Idaho college student slayings suspect Bryan Kohberger indicted by grand jury
An Idaho grand jury has indicted the man suspected in the slayings of four college students on murder charges, paving the way for an arraignment and expected trial.
A preliminary hearing in the case against Bryan Kohberger, 28, was was scheduled for next month following his arrest in December on four counts of first-degree murder and burglary, for allegedly breaking into a Moscow, Idaho, home with the intent to commit a felony.
The prosecutors’ decision to impanel a grand jury, however, was not anticipated and allows the state to avoid the week-long preliminary hearing that would have required it to present evidence before a judge as well as permit the defense counsel to cross-examine witnesses.
Since January, lawyers, police and other officials have refrained from making statements after Latah County Magistrate Judge Megan Marshall issued a gag order, which is being challenged by a coalition of news organizations.
An Idaho Supreme Court spokesperson confirmed the grand jury indictment. Neither prosecutors nor Kohberger’s public defender could immediately be reached for comment.
Kohberger has yet to enter a plea, but is expected to do so at an arraignment Monday. A motive also remains unclear in the killings; Kohberger’s family said in January that they were cooperating with law enforcement to “promote his presumption of innocence.”
The victims — Maddie Mogen, 21; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20 — were stabbed to death in the early hours of Nov. 13 at their off-campus apartment house near the University of Idaho, where they were students. Chapin, Kernodle’s boyfriend, had been staying at the home overnight.
Investigators said they traced male DNA that was on a knife sheath left at the crime scene to Kohberger, who was then a doctoral student at Washington State University, less than 10 miles from the University of Idaho. Other evidence included security video from the area where a white Hyundai Elantra was spotted that investigators said was driven by Kohberger, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Authorities have not said whether Kohberger knew the victims or why he would have targeted them or the house. The murder weapon, believed to be a large fixed-blade knife, has not been recovered, police in Moscow have said.
Kohberger is being held in the Latah County Jail without bail.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates. This story first appeared on NBCNews.com.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
