Idaho murders - update: Bryan Kohberger appears at court hearing as new student stabbing comments revealed

Suspected killer Bryan Kohberger is set to appear in court today charged with the murders of four University of Idaho students in a brutal 13 November knife attack.

A status hearing for the 28-year-old criminology PhD student is scheduled for 8am PT on Thursday in Latah County Courthouse in Moscow.

His court appearance coincides with the start of the spring semester at the University of Idaho, with many students returning to campus for the first time since the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

Several students spoke out about their relief that the suspect is now behind bars, with sophomore Ryder Paslay telling KXLY that he “breathed [a] sigh of relief and I’m pretty sure my mom did the same thing” when news broke of Mr Kohberger’s arrest.

The accused killer is not expected to enter a plea at Thursday’s hearing but is said to be planning to fight the allegations.

During his extradition from Pennsylvania to Moscow, he reportedly made small talk about the case to officers.

“He did say, ‘It’s really sad what happened to them,’ but he didn’t say anything more. He’s smarter than that,” a law enforcement source told People.

Key points

• Bryan Kohberger to appear in court this week

• Victims have no known connection to accused killer

• Kaylee Goncalves’ sister brands Kohberger ‘true evil'

• Classmates reveal how suspect’s behaviour changed after murders

• Affidavit reveals what led investigators to criminology PhD student

Bryan Kohberger’s Idaho murders arrest affidavit was meant to give answers. Instead, it raises these new questions

15:43 , Andrea Blanco

For nearly eight weeks, the families of four slain University of Idaho students have waited in agony for answers about the unspeakable killings.

Hopes of finally getting some clarity finally came last week with the arrest of Bryan Kohberger, a 28-year-old criminal justice PhD student at Washington State University.

On 5 January, the probable cause affidavit outlining what led authorities to charge Mr Kohberger was made public, revealing horrifying details about the 13 November murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in the college town of Moscow.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp explores some of the questions left unanswered.

Bryan Kohberger’s Idaho murders arrest affidavit raises these new questions

Ethan Chapin’s siblings return to university of Idaho nearly two months after murders

15:09 , Andrea Blanco

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Ethan Chapin’s mother Stacy Wells Chapin remembered her son as a loving and carefree young man who touched countless lives before he was brutally murdered on 13 November.

Chapin’s girlfriend, Xana Kernodle, and her roommates, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, were also killed in the attack.

Ms Chapin also revealed that her two surviving triplets have returned to Moscow. She said she hoped they could now focus on their goals after experiencing the unthinkable tragedy and thanked law enforcement for their diligent work in supporting her family in the aftermath of the murders.

The Moscow Police Department, Idaho State Police and the FBI handled the criminal investigation that ultimately led to the Pennsylvania arrest of Washington State University criminal justice PhD student Bryan Kohberger on 30 December.

An affidavit for Mr Kohberger’s arrest, released last week after he was extradited to Idaho, revealed that law enforcement found his DNA in a knife sheath left behind next to one of the victim’s bodies.

The Independent has the story:

Idaho murder victim’s mom pens touching tribute as siblings return to university

Bryan Kohberger’s Idaho murders arrest affidavit was meant to give answers. Instead it raises these new questions

14:50 , Rachel Sharp

Wdid the surviving roommate wait eight hours to call 911 after seeing the killer?

Who was the intended target?

Is Bryan Kohberger the stalker Kaylee Goncalves complained about?

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp reports on the questions still unanswered in the case:

Bryan Kohberger’s Idaho murders arrest affidavit raises these new questions

Students return to Moscow relieved following arrest

14:30 , Rachel Sharp

Bryan Kohberger’s court appearance this week coincides with the start of the spring semester at the University of Idaho on Wednesday, with many students returning to campus for the first time since the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

Several students spoke out about their relief that the suspect is now behind bars.

Sphomore Ryder Paslay told KXLY that he “breathed [a] sigh of relief” when news broke of Mr Kohberger’s arrest.

“I think a lot of people are a lot happier and in better spirits,” he said.

“When I heard the news, I was sitting around the living room with my family, watching the report about it.

“We all looked [at] each other [and thought] ‘Well, they got somebody who they think it is,’ and I breathed [a] sigh of relief and I’m pretty sure my mom did the same thing.”

Bryan Kohberger gave bizarre reason for why he was in Idaho

14:10 , Rachel Sharp

Murder suspect Bryan Kohberger allegedly denied the murders when questioned in Pennsylvania prison and gave an excuse as to why he was in Idaho.

The 28-year-old was held in Pennsylvania for several days before being transferred to Idaho to face four murder charges.

At one point he was asked why he had done the crimes he is charged with, to which he replied that he had done nothing, reported NewsNation.

Then, he was asked why he had gone to Idaho.

Mr Kohberger reportedly replied: “Because the shopping there is better”.

Bryan Kohberger devoted his life to studying crime. The Idaho murders have turned the tables

13:50 , Rachel Sharp

Bryan Kohberger became a household name upon his 30 December arrest in Pennsylvania for the killings of four University of Idaho students.

People from his past - though shocked - build a picture of a bullied loner who could be aggressive; fellow students from his time in Idaho describe a criminology zealot who ‘creeped people out.’

