How to watch new Idaho Student Murders documentary for free

https://www.dexerto.com/tv-movies/watch-idaho-student-murders-documentary-free-peacock-bryan-kohberger-motive-3222660/

Daisy Phillipson Jul 09, 2025 · 4 mins read
How to watch new Idaho Student Murders documentary for free
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Following the news that Bryan Kohberger pleaded guilty to the 2022 Idaho College murders, Peacock has released a quick turnaround documentary on the case, and there’s a way you can watch it for free right now. Warning: some may find this content distressing.

On November 13, 2022, four college students at the University of Idaho – Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Ethan Chapin, 20, and Xana Kernodle, 21 – were brutally killed at their shared home, sending shockwaves across the globe. 

Nearly seven weeks later, police arrested Kohberger, a criminology PhD student at a nearby university. Though his trial was set for August, Kohberger pleaded guilty to the charges on July 2 to avoid the death penalty, with his sentencing scheduled for July 23. 

With no trial, many questions – especially about his motive – may never be fully answered in court. However, Peacock has dropped a new true crime documentary that seeks to fill the gaps. 

How to watch new Idaho Student Murders documentary for free

The first, most simple way to watch The Idaho Student Murders without paying is by signing up for a free Peacock trial. The new documentary landed on July 3 on the streaming service, and unlike other big platforms like Netflix, it offers a seven-day free trial. 

However, it’s not the only way to do so. All US-based new and existing Instacart+ members can receive a 14-day Peacock Premium subscription at no extra cost – even if you’re trialing Instacart+.  

To activate the deal, all you need to do is sign in to your Instacart+ account or Instacart’s Peacock page and accept the offer. From there, you’ll activate your Peacock account, enter a few details (a password, your full name, gender, and birth year), and you can start streaming.

If you’re an Xfinity customer, you might already have free access to Peacock Premium. Xfinity internet subscribers with an eligible plan or rewards can access the streaming service at no additional cost. 

All you need to do is login to your Xfinity account, head to the subscriptions hub, and hit activate. If it doesn’t show up, head to the ‘Activate Peacock’ page. 

Documentary examines Bryan Kohberger’s real motive 

The Idaho Student Murders doesn’t just examine the case – it also explores Bryan Kohberger’s possible motive for stabbing Mogen, Goncalves, Chapin, and Kernodle in cold blood. 

It does so by delving into Kohberger’s past and his troubled relationships with women. As the investigation unfolded, an FBI cellphone expert examined Kohberger’s phone data, discovering dozens of pictures of female students at Washington State and the University of Idaho.

Following his guilty plea, ex-FBI special agent Jennifer Coffindaffer told The Mirror that he exhibited signs of being a serial killer and an incel. 

“I’m convinced that he was what I term as an ‘incel’ – an individual who is involuntarily celibate because they cannot attract the persons that they hope to attract,” Coffindaffer explained. “Inside of them is a certain maniacal anger.”

She believes the motive was “to really get back at all those he felt in society turned their backs on him – the beautiful girls, the popular boys, the people he was invisible to.”

“I think his target – and I’ve said this for years – was Maddie Mogen,” Coffindaffer continued. “She was gorgeous. She was slender. She was popular. And I think that he fixated on her.”

As well as examining the motive, the 90-minute documentary explores many details that led police to Kohberger, including the knife sheath found near one of the victims’ bodies and DNA evidence. There’s also never-before-seen interviews with Goncalves’ brother and friends of the victims.