Sister of University of Idaho slay victim shares final heartbreaking texts from tragic brother
Mazie Chapin said she thought it was 'weird' when her brother Ethan, 20, texted her, 'I love you' after the pair attended her sorority formal together the night before the murders.
3 Ethan Chapin's family supports the plea deal that will put his heinous killer away for life.
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The siblings — part of triplets along with brother Hunter — had left for the soiree at 9 p.m. Nov. 12, 2022, but afterward, Mazie went to bed while Ethan and others kept the party going at Ethan and Hunter's frat house, Fox News reported, citing the new Amazon Prime docuseries called, 'One Night in Idaho: The College Murders.'
'For some reason, I stayed and went to bed,' Mazie told the show. 'Ethan kept texting me, 'Maizie, come hang out.' I went to sleep, so I wasn't responding to any of them. Last one said, 'I love you,' which was also weird because we don't say that to each other.'
3 Bryan Kohberger admitted earlier this month that he murdered Ethan and three other University of Idaho students in 2022.
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Mazie said she didn't have a date for her sorority formal, so she decided to ask her brother to go with her.
'I don't usually invite anyone to formals, but some of Ethan's friends were going, and he wasn't going,' Maizie said. 'So, I was like, 'OK, you can just be my date.' It was super fun.'
Ethan was killed early the next morning at the off-campus Moscow, Idaho, house of his girlfriend, Xana Kernodle, 20, and her roommates — two of whom were also murdered: Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21.
Kohberger, 30, shockingly pleaded guilty July 2 to the quadruple homicide and is expected to receive four life sentences in prison plus 10 years for the horrific crimes.
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The killer, a criminology P.h.D student at nearby Washington State University, had maintained his innocence until he copped a surprise plea deal with prosecutors. The agreement meant he avoided a jury trial that had been slated to kick off in August — and he also skirted the possibility of being sentenced to death by firing squad.
3 Ethan Chapin's sister Mazie — standing here next to him along with their parents and fellow triplet sibling Hunter — said one of Ethan's final texts to her was, 'I love you.'
AP
Some of the victims' families condemned the deal, with the Goncalves family being particularly outspoken about how they were 'beyond furious' at the prospect that Kohberger wouldn't face a trial.
But Ethan's family said they supported the agreement.
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Ethan's father, Jim Chapin, told NBC's 'Today' show he relieved his family would be able to move on after Kohberger's case concludes.
'I'm ready for my kids to move on. I'm ready for us to move on,' the dad said.
Mom Stacy Chapin told the outlet it's good that the victim family members who would have had to testify at trial 'no longer have this hanging over their heads.
'He gets put away, and there's no appeal system to it,' the mother said.
Kohberger is due to be sentenced on the morning of July 23.
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