As he faces trial accused of shocking crimes, The Independent’s Sheila Flynn asks: Who really is Bryan Kohberger?

Bryan Kohberger devoted his life to studying crime. Now, the tables have turned

Bryan Kohberger’s neighbour says suspect brought up murders in conversation

13:30 , Rachel Sharp

Bryan Kohberger’s neighbour has claimed that the murder suspect brought up the student killings in conversation one time.

The neighbour, who wishes to remain anonymous, told CBS News that Mr Kohberger spoke to him about the quadruple homicide just days on from the 13 November attack.

“He brought it up in conversation,” they said.

“[He] asked if I had heard about the murders, which I did. And then he said, ‘Yeah, seems like they have no leads. Seems like it was a crime of passion.’”

“At the time of our conversation, it was only a few days after it happened so there wasn’t much details out.”

Bodycam shows Kaylee Goncalves three months before murders

13:10 , Rachel Sharp

Newly-released bodycam footage has revealed victim Kaylee Goncalves speaking to officers responding to a noise complaint at the student home three months before her murder.

The footage, shared by CourtTV, shows Moscow Police officers responding to the home on King Road, Moscow, on 16 August following a complaint about an apparent party.

In the video, Goncalves is seen coming out of the home to meet the officers who ask her why she thinks they have been called.

“I assume noise,” she replies.

The officers confirm that they are there for a noise complaint and have a brief, cordial chat with the 21-year-old who is polite throughout.

Goncalves is given a verbal warning with an officer saying that if they have to come back she will be slapped with a $300 ticket.

“So I’m gonna grab your info and if I have to come back here a $300-something ticket is coming your way. I’d much rather you spend that $300 on beer or something fun rather than a noise ticket,” he says.

Three months later, police were called to the home again to find Goncalves and her three friends murdered.

Ethan Chapin’s mother pens touching tribute to slain son

12:50 , Rachel Sharp

The mother of one of the four University of Idaho students killed in November has penned a touching post in tribute to her son.

Ethan Chapin’s mother Stacy Wells Chapin remembered her son as a loving and carefree young man who touched countless lives before he was brutally murdered on 13 November. Chapin’s girlfriend, Xana Kernodle, and her roommates, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, were also killed in the attack.

Read the full story here:

Idaho murder victim’s mom pens touching tribute as siblings return to university

VOICES: My father is the BTK serial killer. This is why I’m speaking out about Idaho suspect Bryan Kohberger

12:39 , Rachel Sharp

“In the early hours of Friday, December 30, glass shattered out of the windows of the Kohberger family home, in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, as local police and agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a no-knock search warrant. Bryan Kohberger, a 28-year-old teaching assistant and PhD student in criminal justice at Washington State University, was apprehended while staying with his family over the holiday break.

“While obtaining his master’s degree in criminal justice at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, Kohberger studied under Dr. Katherine Ramsland, a professor of forensic psychology and criminal justice, who teaches a course specifically on serial killers.”

BTK’s daughter Kerri Rawson writes for The Independent:

My father is a serial killer. This is why I’m speaking out about the Idaho suspect

Potential reason for mysterious 911 call revealed

12:10 , Rachel Sharp

The 911 call alerting officers to the murders of the four students has long been shrouded in mystery after police said that the caller reported “an unconscious” individual.

The call was made from the cellphone of one of the surviving roommates at around 11.58am on 13 November, with the dispatcher speaking to multiple people during the call.

Questions have been asked around why the caller reported an “unconscious individual” when the crime scene was bloody and violent.

A potential reason for the mysterious 911 call has now been revealed in Air Mail’s article “The Eyes of a Killer”.

Civilian employees at Whitcom 9-1-1, an agency in Pullman, Washington State, handle the 911 calls to Moscow Police Department as well as several other agencies, according to the report.

The agency is severely understaffed to such an extent that the dispatchers’ guild has previously warned that “our ability to uphold public safety is at risk”.

Under standard protocol, when callers “are agitated” the dispatcher will often assign the call with the generic label of “unconscious person” rather than waste valuable time and resources trying to gather details.

In this case, it is possible that the dispatcher assigned the generic label while speaking to students who were panicked by what they saw.

Bryan Kohberger’s offhand comments about Idaho student murders revealed

11:50 , Rachel Sharp

Suspected killer Bryan Kohberger made an offhand comment about the murders of the four University of Idaho students as he was extradited from Pennsylvania to Moscow to face charges in their killings, it has been revealed.

A law enforcement source told People that the 28-year-old criminology PhD student made small talk about the case to officers, saying that it was “sad what happened” to Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

“He did say, ‘It’s really sad what happened to them,’ but he didn’t say anything more. He’s smarter than that,” said the source, who was involved in the accused killer’s extradition process.

Read the full story here:

Bryan Kohberger’s offhand comments about Idaho student murders revealed

Will Bryan Kohberger get the death penalty?

11:10 , Rachel Sharp

Accused killer Bryan Kohberger may face the death penalty for the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

The 28-year-old criminal justice PhD student is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary over the 13 November attack.

Under Idaho state law, he faces the death penalty or life in prison on each murder charge.

Goncalves’ parents have already said that they support him receiving a death sentence, saying that life imprisonment is not enough for his alleged crimes.

