Bryan Kohberger – live: Idaho murders suspect’s parents secretly testify over woman found dead in Pennsylvania
The parents of Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger have been subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury in the family’s home state of Pennsylvania in the case of a woman found dead almost a year after she was last seen alive, it has been revealed.
CNN first reported the news, citing a source who said that the accused killer’s mother has already given evidence to the grand jury while his father will appear to testify on Thursday. The information can then be shared with Idaho prosecutors.
The investigation is said to be about the disappearance and death of a 45-year-old woman Dana Smithers, reported Eyewitness News.
Smithers vanished without a trace in May 2022. Her remains were found last month.
The bombshell revelation comes days after Mr Kohberger was arraigned on four counts of murder and one count of burglary in Moscow, Idaho .
Mr Kohberger is accused of killing Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, on 13 November in an attack that rocked the college town of Moscow and sent shockwaves across America.
Key points
Bryan Kohberger’s parents to testify in case of woman found dead in Pennsylvania
Families of murdered students prepare to sue University of Idaho
Bryan Kohberger is arraigned on murder charges
Idaho murders refuses to enter plea, judge enters not guilty plea on behalf
Trial date set for October
Bryan Kohberger’s sister feared he was responsible for killings prior to arrest
Who is Bryan Kohberger? The criminology graduate being arraigned over the Idaho college murders
07:50 , Rachel Sharp
Bryan Kohberger became a household name across America when police swooped on his parents’ home in December and arrested him for the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students.
But who is he?
Families of slain University of Idaho students prepare to sue college over murders
06:30 , Shweta Sharma
The families of two of the four University of Idaho students stabbed to death in an off-campus home are now preparing to sue the college over their brutal murders, it has been revealed.
An attorney representing the families of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21, filed tort notices this month leaving them open to filing lawsuits within the next two years.
The notices, obtained by ABC News, protect their rights to sue the University of Idaho, Washington State University – the university where accused killer Bryan Kohberger was a student – the city of Moscow and Idaho State Police.
No lawsuit has been filed at this stage and the notices do not reveal what claim the families may make or how much damages they may seek.
Families of slain University of Idaho students prepare to sue college over murders
WATCH: Judge enters not guilty plea for Idaho murders suspect
05:50 , Rachel Sharp
Who is Dana Smithers, whose mysterious death could be linked to Bryan Kohberger
05:00 , Shweta Sharma
Dana Smithers, the mother of three, went missing on 28 May 2022 after she returned from a Happy Hour festival in Stroudsburg with her daughter and her daughter’s father.
After returning, she walked to a neighbour’s house and left the house after a few minutes. She was reported missing on her way back from the neighbour’s house.
A month later on 27 April, Stroud Area Regional Police Department in Pennsylvania said human remains have been discovered in a wooded area next to Park Avenue in the Borough of Stroudsburg.
The autopsy revealed the remains belonged to Smithers.
She had three children: a 25-year-old son, a 23-year-old daughter, and a 7-year-old daughter. She was described as a 5’5 woman with dark eyes and dark hair, who was last seen wearing a burgundy T-shirt and black jeans.
Bryan Kohberger’s parents to testify in 2022 Dana Smithers case - report
04:33 , Shweta Sharma
Bryan Kohberger’s parents have been called to testify before a grand jury in Pennsylvania in a case related to Dana Smithers, who went missing in 2022, according to NewsNation.
Smithers, a 45-year-old woman, was last seen on 28 May 2022 in Monroe County and her remains were discovered in a wooded area in Stroudsburg on 27 April, around 30 miles away from Kohberger’s home in Albrightsville.
However, a source told NewsNation that Mr Bryan’s alibi proves that he likely wasn’t involved in Smithers’ missing case.
But the grand jury has not concluded their proceedings in the case and investigations are ongoing.
IN PICTURES: Bryan Kohberger’s arraignment
03:50 , Rachel Sharp
What we know about the Idaho murders
02:50 , Rachel Sharp
The murder of four college students in the quiet town of Moscow, Idaho, last November unravelled a months-long investigation that is now headed to trial.
