Nearly 4 Years After Idaho Murders
Nearly four years after the University of Idaho murders, former students Emily Alandt and Hunter Johnson have a happy milestone to celebrate.
The couple — who were close friends of victims Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle — tied the knot in Boise and paid tribute to them, and to friend Katie Marshall, during the wedding, The Daily Mail reported on Sunday, October 11.
Ethan’s mother, Stacy Chapin, shared photos from the celebration on Instagram on Sunday, October 11.
“What an incredibly special weekend in Boise! Congrats to Hunter [and] Emily!! ❤️❤️,” she wrote.
One of the photos from the wedding showed a memorial sign that read: “In Loving Memory. Ethan Chapin. Xana Kernodle. Katie Marshall. You are forever with us today and every day.”
Ethan’s father, Jim Chapin, and triplet siblings Maizie and Hunter Chapin also attended the celebration alongside the newlyweds, according to one of the photos Stacy shared.
Alandt and Johnson were close with Chapin and Kernodle, two of the four University of Idaho students killed on November 13, 2022.
The other victims of the “Idaho Four” murders were Maddie Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21.
On the day of the murders, surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen called Alandt about something “weird” that had happened the night before.
Alandt recalled that Johnson was the first inside the house and quickly told the others to call 911, according to NBC News.
Alandt and Johnson have also spoken publicly about the case in Prime Video’s One Night in Idaho: The College Murders, ABC’s 20/20 and James Patterson and Vicky Ward‘s book The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy.
One of the clearest signs of how deeply the loss changed them came in a July 2026 interview with People.
“That was our last day living as kids,” Johnson said.
“Our innocence was gone,” Alandt added.
Alandt has also spoken about how she and Johnson have tried to move forward.
“We just want happiness for the [victims’] families, and we want them to come to a point where they can, you know, wake up and have a good day,” she told ABC11 in June 2025.
She added, “This experience sticks with you forever, but you get the option to get up and choose to live a happy life.”
Bryan Kohberger, 31, pleaded guilty to the November 2022 murders of Goncalves, Kernodle, Mogen and Ethan.
He is serving four life sentences without parole after accepting a plea deal that spared him the death penalty.
As Globe previously reported, Kohberger is also trying to remove Judge Steven Hippler from the case as he seeks to withdraw his guilty plea.
His legal team filed a motion in August arguing that Hippler should be disqualified because of comments the judge made during the sentencing.
Prosecutors pushed back in an October 7 filing, arguing that removal requires proof that “the judge is biased.” They continue to oppose Kohberger’s efforts to reopen the case.