VOICES: Online sleuths hijacked the Idaho murders case. Should we blame them?

10:50 , Rachel Sharp

The list of conspiracies surrounding the Idaho murders is endless, Rachel Sharp writes for The Independent.

“But the emerging details appear even worse than the imaginations of online sleuths: a highly intelligent, seemingly high-functioning suspect with an intense interest in the criminal mind allegedly entered the home in the dead of night, dressed all in black and a mask, and stabbed the four victims multiple times each.”

“Even now Bryan Kohberger is in police custody, the online rumour mill shows no signs of winding down.”

Read here:

Online sleuths hijacked the Idaho murders case. Should we blame them?

Bryan Kohberger to appear in court today

10:30 , Rachel Sharp

Suspected killer Bryan Kohberger is set to appear in court today charged with the murders of four University of Idaho students in a brutal 13 November knife attack.

A status hearing for the 28-year-old criminology PhD student is scheduled for 8am PST on Thursday in Latah County Courthouse in Moscow.

The accused killer is not expected to enter a plea at Wednesday’s hearing but is said to be planning to fight the allegations.

The murder suspect’s preliminary status hearing was originally been slated for 10am PST but was rescheduled late last week.

A court order announcing the change revealed that there was a scheduling conflict with the original time.

“Due to scheduling conflicts, the parties stipulated changing the time of said hearing. Therefore, with good cause, it is hereby ordered that the Preliminary Status Hearing will be held on January 12, 2023 at 8:00 am. (PST) in Courtroom I of the Latah County Courthouse,” the order reads.

Mr Kohberger last appeared in court in Pennsylvania on 3 January to waive an extradition hearing to Idaho – four days after his bombshell 30 December arrest for the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin

Victim's scholarship fund raises $112,000

10:10 , Rachel Sharp

A scholarship fund established by slain University of Idaho student Ethan Chapin’s fraternity Signa Chi has raised more than $112,000.

Chapin, his girlfriend Xana Kernodle and Kernodle’s roommates Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were brutally stabbed on 13 November. On 30 December, Washington State University criminal justice PhD student Bryan Kohberger was arrested in connection to the crime.

The scholarship, which was started last month by Chapin’s fraternity Sigma Chi, will be presented annually to a “deserving undergraduate member of the Gamma Eta Chapter,” recognizing Ethan’s legacy.

“We join the Gamma Eta Chapter in remembering a young man who was deeply loved and respected, as well as extend our deepest condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of Ethan, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen,” a statement by Sigma Chi read.

Bryan Kohberger changed licence plates on his white Hyundai Elantra days after Idaho murders

09:50 , Rachel Sharp

The suspect’s car had Pennsylvania plates when it was pulled over by police in Moscow, Idaho, in August, 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.

A public information request with the Washington State Department of Licensing by The Independent confirmed the car was registered in the state on 19 November.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has the story:

Bryan Kohberger changed licence plates on Hyundai Elantra days after Idaho murders

Alan Dershowitz shares thoughts about Bryan Kohberger’s potential defence

09:00 , Andrea Blanco

In an interview with Law&Crime’s Sidebar podcast, Mr Dershowitz, known for representing high-profile defendants including O.J. Simpson, Jeffrey Epstein and Julian Assange, broke down Mr Kohberger’s potential defence following the release of an affidavit linking him to the murders.

“The document narrows in on Kohberger, so the defence’s first step should be to begin developing their own evidence,” Mr Dershowitz said during the podcast. “You always assume your client is guilty, and then you work back from there.”

He added: “I’m going to surprise people when I say that a good criminal defence lawyer always starts with a presumption of guilt, not a presumption of innocence.”

“If you assume your client is innocent, you’ll make mistakes. You’ll allow searches. You will allow him to speak to the police. Then you always keep in mind the possibility of a plea bargain.”

“This is difficult in a case like this where there were so many deaths and so brutal that the lawyers, whoever they are, really have their work cut out for them.”

Mr Dershowitz also said that Mr Kohberger’s attorneys are tasked with explaining the physical evidence linking their client to the murders, in a way that “presents the possibility of innocence or at least reasonable doubt.”

Bryan Kohberger did not attend vigil, new footage shows

08:00 , Andrea Blanco

In the wake of Bryan Kohberger’s arrest on charges for the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle, social media sleuths began scouring video of a 30 November vigil for the slain students to see if the suspect may have been present.

The armchair detectives - who have been poring over alleged clues in the case for weeks - seized on a specific clip showing the back of a tall man with brown hair, making wholly far-fetched claims that he could be Mr Kohberger.

The baseless speculation has now been discredited by new footage from Inside Edition, which appears to show the face of the same man the online commenters identified as Mr Kohberger from the back. It is clear on the outlet’s video that the man is not Mr Kohberger.

The vigil rumours marked the latest wild theory to go viral online, only to be swiftly debunked.

Bryan Kohberger’s Idaho murders arrest affidavit was meant to give answers. Instead, it raises these new questions

07:00 , Andrea Blanco

For nearly eight weeks, the families of four slain University of Idaho students have waited in agony for answers about the unspeakable killings.

Hopes of finally getting some clarity finally came last week with the arrest of Bryan Kohberger, a 28-year-old criminal justice PhD student at Washington State University.