The victims, all students at the University of Idaho, were ambushed in their rooms and stabbed to death with a military-style knife that has yet to be found. Police were called to the gruesome scene at the off-campus residence almost eight hours after the vicious attack.
For weeks, only scant details about the carnage were revealed as the community reeled from the tragedy and grappled with fears of a murderer on the loose. That changed with the December arrest of Washington State University student Bryan Kohberger, whose apartment, office and family home were raided and searched for evidence.
While more information has become public through the release of search warrants and arrest records in recent months, a gag order in the case remains in place and most aspects of the probe and its findings are still a mystery.
The Independent takes a deep dive into the developments in the complex case in the last six months:
What we know about the Idaho college murders as Bryan Kohberger faces arraignment
Families of slain students prepare to sue college over murders
01:50 , Rachel Sharp
The families of two of the four University of Idaho students stabbed to death in an off-campus home are now preparing to sue the college over their brutal murders, it has been revealed.
An attorney representing the families of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21, filed tort notices this month leaving them open to filing lawsuits within the next two years.
The notices, obtained by ABC News, protect their rights to sue the University of Idaho, Washington State University – the university where accused killer Bryan Kohberger was a student – the city of Moscow and Idaho State Police.
No lawsuit has been filed at this stage and the notices do not reveal what claim the families may make or how much damages they may seek.
ICYMI: Bryan Kohberger ‘stands silent’ and refuses to enter plea in murders of four Idaho college students
Thursday 25 May 2023 00:50 , Rachel Sharp
Bryan Kohberger refused to enter a plea in the murders of four University of Idaho students who were brutally stabbed to death in a shocking attack that horrified the nation.
The 28-year-old criminology PhD student appeared in Latah County Court in Moscow, Idaho, on Monday morning for his arraignment on four charges of first-degree murder and one charge of burglary.
His attorney said that he was “standing silent” on the charges, leaving the judge to enter not guilty pleas on his behalf.
Shackled and dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit with what appeared to be protective armour underneath, the accused killer entered the courtroom just after 9am PT, giving his attorney Anne Taylor a brief smile as he sat down next to her.
Read the story here:
Bryan Kohberger ‘stands silent’ and refuses to enter plea in Idaho college murders
Kaylee Goncalves’ family issues statement about arraignment
Wednesday 24 May 2023 23:50 , Rachel Sharp
The Goncalves’ attorney Shannon Gray issued a statement on behalf of the family following Bryan Kohbegrer’s arraignment.
“The family would like to thank everyone for continuing to follow this case and keep the memories of Kaylee, Maddie, Xana and Ethan alive,” they said.
“They are what is important not the Defendant. We are thankful that the Latah County District Attorneys Office finally took the case to a GJ and came back with an indictment.
“At the same time we are disappointed that the judicial process has not been more efficient in addressing the Gag order. This is just the beginning of a long journey for all the families and we are thankful for your continued support and coverage.”
Parents of Idaho university murder suspect Bryan Kohberger subpoenaed by Pennsylvania grand jury
Wednesday 24 May 2023 23:23 , Graeme Massie
Idaho student murders suspect was arrested by police at family home in Pennsylvania in December.
Parents of Idaho university murder suspect subpoenaed by Pennsylvania grand jury
There was a glaring mistake at the Idaho murders hearing
Wednesday 24 May 2023 22:50 , Rachel Sharp
The grieving family of slain University of Idaho Kaylee Goncalves has complained to the court after the judge presiding over their daughter’s murder case mispronounced her name.
Bryan Kohberger, accused of the 13 November stabbings of Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, appeared in Latah County Court in Moscow to enter a plea on Monday (22 May).
During the brief hearing, Judge John Judge informed Mr Kohberger of his rights, the charges against him and the penalties – including the death penalty – if he is convicted.
Read more here:
There was a glaring mistake at the Idaho murders hearing
What evidence do police have against Bryan Kohberger?
Wednesday 24 May 2023 21:50 , Rachel Sharp
A search warrant was executed at Mr Kohberger’s apartment in Pullman, Washington, the same day he was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania.
A record of evidence recovered during the apartment search revealed the seizure of 15 items including hairs, receipts, a computer tower, a disposable glove and items with peculiar stains.
