Secretive new documents have been filed by prosecutors in the Idaho murders case against Bryan Kohberger.
Online records show prosecutors filed an affidavit and a memorandum in the Latah County court this week, though their contents remain unclear.
The new documents follow the revelation that authorities in Mr Kohberger’s home state of Pennsylvania are reviewing cold cases for potential ties to him.
Officials in Northampton County and Lehigh County confirmed they have been sifting through unsolved cases - but have yet to find any links.
It also recently emerged that Mr Kohberger was allegedly fired from his assistant teaching position at Washington State University days before his arrest in December.
According to NewsNation, within a month of starting the role he was under review because of “behavioural problems” and a “sexist attitude towards women”.
Then, on 13 November, Mr Kohberger is accused of stabbing to death Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves in Moscow, Idaho.
Key points
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Pennsylvania police sift through cold cases for possible ties to Kohberger
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Bryan Kohberger was fired from WSU teaching job days before Idaho murders arrest
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FBI denies claim it lost Kohberger during surveillance operation
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Kohberger’s attorney has ties to second victim’s family
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Xana Kernodle’s mom feels ‘betrayed’ by attorney who dropped her for daughter’s alleged killer
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Bryan Kohberger met local police chief and sent him gushing email – months before murders
Computer, hair, glove and stained items seized from Idaho murders suspect’s home
Wednesday 8 February 2023 03:00 , Andrea Blanco
Police investigating the murder of four Idaho students seized a string of items from suspect Bryan Kohberger’s apartment, including possible hair strands, a disposable glove, items with red and brown stains and a computer, according to a newly unsealed search warrant.
Investigators stated in the search warrant application that they hoped to find hair strands that could link the suspect to the scene of the horrific November crime in Moscow, Idaho. They said in the application that this could be either through the four victims or through a dog that was at the rental house at the time of the slayings, reported The New York Times.
Police said that one of the items found at the suspect’s apartment at nearby Washington State University was a “possible animal hair strand.”
In the documents, investigators said one item had a “collection of dark red” spotting, and that a pillow had a “reddish/brown stain” on it.
The application also stated that the murder scene near the University of Idaho campus where the victims were discovered had a large amount of the victims’ blood “including spatter and castoff” blood.
Investigators also searched the Washington State University office used by the suspect, a graduate student and teaching assistant in criminology, but did not seize any items.
Bryan Kohberger was interviewed by local police chief for internship months before Idaho murders
Wednesday 8 February 2023 04:30 , Andrea Blanco
A criminology PhD student accused of murdering four University of Idaho students was interviewed by a local police department for an internship position months before the slayings.
Emails obtained by The New York Times show a brief exchange between Washington State University student Bryan Kohberger and the then-chief of Pullman Police Department Gary Jenkins regarding Mr Kohberger’s interview process for the research assistantship for public safety position in April 2022.
Mr Kohberger, 28, is facing four murder charges in the brutal stabbings of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho, on 13 November. Mr Kohberger was arrested in Pennsylvania on 30 December before he was extradited to Idaho on 5 January.
In his email to Mr Jenkins, Mr Kohberger wrote that “it was a great pleasure to meet with you today and share [his] thoughts and excitement.” Mr Jenkins replied that it was “great to meet and talk with you as well.”
It is not clear whether Mr Kohberger was offered a position with the department.
What forensic experts say about evidence seized from Bryan Kohberger’s home in the Idaho murders case
Wednesday 8 February 2023 06:00 , Andrea Blanco
A search warrant was executed at Mr Kohberger’s apartment in Pullman, Washington, on 30 December, the same day he was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania on charges for the 13 November stabbings of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in Moscow, Idaho.
A record of evidence recovered during the apartment search was unsealed last month, revealing the seizure of 15 items including hairs, receipts, a computer tower, a disposable glove and items with peculiar stains.
The record reignited a frenzy of speculation online - despite its simplicity and lack of conjecture.
But what significance, if any, can actually be gleaned from the list? The Independent spoke to two experts - Dr Monte Miller, a former crime scene investigator and forensic expert for the Texas Department of Public Safety; and former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer - for their takes on each item.
What forensic experts say about evidence seized from Bryan Kohberger’s home
Hit-and-run unfolded outside Bryan Kohberger’s home on night of Idaho college murders
Wednesday 8 February 2023 07:30 , Andrea Blanco
A hit-and-run unfolded outside of Bryan Kohberger’s home on the same night that he allegedly murdered four University of Idaho students, it has been revealed.
At around 11.40pm on the night of 12 November, police were called to a report of a crash in front of an apartment complex on the Washington State University (WSU) campus, in Pullman, Washington state, according to authorities.
The apartment complex, which houses mainly graduate or PhD students, had been home to Mr Kohberger since August when he relocated from his home state of Pennsylvania to start a PhD program in criminal justice at the university.
When officers arrived on the scene, they found two pedestrians – a male WSU student and a woman – with injuries after being struck by a car.
The driver had already fled the scene.
Witness Turner Gardner told Business Insider the incident was “horrifying” and the two victims were taken to hospital for treatment for serious injuries.
Hours later, 19-year-old student Carmen Fernandez was arrested and charged with DUI, felony vehicular assault and hit-and-run, the Pullman Police Department said at the time.