On 5 January, the probable cause affidavit outlining what led authorities to charge Mr Kohberger was made public, revealing horrifying details about the 13 November murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in the college town of Moscow.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp explores some of the questions left unanswered.

Bryan Kohberger’s Idaho murders arrest affidavit raises these new questions

Will Bryan Kohberger get the death penalty?

06:00 , Andrea Blanco

Accused killer Bryan Kohberger may face the death penalty for the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

The 28-year-old criminal justice PhD student is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary over the 13 November attack.

Under Idaho state law, he faces the death penalty or life in prison on each murder charge.

Goncalves’ parents have already said that they support him receiving a death sentence, saying that life imprisonment is not enough for his alleged crimes.

Bryan Kohberger devoted his life to studying crime. The Idaho murders have turned the tables

05:00 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger became a household name upon his 30 December arrest in Pennsylvania for the killings of four University of Idaho students.

“People from his past - though shocked - build a picture of a bullied loner who could be aggressive; fellow students from his time in Idaho describe a criminology zealot who ‘creeped people out,” Sheila Flynn writes.

The Independent has the story:

Bryan Kohberger devoted his life to studying crime. Now, the tables have turned

Victim’s childhood best friend says she wants answers

04:00 , Andrea Blanco

Xana Kernodle’s childhood best friend has spoken out to say that she wants answers about her murder.

“I still think there are a lot of answers that I would like. Until I get those, I still am going to be a little hung up on this. So, it’s just about the answers, I guess,” Sydney Gribnitz told NewsNation.

Ms Gribnitz said that she was in shock when she heard that the friend she described as “one of the funniest people I’ve ever met” had been brutally killed.

“It definitely was a shock. We were really, really close in middle school, not as much recently,” she said.

“I guess just because I live in Florida. We were really far apart, but I always knew I could count on her. It’s just a lot.”

Ms Gribnitz and her father – who used to be Kernodle’s gymnastics coach – have now set up a fundraiser in the slain 20-year-old’s honour.

Woman claims Bryan Kohberger ‘very pushy’ during Tinder date years ago

03:00 , Andrea Blanco

A woman who says she once went on a Tinder date with Bryan Kohberger has claimed he was “very pushy” with her and said she now looks back on the incident and wonders if it “could have been so much different”.

In a TikTok video, Hayley claims that she matched with Mr Kohberger on the online dating app about seven years ago when she was a psychology student at Penn State Hazelton and he was studying psychology at a nearby school.

She says that she agreed to go to the movies with him one night.

“My interactions with Bryan were very brief. I don’t know much about him,” she says in the video.

After the movie, however, she says he invited himself back to her apartment and things took a bizarre turn.

Hayley told the New York Post that Mr Kohberger “kept trying to touch” her and became “very pushy”.

“He like, completely changed once we were in my dorm so I’m glad I was able to get away,” she said.

“He was very pushy when it came to coming back in my dorm with me. But I didn’t get like scary vibes or anything from that. I just thought he was a stage five clinger because he said he wanted to spend more time with me.”

When she confronted him about him “trying to touch me”, she says he “got super serious” and tried “to gaslight me into thinking that he didn’t touch me, which is weird”. Her account can’t be verified.

Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger had ‘no connection’ to victims, family lawyer says

02:00 , Andrea Blanco

The suspect arrested in the murders of four University of Idaho students had no connection with the victims, a lawyer for one of the grieving families has said.

Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle did not appear to have personally met Washington State University (WSU) criminal justice PhD student Bryan Kohberger prior to their 13 November slayings, the Goncalves family lawyer told Insider on Monday.

Read the full story here:

Bryan Kohberger had ‘no connection’ to Idaho murder victims, family lawyer says

Bryan Kohberger to appear in court tomorrow

01:00 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger will appear in court on murder charges tomorrow.

The murder suspect’s preliminary status hearing is scheduled for 8am PST on Thursday 12 January.

It had originally been slated for 10am PST but was rescheduled late last week.

A court order announcing the change revealed that there was a scheduling conflict with the original time.

“Due to scheduling conflicts, the parties stipulated to changing the time of said hearing. Therefore, with good cause, it is hereby ordered that the Preliminary Status Hearing will be held on January 12, 2023 at 8:00 am. (PST) in Courtroom I of the Latah County Courthouse,” the order reads.

Ethan Chapin’s siblings return to University of Idaho after Bryan Kohberger’s arrest

Wednesday 11 January 2023 23:30 , Andrea Blanco

The mother of one of the four University of Idaho students killed in November has penned a touching post in tribute to her son.

Ethan Chapin’s mother Stacy Wells Chapin remembered her son as a loving and carefree young man who touched countless lives before he was brutally murdered on 13 November. Chapin’s girlfriend Xana Kernodle and her roommates Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were also killed in the attack.

The Moscow Police Department, Idaho State Police and the FBI handled the criminal investigation that ultimately led to the Pennsylvania arrest of Washington State University criminal justice PhD student Bryan Kohberger on 30 December. An affidavit for Mr Kohberger’s arrest, released last week after he was extradited to Idaho, revealed that law enforcement found his DNA in a knife sheath left behind next to one of the victim’s bodies.