In the search warrant record, investigators list several items with stains, including cuttings of a mattress cover, a “reddish/brown” stain on an uncovered pillow and a “collection of dark red spot”.
Court documents, released by Washington authorities on 4 May showed that multiple items taken from Mr Kohberger’s apartment in Pullman had been tested for the presence of blood. While most items came back negative, two items – the pillow and mattress cover – were positive.
Another item included on the list of seizures was a “possible animal hair strand”. While Mr Kohberger is not believed to have a pet, one of the victims he is accused of killing, Goncalves, had a dog that was at home at the time of the murders and was later found by police responding to the scene.
“The possible animal hair they’ll try to connect that to the dog left at the scene,” according to Dr Miller. “If there’s a root on that, if there is any skin on that hair, they could do a DNA test with that dog. If it’s just a hair that’s been shed and there is no skin, they would still be able to do a microscopical comparison and exclude most dogs but they wouldn’t be able to connect it necessarily to that dog.”
Mr Kohberger was also linked to the crime through cellphone records and his white Hyundai Elantra, a similar model of the car seen near the murder home around the time of the murders. Mr Kohberger changed the license plates on his Hyundai Elantra just days after the murders.
The suspect’s car had Pennsylvania plates when it was pulled over by police in Moscow, in August 2022, according to a citation from the Latah County Sheriff’s Office. A review of documents on CarFax by Newsweek showed that Mr Kohberger changed the registration from Pennsylvania to Washington on 18 November, five days after four students were found stabbed to death in a Moscow home.
Bryan Kohberger’s sister searched his car for evidence before police swooped in
Wednesday 24 May 2023 20:50 , Rachel Sharp
Bryan Kohberger’s sister feared that her brother was involved in the stabbings of four University of Idaho students before police swooped on their parents’ home and arrested him for murder, according to a bombshell report.
Sources told NBC’s Dateline that one of the accused killer’s older siblings grew increasingly suspicious of her brother and his behaviour when the family gathered to spend the holidays together.
Her suspicions were so great that – at one point – several family members searched Mr Kohberger’s white Hyundai Elantra for possible evidence of the crime, they said.
Read the story here:
Bryan Kohberger’s sister feared he was involved in Idaho murders
WATCH: Bodycam shows Bryan Kohberger being pulled over by police one month before murders
Wednesday 24 May 2023 19:50 , Rachel Sharp
Bryan Kohberger allegedly broke into female student’s home and spied on her months before Idaho murders
Wednesday 24 May 2023 18:50 , Rachel Sharp
Bryan Kohberger is believed to have broken into the home of a female student and then installed security cameras to spy on her in the months before he allegedly killed four other students in a horror attack in Moscow, Idaho.
The 28-year-old criminology PhD student had befriended the woman after he moved to Pullman, Washington state, to begin a graduate program in criminal justice at Washington State University (WSU), according to a source.
One day, the woman returned to her apartment and found that someone had broken in and moved items around the home – but that nothing was missing.
Read the full story:
Bryan Kohberger allegedly broke into student’s home before Idaho murders
Who are the victims?
Wednesday 24 May 2023 17:51 , Rachel Sharp
Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, both 21, were seniors at the University of Idaho and were expected to graduate this year.
At a vigil weeks after the murders, Goncalves’ father Mr Goncalves told how the two “absolutely beautiful” young women first met in sixth grade and became inseparable.
“They just found each other and every day they did homework together, they came to our house together, they shared everything,” he said at the time. “Then they started looking at colleges, they came here together. They eventually get into the same apartment together.
“And in the end, they died together, in the same room, in the same bed.”
Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were juniors at the college and had begun dating months before their deaths. The couple of 20-year-olds is believed to have been awake at the time the stabbings were carried out.
Six months after the stabbings, the families of the slain students accepted posthumous awards for their achievements.
Mogen and Goncalves’ relatives walked across the stage for their degrees in an emotional ceremony on 13 May. Kernodle’s family also accepted her certificate in marketing at a separate ceremony while Chapin’s award in sports, recreation and management was mailed to his parents.
Kernodle’s family accepted her certificate in marketing at a private ceremony last week while Chapin’s award in sports, recreation and management will be mailed to his parents this week.