It is not clear if Mr Kohberger witnessed the hit-and-run which took place within the eyeline of his apartment.
However, investigators were reportedly still on the scene of the crash at the housing complex when the 28-year-old allegedly left his home in the early hours of 13 November and travelled to Moscow to carry out the murders.
Idaho murder victim’s mother says Bryan Kohberger lawyer had power of attorney over her as she slams ‘betrayal’
Thursday 9 February 2023 00:01 , Andrea Blanco
The mother of slain University of Idaho student Xana Kernodle has claimed that she gave her power of attorney to the public defender now representing her daughter’s alleged killer.
Anne Taylor, the chief of the Kootenai public defender’s office, filed on 5 January to recuse herself from representing Xana Kernodle’s mother Cara Denise Northington in order to become the lead defence attorney for Bryan Kohberger.
Mr Kohberger is accused of brutally stabbing Kernodle, her boyfriend Ethan Chapin and roommates Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen on 13 November in the college town of Moscow. He was arrested on 30 December at his parent’s home in Pennsylvania before he was extradited to Idaho earlier this month.
Read more here:
Idaho murder victim’s mom says she gave Bryan Kohberger lawyer power of attorney
Ethan Chapin’s mother shares how family navigates grief journey
Wednesday 8 February 2023 09:00 , Andrea Blanco
In a Facebook post in late January, Stacy Chapin said she and her husband had visited her two surviving triplets, Mazie and Hunter, at the University of Idaho over the weekend. The Chapin triplets were all enrolled at the college in the town of Moscow when Ethan was killed on 13 November.
Ethan’s girlfriend Xana Kernodle her roommates Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were also brutally murdered in the attack in their off-campus rental home. Washington State University PhD student Bryan Kohberger, 28, was arrested and charged with the slayings on 30 December.
Speaking out about life after losing her son, Ms Chapin said she had early on agreed with her husband that Maizie and Hunter would be returning to school for the spring semester. The mother-of-three said that she wanted to keep her family close but also allow her children “to heal at their own pace.”
During their visit, Ms Chapin said, the parents fed over 20 of their children’s friends and enjoyed long conversations, coffee dates and hugs. The Chapin family also spent time “remembering Ethan and sharing stories” before Ms Chapin and her husband returned to their home in Washington.
“Our kids are resilient, but this is definitely a challenging time. We’re grateful they have each other at school, fraternity and sorority friends, and other amazing support systems,” she wrote. “They are each processing this new normal in their own way, and that’s okay. Our job as parents is to be there and provide tools and resources as needed.”
Dickies tag and receipts from Walmart and Marshalls seized from Bryan Kohberger’s home
Wednesday 8 February 2023 10:30 , Andrea Blanco
According to the search warrant record unsealed last month, investigators seized one receipt from Walmart, two from Marshalls and a tag from the clothing brand Dickies from Bryan Kohberger’s home.
Last month, The Independent spoke to two experts - Dr Monte Miller, a former crime scene investigator and forensic expert for the Texas Department of Public Safety; and former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer - for their takes on each item.
Dr Miller said investigators could seek to prove that the items listed on those receipts, and whatever the tag came from, match with the clothing worn by the alleged killer.
“[The suspect] may have bought something to wear and discard, and then [law enforcement] found these receipts and asked ‘Where are these clothes?’” he said.
The receipts could also reveal how long in advance the clothing was purchased, Ms Coffindaffer noted.
Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20 and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were killed on 13 November
“I think that those would indicate not only what was purchased — which is relevant to the crime — but also when, which I think is very important to see timing, to see a forethought that this was planned,” Ms Coffindaffer said. “Was this just one day? Several days before? The timestamp to me is as important as what was on those receipts.”
BTK killer Dennis Rader shares sympathy for Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger
Wednesday 8 February 2023 12:00 , Andrea Blanco
Serial killer Dennis Rader has expressed sympathy for Bryan Kohberger as he awaits trial in the Idaho murders.
Rader —who gave himself the title of the BTK killer because he bound and tortured his victims before killing them — is serving ten consecutive life sentences in a maximum security prison in Kansas after he confessed in 2005 to killing 10 people over a span of three decades.
In an interview with Fox News Digital on Wednesday, Rader said he understands how Mr Kohberger must feel while in solitary confinement at Latah County Jail ahead of his preliminary hearing on 26 June.
“Since I spent from February 2005 to April 2005 in a cell by myself, I know how he feels. Very lonely,” Rader told the outlet, adding that his situation improved when he was allowed to receive mail. “And soon letters started to come in ... [I] read a lot of the Bible and wrote poetry.”
Read the full story:
BTK killer Dennis Rader shares sympathy for Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger
Kaylee Goncalves’ family fight gag order in Idaho murders case
Wednesday 8 February 2023 13:00 , Andrea Blanco
The family of slain University of Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves are fighting back against an unusually restrictive gag order placed on the case against her accused killer.
In an appeal filed in court on Friday, the Goncalves’ family attorney Shanon Gray called on the judge to pull back the scope of the gag order, describing it as unconstitutional and “facially overbroad and vague”.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:
Kaylee Goncalves’ family fight gag order in Idaho murders case
Bryan Kohberger was fired from WSU teaching job around time of murders – for ‘sexism and behavioural issues’
Wednesday 8 February 2023 13:30 , Rachel Sharp
Bryan Kohberger was facing disciplinary action in his teaching assistant job at Washington State University (WSU) around the time of the murders of four University of Idaho students – before he was ultimately fired from the position days before his arrest.