On Wednesday, Ms Chapin revealed that her two surviving triplets have returned to Moscow. She said she hoped they could now focus on their goals after experiencing the unthinkable tragedy and thanked law enforcement for their diligent work in supporting her family in the aftermath of the murders.

“Yesterday, we successfully dropped them off back at the University of Idaho. Hunter was very glad to be back at the fraternity and Maizie was warming up to the idea but it was so good to hear all of the girls squeal with delight upon seeing her,” Ms Chapin wrote on Facebook Wednesday.

She added: “It did this momma’s heart good to hear it!! The support from the University of Idaho and the MPD/ISP has been profound. Maizie and Hunter are rockstars and we couldn’t be more proud of them. Their job now is just [to] be kids. Start where they left off. Keep goals and aspirations in mind.”

Ethan Chapin’s scholarship fund raises $112,000

Wednesday 11 January 2023 22:15 , Andrea Blanco

A scholarship fund established by slain University of Idaho student Ethan Chapin’s fraternity Signa Chi has raised more than $112,000.

Chapin, his girlfriend Xana Kernodle and Kernodle’s roommates Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were brutally stabbed on 13 November. On 30 December, Washington State University criminal justice PhD student Bryan Kohberger was arrested in connection to the crime.

The scholarship, which was started last month by Chapin’s fraternity Sigma Chi, will be presented annually to a “deserving undergraduate member of the Gamma Eta Chapter,” recognizing Ethan’s legacy.

“We join the Gamma Eta Chapter in remembering a young man who was deeply loved and respected, as well as extend our deepest condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of Ethan, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen,” a statement by Sigma Chi read.

Bryan Kohberger’s ‘offhand comments' about Idaho student murders revealed

Wednesday 11 January 2023 21:15 , Andrea Blanco

Suspected killer Bryan Kohberger made an offhand comment about the murders of the four University of Idaho students as he was extradited from Pennsylvania to Moscow to face charges in their killings, it has been revealed.

A law enforcement source told People that the 28-year-old criminology PhD student made small talk about the case to officers, saying that it was “sad what happened” to Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:

Bryan Kohberger’s offhand comments about Idaho student murders revealed

Suspect visited murder home at least 12 times before the night of the slayings

Wednesday 11 January 2023 20:45 , Andrea Blanco

Prior to the 13 November massacre, investigators believe that Bryan Kohberger stalked the victims’ home at least 12 times.

Cellphone records show that his phone pinged in the area of the King Road home on at least twelve occasions between 23 June and 13 November when the murders took place.

The exact dates of these instances were not revealed in the documents but all bar one were in the late evening or early morning hours.

One incident was identified on 21 August, when the suspect was stopped by police just minutes from the home where he allegedly knifed the four students to death three months later.

A citation from Latah County Sheriff’s Office, obtained by The Independent earlier this week, reveals that the traffic stop took place at around 11.40pm at the intersection of West Pullman Road and Farm Road in Moscow.

The record shows he was stopped for failing to wear his seatbelt – just 1.7 miles and a five-minute drive from the victims’ student rental home.

On that occasion, Mr Kohberger’s cellphone pinged in the area of the King Road home from around 10.34pm to 11.35pm, the affidavit shows.

Prior to her death, Kaylee Goncalves had told friends and family members that she believed she had a stalker.

The details of the stalker were unknown and, throughout the murder investigation, Moscow Police said that they had been unable to confirm or deny the claims.

It remains unclear if Mr Kohberger was the stalker Goncalves was fearful of and how long he may have been surveilling the victim or victims at the home.

Bryan Kohberger’s arrest affidavit for the Idaho murders:

Wednesday 11 January 2023 20:15 , Andrea Blanco

Authorities released an affidavit in support of suspect Bryan Kohberger’s arrest in the murders of four Idaho university students on Thursday as he appeared in court for his arraignment.

The affidavit is filled with horror new details about the 13 November killings of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin - and what led investigators to identify Mr Kohberger as the suspect.

Read the full affidavit here:

Read the affidavit on Bryan Kohberger’s arrest for the Idaho murders in full

Victim’s sister defends surviving roommate for delay in 911 call

Wednesday 11 January 2023 19:45 , Andrea Blanco

The grieving sister of slain student Kaylee Goncalves has defended one of her sibling’s surviving roommates who has faced questions about a delay in alerting police to the murders.

Two roommates were also in the student home in Moscow, Idaho, when four students were stabbed to death in a brutal knife attack at around 4am on 13 November. The two women were left unharmed.

At around midday, a 911 call was made to report an unconscious person in the home. Police arrived to find the bloody scene.

The affidavit for Bryan Kohberger, released last Thursday, revealed that one of the surviving roommates came face to face with the masked killer as he left the home in the aftermath of the murders.

Since then, questions have arisen around why the roommate did not call 911 for another eight hours.

Goncalves’ sister Alivea Goncalves defended the roommate in an interview with NewsNation on Sunday.

“She was probably really, really scared,” she said.

“Until we have any more information, I think everyone should stop passing judgments because you don’t know what you would do in that situation.”

Who really is Bryan Kohberger?

Wednesday 11 January 2023 19:15 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger became a household name upon his 30 December arrest in Pennsylvania for the killings of four University of Idaho students.