Kaylee Goncalves’ father reveals reaction when he saw Bryan Kohberger in court
Wednesday 24 May 2023 16:03 , Rachel Sharp
Kaylee Goncalves’ father has spoken out about the momeny that he came face to face with his daughter’s accused killer in court.
Steve Goncalves attended the arraignment of Bryan Kohberger in Latah County Court on Monday.
In the hearing, Mr Kohberger refused to enter a plea on four counts of murder and one count of burglary.
The judge entered not guilty pleas on his behalf
Mr Goncalves told CNN he felt “rage” in the courtroom.
“You go through all kinds of emotions, but rage is definitely, probably, the primary emotion that you have,” he told CNN.
Families of slain University of Idaho students prepare to sue college over murders
Wednesday 24 May 2023 15:00 , Rachel Sharp
The families of two of the four University of Idaho students stabbed to death in an off-campus home are now preparing to sue the college over their brutal murders, it has been revealed.
An attorney representing the families of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21, filed tort notices this month leaving them open to filing lawsuits within the next two years.
The notices, obtained by ABC News, protect their rights to sue the University of Idaho, Washington State University – the university where accused killer Bryan Kohberger was a student – the city of Moscow and Idaho State Police.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:
Families of slain University of Idaho students prepare to sue college over murders
WATCH: Idaho student murders suspect stands silent after hearing charges during arraignment
Wednesday 24 May 2023 14:00 , Andrea Blanco
It’s been six months since four University of Idaho students were murdered. How has the investigation unfolded?
Wednesday 24 May 2023 13:00 , Andrea Blanco
Bryan Kohberger has refused to enter a plea on four murder charges, prompting the judge to make one on his behalf and effectively moving the case to trial.
The Independent’s Io Dodds reports:
Items seized from Bryan Kohberger’s home have tested positive for blood
Wednesday 24 May 2023 12:00 , Andrea Blanco
At least two items seized from the home of accused killer Bryan Kohberger tested positive for blood, it has been revealed.
Court documents, released by Washington authorities on Thursday, show that multiple items taken from the 28-year-old Washington State University criminology PhD student’s apartment in Pullman had been tested for the presence of blood.
While most items came back negative, two items were positive.
Those items were a mattress cover on the bed and an uncased pillow, both of which were described as having visible “reddish brown stains”. The documents do not reveal who the blood belongs to.
The items were all seized when police executed a search warrant at Mr Kohberger’s address on 30 December – the day that he was arrested for the murders of University of Idaho students Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21.
Kaylee Goncalves’ father thanks roommates who survived Idaho murders for helping in Bryan Kohberger case
Wednesday 24 May 2023 11:00 , Andrea Blanco
The father of slain University of Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves has expressed his support for the young women who survived the attack in which his daughter was killed.
Dylan Mortensen and Brittany Funke were inside their off-campus home in Moscow when roommates Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Kernodle’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin were stabbed to death in the early morning hours of 13 November.
According to an affidavit released earlier this year, Ms Mortensen told investigators that on the night of the murders, she saw “a figure clad in black clothing and a mask that covered the person’s mouth and nose walking towards her”.
Ms Mortensen and Ms Funke faced online harassment as speculation grew and questions were raised over the eight hours that passed between the attack and the time police were called. They were never considered suspects and authorities have described them as survivors since the early stages of the probe.
In an interview with NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield aired on Wednesday, Goncalves’ father Steve Goncalves thanked Ms Funke and Ms Mortensen for their cooperation with the investigation, which he called critical to build a strong case against suspect Bryan Kohberger.
“They’re going through a lot; I appreciate what they’ve done for the case and all the information that they’ve provided,” Mr Goncalves said. “I wish they wouldn’t have to go through it but it’s critical, it’s absolutely going to make the case so I commend them for their courage and to go through this and to know I can’t fix it for them.”
Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen’s families prepare to sue UI
Wednesday 24 May 2023 10:30 , Rachel Sharp
The families of two of the slain University of Idaho students are preparing to sue the university, Bryan Kohberger’s university Washington State University and the city of Moscow over their murders, it has been revealed.