The 28-year-old criminology PhD student began working as a teaching assistant in August as part of his graduate program.
But within a month he was under investigation by the university because of “behavioural problems” and a “sexist attitude towards women”, according to NewsNation, which obtained a detailed timeline of his issues in the department.
On 2 November, he reportedly met with a professor to discuss an “improvement plan” for his behaviour.
Less than two weeks later on 13 November, Mr Kohberger is accused of stabbing to death Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves in a student home over the Washington border in Moscow, Idaho.
One month on from the murders, on 19 November, NewsNation reported that he was fired from WSU following repeated warnings and failing to improve his behaviour. Days later on 30 December he was arrested and charged with the quadruple homicide.
Bryan Kohberger’s distinct eyebrows may have been among the first in a string of details that linked him to the Idaho murders, according to a new report
Wednesday 8 February 2023 14:00 , Andrea Blanco
Air Mail’s “The Eyes of a Killer: Part Two” offers a vivid description of the Moscow police hunt for evidence that would ultimately materialise in Mr Kohberger’s arrest for the murders of four University of Idaho students, based on an affidavit released earlier this month and sources close to the investigation,
According to the report, a lead investigator first had an inkling that Mr Kohberger would become a suspect in the crime after he ran the Washington State University PhD student’s licence plate and noticed his “bushy eyebrows”.
One of the surviving roommates at the 1122 King Road home had recounted how she unknowingly saw her friends’ killer leaving the scene before going back into her room in a state of shock. The woman said the killer was wearing a mask, but his “bushy eyebrows” stood out to her.
Andrea Blanco has more:
One unique facial feature may have linked Bryan Kohberger to the Idaho murders
Dickies tag and receipts from Walmart and Marshalls seized from Bryan Kohberger’s home
Wednesday 8 February 2023 15:09 , Andrea Blanco
According to the search warrant record unsealed last month, investigators seized one receipt from Walmart, two from Marshalls and a tag from the clothing brand Dickies from Bryan Kohberger’s home.
Last month, The Independent spoke to two experts - Dr Monte Miller, a former crime scene investigator and forensic expert for the Texas Department of Public Safety; and former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer - for their takes on each item.
Dr Miller said investigators could seek to prove that the items listed on those receipts, and whatever the tag came from, match with the clothing worn by the alleged killer.
“[The suspect] may have bought something to wear and discard, and then [law enforcement] found these receipts and asked ‘Where are these clothes?’” he said.
The receipts could also reveal how long in advance the clothing was purchased, Ms Coffindaffer noted.
Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20 and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were killed on 13 November
“I think that those would indicate not only what was purchased — which is relevant to the crime — but also when, which I think is very important to see timing, to see a forethought that this was planned,” Ms Coffindaffer said. “Was this just one day? Several days before? The timestamp to me is as important as what was on those receipts.”
Bryan Kohberger was fired from WSU teaching job days before Idaho murders arrest
Wednesday 8 February 2023 16:06 , Andrea Blanco
Bryan Kohberger was facing disciplinary action in his teaching assistant job at Washington State University (WSU) around the time of the murders of four University of Idaho students – before he was ultimately fired from the position days before his arrest.
The 28-year-old criminology PhD student began working as a teaching assistant in the criminology department in August as part of his graduate program.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:
Bryan Kohberger was fired from WSU teaching job days before Idaho murders arrest
Pennsylvania police are sifting through cold cases for possible links to Bryan Kohberger
Wednesday 8 February 2023 17:01 , Andrea Blanco
Two law enforcement offices in Pennsylvania are reportedly sifting through cold case files in search of any potential links to Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger.
Northampton County District and Lehigh County started looking for links between unsolved cases and Mr Kohberger following his 30 December arrest, King5 reported. The Washington State University PhD student is accused of murdering Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Ethan Chapin on 13 November in Moscow, Idaho.
The Independent has the story:
Pennsylvania police looking at cold cases for possible links to Bryan Kohberger
Ethan Chapin’s mother shares how family navigates grief journey
Wednesday 8 February 2023 18:59 , Andrea Blanco
In a Facebook post in late January, Stacy Chapin said she and her husband had visited her two surviving triplets, Mazie and Hunter, at the University of Idaho over the weekend. The Chapin triplets were all enrolled at the college in the town of Moscow when Ethan was killed on 13 November.
Ethan’s girlfriend Xana Kernodle her roommates Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were also brutally murdered in the attack in their off-campus rental home. Washington State University PhD student Bryan Kohberger, 28, was arrested and charged with the slayings on 30 December.
Speaking out about life after losing her son, Ms Chapin said she had early on agreed with her husband that Maizie and Hunter would be returning to school for the spring semester. The mother-of-three said that she wanted to keep her family close but also allow her children “to heal at their own pace.”
During their visit, Ms Chapin said, the parents fed over 20 of their children’s friends and enjoyed long conversations, coffee dates and hugs. The Chapin family also spent time “remembering Ethan and sharing stories” before Ms Chapin and her husband returned to their home in Washington.