“People from his past - though shocked - build a picture of a bullied loner who could be aggressive; fellow students from his time in Idaho describe a criminology zealot who ‘creeped people out,” Sheila Flynn writes.

The Independent has the story:

Bryan Kohberger devoted his life to studying crime. Now, the tables have turned

Former friends of Bryan Kohbergere say murder suspect was a ‘bully’

Wednesday 11 January 2023 18:45 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger’s former friends claim he was a bully in high school

Former high school classmates of the man accused of murdering four students at the University of Idaho have alleged that suspected killer Brian Kohberger was bullied before becoming a bully himself and allegedly using heroin.

The former classmates made the comments on an upcoming episode of 48 Hours titled “The Idaho Student Murders” set to premiere Saturday on Paramount+.

One former classmate knew Mr Kohberger in college at Washington State University, and recalled him being opinionated but otherwise “comfortable around other people,” according to a CBS News report about the episode.

“He was very quick to offer his opinion and thoughts,” Mr Roberts said. “He would describe things in the most complicated, perhaps academic way possible.”

Craig Graziosi has the story for The Independent:

Bryan Kohberger’s childhood friends say he was a bully and used heroin in high school

This is the evidence linking Bryan Kohberger to the Idaho murders

Wednesday 11 January 2023 18:15 , Andrea Blanco

It is currently unclear if any evidence was found on Mr Kohberger’s Hyundai Elantra which was seized by authorities at the time of his arrest.

Since early December, investigators had been asking for the public’s help in tracking down a white Hyundai Elantra which had been spotted at the crime scene at the time of the murders.

Investigators ultimately traced the vehicle to Mr Kohberger, with surveillance footage capturing the car driving from the direction of his home in Pullman, Washington state, to the King Road home in the early hours of 13 November – and then back again, the affidavit reveals.

The murder weapon – a fixed-blade knife – is yet to be found.

Other chilling details about the murders were also revealed in the affidavit, showing how cellphone records had also been used to tie Mr Kohberger to the crime.

Investigators believe that Mr Kohberger turned his cell phone off on the night of the murders in order to try to avoid detection.

However, cellphone data shows that Mr Kohberger appears to have stalked the home at least 12 times in the run-up to the 13 November attack.

The affidavit for his arrest, released on Thursday, reveals that investigators had used DNA obtained from the trash at his parents’ home to match Mr Kohberger to DNA evidence left behind at the crime scene.

The killer had left a tan leather Kabar knife sheath, which featured the United States Marine Corps symbol, inside the bloodied home, lying on Mogen’s bed next to the victim’s butchered body.

Male DNA on the sheath matches that of Mr Kohberger, the affidavit states.

The masked killer’s chilling words, revealed by the affidavit

Wednesday 11 January 2023 17:45 , Andrea Blanco

A roommate who lived with the three female victims at the King Road residence told investigators that she spotted the killer and overheard him telling his victims “I’m going to help you” before stabbing them to death, according to the affidavit released last week.

The survivor - identified as D.M. - told investigators that the four victims had all come back to the King Road home from their respective nights out at around 2am and were in their rooms by around 4am – except for Kernodle, who got up to collect a DoorDash order around that time.

D.M. said that she had gone to sleep in her bedroom on the second floor of the three-floor home and was awoken by what sounded like Goncalves playing with her dog in one of the third-floor bedrooms.

A short time later, D.M. said that she heard someone believed to be either Goncalves or Kernodle saying something to the effect of “there’s someone here”.

Minutes later, D.M. said that she looked out of her bedroom for the first time but did not see anything.

She then opened her door for a second time when she heard what she thought was crying coming from Kernodle’s room, the documents state.

At that point, she said she heard a man’s voice saying something to the effect of “it’s ok, I’m going to help you”.

When she opened her door for a third time minutes later, she said she saw “a figure clad in black clothing and a mask that covered the person’s mouth and nose walking towards her”.

As she stood in a “frozen shock phase,” she said the man – who she did not recognise – walked past her and headed toward the back sliding glass door of the home.

The witness said that she then locked herself in her room, the affidavit continues.

Hours later, Mogen and Goncalves were both found stabbed to death together in Mogen’s single bed in her room on the third floor.

The bodies of young couple Kernodle and Chapin were both found in Kernodle’s bedroom on the second floor of the property, with the 20-year-old woman found on the floor.

Victim’s family friend creates tribute hoodie designs

Wednesday 11 January 2023 17:15 , Andrea Blanco

A friend of Madison Mogen’s mother partnered with a business by the name of TaraStitches to memorialise Mogen and three other University of Idaho students brutally murdered in an off-campus home on 13 November.

All the proceeds from the sales of the hoodies, which have the design of Angel wings that Mogen had tattoed on her arm, will go to the families of the victims.

“I had my heart on this design and made it come to life ... I wanted to create something special in remembrance of Kaylee, Maddie, Xana and Ethan. Thank you for supporting the U of I students,” the woman wrote on the website.

On Monday, Kaylee Goncalves’s mother Kristi Goncalves encouraged the public to support the business’ tribute to the slain students.

Alan Dershowitz shares thoughts about Bryan Kohberger’s potential defence route

Wednesday 11 January 2023 16:45 , Andrea Blanco

In an interview with Law&Crime’s Sidebar podcast, Mr Dershowitz, known for representing high-profile defendants including O.J. Simpson, Jeffrey Epstein and Julian Assange, broke down Mr Kohberger’s potential defence following the release of an affidavit linking him to the murders.