An attorney representing the families of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21, filed tort notices this month protecting their rights to sue within the next two years.
The notices, obtained by ABC News, do not reveal what claim the families may make and no lawsuit has been filed at this stage.
The revelation comes after their accused killer Mr Kohberger appeared in court for his arraignment in Latah County Court in Moscow, Idaho, on Monday.
Moment Idaho student murders suspect arrives in court for arraignment
Wednesday 24 May 2023 10:00 , Andrea Blanco
Kaylee Goncalves’ father shares stark warning to alleged killer: ‘He’s gonna realize’
Wednesday 24 May 2023 09:00 , Andrea Blanco
On Friday (19 May), Steve Goncalves told ABC News: “I can’t wait to see the evidence… And then I’m gonna bring it.”
“And he’s gonna realize that this... is the family that’s gonna make sure he doesn’t get away with it,” he added.
Kaylee’s mother Kristi Goncalves said the family had given a lot of thought as to whether there was any connection between their daughter and her alleged killer.
“We’ve talked as a family, you know, we’ve done a lot of research on what’s out there... None of it makes sense,” she told ABC News.
Describing her reaction when she saw Mr Kohberger for the first time at an initial court appearance, she said: “I was completely overwhelmed. I actually almost thought I was gonna pass out.”
“My daughter saw him face-to-face and in a very different light than we saw him, sitting there, looking very meek,” she said.
Four students stabbed to death, a weeks-long manhunt and still no motive
Wednesday 24 May 2023 08:00 , Andrea Blanco
As the sole suspect in the stabbings of four Idaho students on murder charges heads to trial, The Independent’s Andrea Blanco, Rachel Sharp and Sheila Flynn report on the case in small-town Idaho that has shocked America:
What we know about the Idaho college murders as Bryan Kohberger faces arraignment
Bryan Kohberger allegedly broke into female student’s home and spied on her months before Idaho murders
Wednesday 24 May 2023 07:00 , Andrea Blanco
Bryan Kohberger is believed to have broken into the home of a female student and then installed security cameras to spy on her in the months before he allegedly killed four other students in a horror attack in Moscow, Idaho.
The 28-year-old criminology PhD student had befriended the woman after he moved to Pullman, Washington state, to begin a graduate program in criminal justice at Washington State University (WSU), according to a source.
One day, the woman returned to her apartment and found that someone had broken in and moved items around the home – but that nothing was missing.
Since nothing was taken, the woman decided not to call the police but instead called her new friend Mr Kohberger and asked him to come over.
Mr Kohberger allegedly offered to install a video security system inside her home and the woman agreed.
What comes after Bryan Kohberger’s not-guilty plea?
Wednesday 24 May 2023 06:00 , Andrea Blanco
A preliminary hearing, where prosecutors had to show a judge that there is enough evidence to justify moving forward with charges of burglary and four counts of murder, was previously scheduled for 26 June.
However, on 16 May, a grand jury indicted Mr Kohberger on the same charges, effectively rerouting the case directly to the state’s felony court level and allowing prosecutors to skip the preliminary hearing process, the Associated Press reported.
The former Washington State University PhD student is now expected to appear for his arraignment at the Latah County District Court at 9am on Monday to enter a plea. According to the indictment, Mr Kohberger is charged with four counts of murder in the first degree and one count of burglary.
Each murder count states that he “did wilfully, unlawfully, deliberately, with premeditation and with malice aforethought, kill and murder” each of the victims by stabbing.
The list of witnesses who testified before the grand jury is sealed. Mr Kohberger’s indictment means that the jurors empanelled on the grand jury believed there was enough evidence against him for the case to proceed to trial.
Mr Kohberger said through a public defender earlier this year that he “was eager to be exonerated.”
He is being represented by Ann Taylor, one of thirteen public defence attorneys in the state who can work in cases where the prosecution requests capital punishment. Prosecutors in the Idaho murders case have not publicly addressed whether they plan to make that request
A tentative trial date has been set for 2 October.
WATCH: Father of Idaho murder victim Kaylee Goncalves confirms he has spoken with survivor
Wednesday 24 May 2023 05:00 , Andrea Blanco