“Our kids are resilient, but this is definitely a challenging time. We’re grateful they have each other at school, fraternity and sorority friends, and other amazing support systems,” she wrote. “They are each processing this new normal in their own way, and that’s okay. Our job as parents is to be there and provide tools and resources as needed.”
University of Idaho students claim they saw Bryan Kohberger ‘staring’ on campus
Wednesday 8 February 2023 19:55 , Andrea Blanco
Several students have recalled seeing Bryan Kohberger – a PhD student at Washington State University – on the University of Idaho campus in the weeks before the murders.
Three separate students told People that they believe they saw him in the Student Union building, with one saying he was sitting “staring” at people.
“It was really early in the semester,” sophomore student Chelsea said. “He was at the food court, drinking water. He sat by himself.”
“He was the type to stare. He wouldn’t look away if you caught him staring. Like he wanted you to notice that he was looking at you. He didn’t smile, didn’t nod, didn’t say anything. Just stared.”
Chelsea said that his behaviour prompted her to point him out to a friend.
“I told my friend to not be suspicious but to look at him, because the eye contact was making me uncomfortable,” she said. “It was so weird that we ended up leaving and eating outside, because we wanted to get away from him.”
Another student told the outlet she recognised Mr Kohberger after his arrest as she had seen him often around the campus – despite the fact that he did not go to UI.
“It’s not a huge school; it’s like a small town,” she said.
“So you start seeing the same faces again and again. They become familiar, like you know that you’ve seen them in class or around campus. I definitely saw him more than once. He was just really quiet and really intense, staring. He made me uncomfortable.”
Their accounts support comments previously made by a law enforcement source to People that the suspect spent some time on the UI campus before the 13 November killings.
No connection is yet known between the suspect and the victims.
Kaylee Goncalves’ family fight gag order in Idaho murders case
Wednesday 8 February 2023 21:25 , Andrea Blanco
The family of slain University of Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves are fighting back against an unusually restrictive gag order placed on the case against her accused killer.
In an appeal filed in court on Friday, the Goncalves’ family attorney Shanon Gray called on the judge to pull back the scope of the gag order, describing it as unconstitutional and “facially overbroad and vague”.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:
Kaylee Goncalves’ family fight gag order in Idaho murders case
BTK killer Dennis Rader shares sympathy for Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger
Wednesday 8 February 2023 23:36 , Andrea Blanco
Serial killer Dennis Rader has expressed sympathy for Bryan Kohberger as he awaits trial in the Idaho murders.
Rader —who gave himself the title of the BTK killer because he bound and tortured his victims before killing them — is serving ten consecutive life sentences in a maximum security prison in Kansas after he confessed in 2005 to killing 10 people over a span of three decades.
In an interview with Fox News Digital on Wednesday, Rader said he understands how Mr Kohberger must feel while in solitary confinement at Latah County Jail ahead of his preliminary hearing on 26 June.
“Since I spent from February 2005 to April 2005 in a cell by myself, I know how he feels. Very lonely,” Rader told the outlet, adding that his situation improved when he was allowed to receive mail. “And soon letters started to come in ... [I] read a lot of the Bible and wrote poetry.”
Read the full story:
BTK killer Dennis Rader shares sympathy for Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger
Bryan Kohberger’s distinct eyebrows ‘may have been among the first in a string of details' that linked him to the Idaho murders
Thursday 9 February 2023 01:30 , Andrea Blanco
Air Mail’s “The Eyes of a Killer: Part Two” offers a vivid description of the Moscow police hunt for evidence that would ultimately materialise in Mr Kohberger’s arrest for the murders of four University of Idaho students, based on an affidavit released earlier this month and sources close to the investigation,
According to the report, a lead investigator first had an inkling that Mr Kohberger would become a suspect in the crime after he ran the Washington State University PhD student’s licence plate and noticed his “bushy eyebrows”.
One of the surviving roommates at the 1122 King Road home had recounted how she unknowingly saw her friends’ killer leaving the scene before going back into her room in a state of shock. The woman said the killer was wearing a mask, but his “bushy eyebrows” stood out to her.
Andrea Blanco has more:
One unique facial feature may have linked Bryan Kohberger to the Idaho murders
Victim’s family fight gag order in Idaho murders case
Thursday 9 February 2023 03:00 , Andrea Blanco
The family of slain University of Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves are fighting back against an unusually restrictive gag order placed on the case against her accused killer.
In an appeal filed in court on Friday, the Goncalves’ family attorney Shanon Gray called on the judge to pull back the scope of the gag order, describing it as unconstitutional and “facially overbroad and vague”.
A gag order was first issued in the case on 3 January, just days after Bryan Kohberger was arrested and charged with the quadruple homicide of Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in Moscow, Idaho, on 13 November.
The initial order barred the prosecution, the defence, and law enforcement and other officials from speaking publicly about the case.
On 18 January, the gag order was broadly expanded to also ban any attorneys representing survivors, witnesses or the victims’ family members from talking or writing about the case.
The potential reason why Kaylee Goncalves called ex-boyfriend before Idaho murders
Thursday 9 February 2023 04:30 , Andrea Blanco
The Goncalves’ family has shed light on why she might have been calling her ex-boyfriend Jack DuCoeur in the hours before she was brutally attacked.