“The document narrows in on Kohberger, so the defence’s first step should be to begin developing their own evidence,” Mr Dershowitz said during the podcast. “You always assume your client is guilty, and then you work back from there.”

He added: “I’m going to surprise people when I say that a good criminal defence lawyer always starts with a presumption of guilt, not a presumption of innocence.”

“If you assume your client is innocent, you’ll make mistakes. You’ll allow searches. You will allow him to speak to the police. Then you always keep in mind the possibility of a plea bargain.”

“This is difficult in a case like this where there were so many deaths and so brutal that the lawyers, whoever they are, really have their work cut out for them.”

Mr Dershowitz also said that Mr Kohberger’s attorneys are tasked with explaining the physical evidence linking their client to the murders, in a way that “presents the possibility of innocence or at least reasonable doubt.”

Will Bryan Kohberger get the death penalty?

Wednesday 11 January 2023 15:45 , Andrea Blanco

Accused killer Bryan Kohberger may face the death penalty for the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

The 28-year-old criminal justice PhD student is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary over the 13 November attack.

Under Idaho state law, he faces the death penalty or life in prison on each murder charge.

Goncalves’ parents have already said that they support him receiving a death sentence, saying that life imprisonment is not enough for his alleged crimes.

Bryan Kohberger was not the man in attendance at November vigil for the victims, new footage shows

Wednesday 11 January 2023 15:32 , Andrea Blanco

In the wake of Bryan Kohberger’s arrest on charges for the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle, social media sleuths began scouring video of a 30 November vigil for the slain students to see if the suspect may have been present.

The armchair detectives - who have been poring over alleged clues in the case for weeks - seized on a specific clip showing the back of a tall man with brown hair, making wholly far-fetched claims that he could be Mr Kohberger.

The baseless speculation has now been discredited by new footage from Inside Edition, which appears to show the face of the same man the online commenters identified as Mr Kohberger from the back. It is clear on the outlet’s video that the man is not Mr Kohberger.

The vigil rumours marked the latest wild theory to go viral online, only to be swiftly debunked.

Bryan Kohberger changed licence plates on his white Hyundai Elantra days after Idaho murders

Wednesday 11 January 2023 15:59 , Andrea Blanco

The suspect’s car had Pennsylvania plates when it was pulled over by police in Moscow, Idaho, in August, 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.

A public information request with the Washington State Department of Licensing by The Independent confirmed the car was registered in the state on 19 November.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has the story:

Bryan Kohberger changed licence plates on Hyundai Elantra days after Idaho murders

Victims were not familiar with murder suspect, family attorney says

Wednesday 11 January 2023 15:01 , Andrea Blanco

Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle did not appear to have personally met Washington State University (WSU) criminal justice PhD student Bryan Kohberger prior to their 13 November slayings, the Goncalves family lawyer told Insider on Monday.

Following the attack that rocked the college town of Moscow, Mr Kohberger, 28, finished his semester at WSU. Weeks later, he reportedly travelled with his father from his apartment in Pullman, Washington, around nine miles west of the victims’ home, to Pennsylvania to spend the holidays with his family.

Law enforcement raided Mr Kohberger’s family home in a surprise arrest on 30 December after weeks of mounting criticism about a lack of updates in the probe.

Mr Kohberger was charged with four counts of murder and extradited to Idaho — it was later revealed in the affidavit for his arrest that police linked him to the crime scene using genealogy DNA.

“No one knew of this guy at all,” attorney Shanon Gray said. “It appears from the affidavit that he was in the area of the house on several occasions ... That’s all we know.

Who was the intended target?

Wednesday 11 January 2023 14:30 , Rachel Sharp

From the early days of the investigation, authorities said that the attack was “targeted” – but refused to reveal what led them to that conclusion and who or what the target was.

The 19-page affidavit reveals no details about what connection – if any – Bryan Kohberger had to his alleged victims.

The victims were all students at the University of Idaho meanwhile Mr Kohberger was a criminal justice PhD student at Washington State University.

He lived just 15 minutes from the victims over the Idaho-Washington border in Pullman, having moved there to begin the PhD program in August.

Despite the proximity, there is no known connection between the victims and the accused killer. It is not clear if the victims even knew who Mr Kohberger was.

An attorney for Kaylee Goncalves’ family has said that there is no known connection between the accused killer and the victims.

Bryan Kohberger’s classmate says he fell ‘completely silent’ when murders discussed in class

Wednesday 11 January 2023 14:10 , Rachel Sharp

Throughout the seven-week investigation into the murders, Bryan Kohberger continued with his studies at Washington State University and completed the first semester of his criminal justice PhD.

His classmates have now revealed that they noticed a change in behaviour from the suspect during that time, with the usually chatty student falling “completely silent” when the killings were discussed in class.

Ben Roberts, a WSU graduate student in criminal justice studies, told the Idaho Statesman that Mr Kohberger was usually very vocal in class and would often share his opinion and challenge his classmates on the topic of the criminal mind.

“He sat front and center, and was not hiding or tucking back in the back,” he said.