In a sit-down interview with the YouTube channel Chronicles of Olivia aired last month — and filmed two days before Mr Kohberger’s arrest– the Goncalves said their daughter broke up with Mr DuCoeur ahead of her post-graduation move to Texas, but had later voiced concerns that she “might not ever find another Jack” and was considering getting back together with him.
Kaylee’s father Steve Goncalves said that the couple had remained friends and the slain student was looking “for every excuse for [Mr DuCoeur] to pick up the phone.” The family noted that they were not just blindly sticking up for Mr DuCoeur, and that they had done their due diligence by looking out for scratches on his body, and potential evidence on his shoes and inside his car.
“Even logically, I think a lot of people assume that we’re blinded by this individual but contrary to that, we’re very capable of removing our emotions for Jack —which is absolute love — and just looking at the situation logically,” Alivea Goncalves, Goncalves’ sister, said on the interview released on Friday.
“Looking at this individual logically, looking at a pattern of behaviours of him that we have seen throughout five, six years ... In our hearts and in our heads and in every sense of the word, it’s just not [plausible that he committed the crime].”
Mr DuCoeur was never considered a suspect in the quadruple murder, but was targeted by online armchair detectives baselessly linking him to the crimes before an arrest was made last month.
Bryan Kohberger’s attorney says defence has no evidence to hand to state
Thursday 9 February 2023 06:00 , Andrea Blanco
Court filings show the suspect’s defence attorney’s has now responded to the state’s request for discovery in the case.
In a court filing on 30 January, public defender Anne Taylor writes that the defence so far has no evidence to turn over such as books, documents, papers and photos.
There are also no results or reports of mental or physical exams or tests, the documents state.
This comes after prosecutors handed over a trove of documents, photos and video files in the case.
Why we should defend the surviving roommate in the Idaho murders
Thursday 9 February 2023 07:30 , Andrea Blanco
There are many chilling similarities between the murders of four Idaho students in November and a 1992 attack at a student home in Buffalo – none more so than the experiences of the roommates who survived.
Alanna Zabel tells The Independent’s Rachel Sharp why she feels the need to defend the surviving roommate in Idaho and how she understands the way trauma can shape reactions to such horrifying events:
She slept through an attack in her home - and has a message about the Idaho murders
FBI says agents did not lose track of Bryan Kohberger before Idaho college murders arrest
Thursday 9 February 2023 09:00 , Andrea Blanco
The FBI has denied claims that its agents “lost” accused mass killer Bryan Kohberger while he was under surveillance for the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students.
Surveillance teams had been tasked with keeping eyes on the 28-year-old criminology PhD student after he became a “person of interest” in the 13 November murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in Moscow, Idaho.
But, law enforcement sources told Air Mail’s “The Eyes of a Killer: Part Two” that in the early hours of 13 December, Mr Kohberger set off on a cross-country drive with his father from Washington State University (WSU) to his family home in Pennsylvania and the surveillance team “lost” him.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:
FBI denies claim agents ‘lost’ Bryan Kohberger before Idaho college murders arrest
Kaylee Goncalves’ family creates Facebook page for ‘tips’
Thursday 9 February 2023 10:30 , Andrea Blanco
Kaylee Goncalves’ family has created a new Facebook page for the public to send in “tips” and “leads” about the murders case.
The page, “Idaho Murders- The Goncalves Family Page”, was launched last week and has already reached 18,000 followers.
“This page is for the public to reach out if you have any tips/leads that could be helpful,” the page description reads.
In an update on Sunday, the family shared an update thanking the public for their support.
“We want to sincerely thank everyone who has supported us throughout this tragedy. To the people who send us condolences and prayers, all the way to the (always 100% anonymous) individuals sending in multiple new leads,” they wrote.
“From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you all for the unwavering support and outpouring of love.”
Why police aren’t sharing more information on the case
Thursday 9 February 2023 12:00 , Andrea Blanco
A court in Idaho recently extended a gag order prohibiting law enforcement officials from revealing information about the murders of four University of Idaho students and the arrest of their accused killer Bryan Kohberger.
The order, issued by the Latah County Chief Magistrate on 4 January, was extended on 19 January and will remain in place throughout court proceedings until a verdict has been reached or unless the mandate is modified by the court.
The earlier court order banned investigators, law enforcement personnel, attorneys, and members of both the prosecution and the defence from sharing any new information about the investigation or the suspect before a verdict is reached at trial.
As a result Moscow Police Department, which had been sharing updates on the investigation, said in a statement that it will no longer be communicating with the public or the media regarding the case.
The order both extends and expands the earlier measure.
According to court documents “any attorney representing witness, victim, or victim‘s family, as well as the parties to the above-entitled action, including but not limited to investigators, law enforcement personnel, and agents for the prosecuting attorney or defense attorney, are prohibited from making extrajudicial statements (written or oral) concerning this case”.
ICYMI: Possible animal hair found at Bryan Kohberger’s home after Kaylee Goncalves’ dog spared in Idaho murders
Thursday 9 February 2023 12:45 , Andrea Blanco
A “possible animal hair” was among the evidence seized from the home of Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger - sparking speculation that it could belong to victim Kaylee Goncalves’ dog.
Records of evidence recovered from Mr Kohberger’s home were unsealed last month, nearly three weeks after his arrest for the 13 November stabbings of University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.
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 who was at home at the time of the murders.
The dog called Murphy became the target of substantial attention in the case after investigators revealed that the pet was found unscathed in the room where Goncalves and Mogen were stabbed to death in the former student’s bed.
Bryan Kohberger was fired from WSU teaching job around time of murders – for ‘sexism and behavioural issues’
Thursday 9 February 2023 13:30 , Andrea Blanco
Bryan Kohberger was facing disciplinary action in his teaching assistant job at Washington State University (WSU) around the time of the murders of four University of Idaho students – before he was ultimately fired from the position days prior to his arrest.
The 28-year-old criminology PhD student began working as a teaching assistant in the criminology department in August as part of his graduate program.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:
Bryan Kohberger was fired from WSU teaching job days before Idaho murders arrest
Pennsylvania police are sifting through cold cases for possible links to Bryan Kohberger
Thursday 9 February 2023 14:15 , Andrea Blanco
Two law enforcement offices in Pennsylvania are reportedly sifting through cold case files in search of any potential links to Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger.
Northampton County District and Lehigh County started looking for links between unsolved cases and Mr Kohberger following his 30 December arrest, King5 reported. The Washington State University PhD student is accused of murdering Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Ethan Chapin on 13 November in Moscow, Idaho.
Read more:
Pennsylvania police looking at cold cases for possible links to Bryan Kohberger
Kaylee Goncalve’s family fight gag order in Idaho murders case
Thursday 9 February 2023 15:29 , Andrea Blanco
The family of slain University of Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves are fighting back against an unusually restrictive gag order placed on the case against her accused killer.
In an appeal filed in court on Friday, the Goncalves’ family attorney Shanon Gray called on the judge to pull back the scope of the gag order, describing it as unconstitutional and “facially overbroad and vague”.
A gag order was first issued in the case on 3 January, just days after Bryan Kohberger was arrested and charged with the quadruple homicide of Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in Moscow, Idaho, on 13 November.
The initial order barred the prosecution, the defence, and law enforcement and other officials from speaking publicly about the case.
On 18 January, the gag order was broadly expanded to also ban any attorneys representing survivors, witnesses or the victims’ family members from talking or writing about the case.
Kaylee Goncalves’ family creates Facebook page for ‘tips’
Thursday 9 February 2023 16:30 , Andrea Blanco
Kaylee Goncalves’ family has created a new Facebook page for the public to send in “tips” and “leads” about the murders case.
The page, “Idaho Murders- The Goncalves Family Page”, was launched last week and has already reached 18,000 followers.
“This page is for the public to reach out if you have any tips/leads that could be helpful,” the page description reads.
In an update on Sunday, the family shared an update thanking the public for their support.
“We want to sincerely thank everyone who has supported us throughout this tragedy. To the people who send us condolences and prayers, all the way to the (always 100% anonymous) individuals sending in multiple new leads,” they wrote.
“From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you all for the unwavering support and outpouring of love.”
Bryan Kohberger’s attorney says defence has no evidence to hand to state
Thursday 9 February 2023 17:41 , Andrea Blanco
Court filings show the suspect’s defence attorney’s has now responded to the state’s request for discovery in the case.
In a court filing on 30 January, public defender Anne Taylor writes that the defence so far has no evidence to turn over such as books, documents, papers and photos.
There are also no results or reports of mental or physical exams or tests, the documents state.
This comes after prosecutors handed over a trove of documents, photos and video files in the case.
Pennsylvania police are sifting through cold cases for possible links to Bryan Kohberger
Thursday 9 February 2023 18:46 , Andrea Blanco
Pennsylvania police are sifting through cold cases for possible links to Bryan Kohberger
Two law enforcement offices in Pennsylvania are reportedly sifting through cold case files in search of any potential links to Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger.
Northampton County District and Lehigh County started looking for links between unsolved cases and Mr Kohberger following his 30 December arrest, King5 reported. The Washington State University PhD student is accused of murdering Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Ethan Chapin on 13 November in Moscow, Idaho.
The Independent has the story:
Pennsylvania police looking at cold cases for possible links to Bryan Kohberger
WSU addresses reports that Bryan Kohberger was fired from teaching assistant job before Idaho murders
Thursday 9 February 2023 20:36 , Andrea Blanco
Mr Kohberger began working as a teaching assistant in the criminology department at WSU in August as part of his graduate program.
But within a month he was already under investigation by the university because of “behavioural problems” and a “sexist attitude towards women”, according to NewsNation.
On Thursday, the university issued a statement saying that Mr Kohberger is not currently employed at WSU, but did not clarify whether he was fired before or after his 30 December arrest.
“Bryan Kohberger received an appointment as a teaching assistant at Washington State University (WSU) during the fall 2022 semester. It is typical for students to receive a teaching assistantship or similar appointment as part of their PhD program,” a spokesperson said.
“Mr. Kohberger does not currently have a teaching assistantship and he is not currently enrolled at WSU. Information concerning a student’s teaching assistantship is considered a student record.
“The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prevents universities from discussing student records. As a result, I am unable to comment on Mr. Kohberger’s experience as a teaching assistant.”
FBI says agents did not lose track of Bryan Kohberger before Idaho college murders arrest
Thursday 9 February 2023 21:18 , Andrea Blanco
The FBI has denied claims that its agents “lost” accused mass killer Bryan Kohberger while he was under surveillance for the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students.