“He was right there in the middle of it.”

This all changed when the murders of four Idaho students was brought up in class one day.

At that point, Mr Kohberger fell “completely silent,” said Mr Roberts.

Masked killer’s chilling words, DNA details and new timeline: Key revelations in the Bryan Kohberger affidavit

Wednesday 11 January 2023 13:50 , Rachel Sharp

Stunning new details about the murders of four University of Idaho students have been revealed in an affidavit supporting the arrest of suspect Bryan Christopher Kohberger.

Mr Kohberger, a 28-year-old criminology PhD student at Washington State University, has been charged in the 13 November deaths of Ethan Chapin, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Madison Mogen, 21. They were killed in a rental home just blocks from the UI campus in Moscow, Idaho, right across the state border from WSU in Pullman, Washington.

The suspect was arrested in his native Pennsylvania, then extradited to Idaho, where court documents were unsealed following his first appearance before a judge in the state.

Portions were redacted but the remaining pages revealed chilling details about the murders - among them that a surviving roommate came face to face with the killer; Kohberger’s cell phone record and police traffic stops indicate he’d been casing the home; and DNA from a knife sheath was used to forensically connect the grad student to the crimes.

Here are the biggest revelations from the documents:

Key revelations from Bryan Kohberger’s arrest affidavit

Court documents removed from website for ‘security reasons'

Wednesday 11 January 2023 13:30 , Rachel Sharp

Court documents about the case against Bryan Kohberger were briefly removed from the Idaho courts website for “security reasons” on Tuesday.

“For security reasons, case information for State v. Kohberger is momentarily unavailable in the iCourt Portal,” a memo from the State of Idaho Judicial Branch read on Tuesday.

“To ensure public access to this information, a PDF report listing events in the case is now posted to the top of this case’s entry on our Cases of Interest page.

“This listing of actions will be updated daily until case information is restored through the Portal. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

The nature of the security concerns was not revealed but the documents are back online now.

Bryan Kohberger to appear in court tomorrow

Wednesday 11 January 2023 13:10 , Rachel Sharp

Bryan Kohberger will appear in court on murder charges tomorrow.

The murder suspect’s preliminary status hearing is scheduled for am PST on Thursday 12 January.

It had originally been slated for 10am PST but was rescheduled late last week.

A court order announcing the change revealed that there was a scheduling conflict with the original time.

“Due to scheduling conflicts, the parties stipulated to changing the time of said hearing. Therefore, with good cause, it is hereby ordered that the Preliminary Status Hearing will be held on January 12, 2023 at 8:00 am. (PST) in Courtroom I of the Latah County Courthouse,” the order reads.

Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger had ‘no connection’ to victims, family lawyer says

Wednesday 11 January 2023 12:50 , Rachel Sharp

The suspect arrested in the murders of four University of Idaho students had no connection with the victims, a lawyer for one of the grieving families has said.

Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle did not appear to have personally met Washington State University (WSU) criminal justice PhD student Bryan Kohberger prior to their 13 November slayings, the Goncalves family lawyer told Insider on Monday.

Read the full story here:

Bryan Kohberger had ‘no connection’ to Idaho murder victims, family lawyer says

Xana Kernodle’s childhood best friend says she wants answers

Wednesday 11 January 2023 12:30 , Rachel Sharp

Xana Kernodle’s childhood best friend has spoken out to say that she wants answers about her murder.

“I still think there are a lot of answers that I would like. Until I get those, I still am going to be a little hung up on this. So, it’s just about the answers, I guess,” Sydney Gribnitz told NewsNation.

Ms Gribnitz said that she was in shock when she heard that the friend she described as “one of the funniest people I’ve ever met” had been brutally killed.

“It definitely was a shock. We were really, really close in middle school, not as much recently,” she said.

“I guess just because I live in Florida. We were really far apart, but I always knew I could count on her. It’s just a lot.”

Ms Gribnitz and her father – who used to be Kernodle’s gymnastics coach – have now set up a fundraiser in the slain 20-year-old’s honour.

Will Bryan Kohberger get the death penalty?

Wednesday 11 January 2023 12:10 , Rachel Sharp

Accused killer Bryan Kohberger may face the death penalty for the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

The 28-year-old criminal justice PhD student is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary over the 13 November attack.

Under Idaho state law, he faces the death penalty or life in prison on each murder charge.

Goncalves’ parents have already said that they support him receiving a death sentence, saying that life imprisonment is not enough for his alleged crimes.

Bryan Kohberger was not the man in attendance at November vigil for the victims, new footage shows

Wednesday 11 January 2023 11:50 , Rachel Sharp

In the wake of Bryan Kohberger’s arrest on charges for the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle, social media sleuths began scouring video of a 30 November vigil for the slain students to see if the suspect may have been present.

The armchair detectives - who have been poring over alleged clues in the case for weeks - seized on a specific clip showing the back of a tall man with brown hair, making wholly far-fetched claims that he could be Mr Kohberger.

The baseless speculation has now been discredited by new footage from Inside Edition, which appears to show the face of the same man the online commenters identified as Mr Kohberger from the back. It is clear on the outlet’s video that the man is not Mr Kohberger.

The vigil rumours marked the latest wild theory to go viral online, only to be swiftly debunked.