Surveillance teams had been tasked with keeping eyes on the 28-year-old criminology PhD student after he became a “person of interest” in the 13 November murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in Moscow, Idaho.
But, law enforcement sources told Air Mail’s “The Eyes of a Killer: Part Two” that in the early hours of 13 December, Mr Kohberger set off on a cross-country drive with his father from Washington State University (WSU) to his family home in Pennsylvania and the surveillance team “lost” him.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:
ICYMI: Possible animal hair found at Bryan Kohberger’s home after Kaylee Goncalves’ dog spared in Idaho murders
Thursday 9 February 2023 22:41 , Andrea Blanco
A “possible animal hair” was among the evidence seized from the home of Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger - sparking speculation that it could belong to victim Kaylee Goncalves’ dog.
Records of evidence recovered from Mr Kohberger’s home were unsealed last month, nearly three weeks after his arrest for the 13 November stabbings of University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.
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 who was at home at the time of the murders.
The dog called Murphy became the target of substantial attention in the case after investigators revealed that the pet was found unscathed in the room where Goncalves and Mogen were stabbed to death in the former student’s bed.
Serial killer Dennis Rader has expressed sympathy for Bryan Kohberger as he awaits trial in the Idaho murders
Friday 10 February 2023 00:30 , Andrea Blanco
Rader —who gave himself the title of the BTK killer because he bound and tortured his victims before killing them — is serving ten consecutive life sentences in a maximum security prison in Kansas after he confessed in 2005 to killing 10 people over a span of three decades.
In an interview with Fox News Digital on Wednesday, Rader said he understands how Mr Kohberger must feel while in solitary confinement at Latah County Jail ahead of his preliminary hearing on 26 June.
“Since I spent from February 2005 to April 2005 in a cell by myself, I know how he feels. Very lonely,” Rader told the outlet, adding that his situation improved when he was allowed to receive mail. “And soon letters started to come in ... [I] read a lot of the Bible and wrote poetry.”
Read the full story:
BTK killer Dennis Rader shares sympathy for Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger
Kaylee Goncalves’ family fight gag order in Idaho murders case
Friday 10 February 2023 02:00 , Andrea Blanco
The family of slain University of Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves are fighting back against an unusually restrictive gag order placed on the case against her accused killer.
In an appeal filed in court on Friday, the Goncalves’ family attorney Shanon Gray called on the judge to pull back the scope of the gag order, describing it as unconstitutional and “facially overbroad and vague”.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:
Kaylee Goncalves’ family fight gag order in Idaho murders case
Dickies tag and receipts from Walmart and Marshalls seized from Bryan Kohberger’s home
Friday 10 February 2023 03:30 , Andrea Blanco
According to the search warrant record unsealed last month, investigators seized one receipt from Walmart, two from Marshalls and a tag from the clothing brand Dickies from Bryan Kohberger’s home.
Last month, The Independent spoke to two experts - Dr Monte Miller, a former crime scene investigator and forensic expert for the Texas Department of Public Safety; and former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer - for their takes on each item.
Dr Miller said investigators could seek to prove that the items listed on those receipts, and whatever the tag came from, match with the clothing worn by the alleged killer.
“[The suspect] may have bought something to wear and discard, and then [law enforcement] found these receipts and asked ‘Where are these clothes?’” he said.
The receipts could also reveal how long in advance the clothing was purchased, Ms Coffindaffer noted.
Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20 and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were killed on 13 November
“I think that those would indicate not only what was purchased — which is relevant to the crime — but also when, which I think is very important to see timing, to see a forethought that this was planned,” Ms Coffindaffer said. “Was this just one day? Several days before? The timestamp to me is as important as what was on those receipts.”
Could Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger get a plea deal?
Friday 10 February 2023 05:00 , Andrea Blanco
If convicted of the four murders, Bryan Kohberger faces the possibility of lethal injection, should the prosecution seek the death penalty.
In the state of Idaho, the maximum sentence for first-degree murder is death and the suspect is facing four counts of this charge.
While the Latah County prosecutor has not yet confirmed whether or not he plans to seek the death penalty in the case and he is unlikely to show his hand over the coming weeks due to the gag order now in place.
Kaylee Goncalves’ parents have already said that they want their daughter’s killer to be sentenced to death saying he “has to pay” for what he has done.
“If you want to play god’s role, you’re gonna have to go answer to him,” Steve Goncalves told NewsNation in early-January.
According to prominent attorney Duncan Levin, in a death penalty case, the only possible plea deal would be for the suspect to be given life in prison instead.
However, he said it is “too early” to tell whether this is likely in this case.
“At this point, it is too early for the two sides to have a discussion about a plea deal,” he told The Independent.
“On a death penalty case, the only plea on the table is life in prison but both sides have too much investigating ahead of them to discuss that at this time.”
Ethan Chapin’s mother shares how family are adjusting to ‘new normal’
Friday 10 February 2023 06:30 , Andrea Blanco
The mother of slain University of Idaho Ethan Chapin has opened up about finding “the little victories” in her grief journey.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Stacy Chapin said she and her husband had visited her two surviving triplets, Mazie and Hunter, at the University of Idaho over the weekend. The Chapin triplets were all enrolled at the college in the town of Moscow when Ethan was killed on 13 November.
Speaking out about life after losing her son, Ms Chapin said she had early on agreed with her husband that Maizie and Hunter would be returning to school for the spring semester. The mother-of-three said that she wanted to keep her family close but also allow her children “to heal at their own pace.”
Read the full story here:
Ethan Chapin’s mom speaks about adjusting to ‘new normal’ after Idaho murders
ICYMI: The unique facial feature that may have linked Bryan Kohberger to the Idaho murders
Friday 10 February 2023 08:00 , Andrea Blanco
Bryan Kohberger’s distinct eyebrows may have been among the first in a string of details that linked him to the Idaho murders, according to a new report.
Air Mail’s “The Eyes of a Killer: Part Two” offers a vivid description of the Moscow police hunt for evidence that would ultimately materialise in Mr Kohberger’s arrest for the murders of four University of Idaho students, based on an affidavit released earlier this month and sources close to the investigation,
According to the report, a lead investigator first had an inkling that Mr Kohberger would become a suspect in the crime after he ran the Washington State University PhD student’s licence plate and noticed his “bushy eyebrows”.
One of the surviving roommates at the 1122 King Road home had recounted how she unknowingly saw her friends’ killer leaving the scene before going back into her room in a state of shock. The woman said the killer was wearing a mask, but his “bushy eyebrows” stood out to her.
Andrea Blanco has more:
One unique facial feature may have linked Bryan Kohberger to the Idaho murders
University of Idaho students claim they saw Bryan Kohberger ‘staring’ on campus
Friday 10 February 2023 10:30 , Andrea Blanco
Several students have recalled seeing Bryan Kohberger – a PhD student at Washington State University – on the University of Idaho campus in the weeks before the murders.
Three separate students told People that they believe they saw him in the Student Union building, with one saying he was sitting “staring” at people.
“It was really early in the semester,” sophomore student Chelsea said. “He was at the food court, drinking water. He sat by himself.”
“He was the type to stare. He wouldn’t look away if you caught him staring. Like he wanted you to notice that he was looking at you. He didn’t smile, didn’t nod, didn’t say anything. Just stared.”
Chelsea said that his behaviour prompted her to point him out to a friend.
“I told my friend to not be suspicious but to look at him, because the eye contact was making me uncomfortable,” she said. “It was so weird that we ended up leaving and eating outside, because we wanted to get away from him.”
Another student told the outlet she recognised Mr Kohberger after his arrest as she had seen him often around the campus – despite the fact that he did not go to UI.
“It’s not a huge school; it’s like a small town,” she said.
“So you start seeing the same faces again and again. They become familiar, like you know that you’ve seen them in class or around campus. I definitely saw him more than once. He was just really quiet and really intense, staring. He made me uncomfortable.”
Their accounts support comments previously made by a law enforcement source to People that the suspect spent some time on the UI campus before the 13 November killings.
No connection is yet known between the suspect and the victims.
FBI says agents did not lose track of Bryan Kohberger while he drove with his father to Washington
Friday 10 February 2023 11:15 , Andrea Blanco
FBI denies claim agents ‘lost’ Bryan Kohberger before Idaho college murders arrest
The FBI has denied claims that its agents “lost” accused mass killer Bryan Kohberger while he was under surveillance for the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students.
Surveillance teams had been tasked with keeping eyes on the 28-year-old criminology PhD student after he became a “person of interest” in the 13 November murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in Moscow, Idaho.
But, law enforcement sources told Air Mail’s “The Eyes of a Killer: Part Two” that in the early hours of 13 December, Mr Kohberger set off on a cross-country drive with his father from Washington State University (WSU) to his family home in Pennsylvania and the surveillance team “lost” him.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:
FBI denies claim agents ‘lost’ Bryan Kohberger before Idaho college murders arrest
WSU addresses reports that Bryan Kohberger was fired from teaching assistant job before Idaho murders
Friday 10 February 2023 12:00 , Andrea Blanco
Mr Kohberger began working as a teaching assistant in the criminology department at WSU in August as part of his graduate program.
But within a month he was already under investigation by the university because of “behavioural problems” and a “sexist attitude towards women”, according to NewsNation.
On Thursday, the university issued a statement saying that Mr Kohberger is not currently employed at WSU, but did not clarify whether he was fired before or after his 30 December arrest.
“Bryan Kohberger received an appointment as a teaching assistant at Washington State University (WSU) during the fall 2022 semester. It is typical for students to receive a teaching assistantship or similar appointment as part of their PhD program,” a spokesperson said.
“Mr. Kohberger does not currently have a teaching assistantship and he is not currently enrolled at WSU. Information concerning a student’s teaching assistantship is considered a student record.
“The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prevents universities from discussing student records. As a result, I am unable to comment on Mr. Kohberger’s experience as a teaching assistant.”
Kaylee Goncalves’ family creates Facebook page for ‘tips’
Friday 10 February 2023 12:45 , Andrea Blanco
Kaylee Goncalves’ family has created a new Facebook page for the public to send in “tips” and “leads” about the murders case.
The page, “Idaho Murders- The Goncalves Family Page”, was launched last week and has already reached 18,000 followers.
“This page is for the public to reach out if you have any tips/leads that could be helpful,” the page description reads.
In an update on Sunday, the family shared an update thanking the public for their support.
“We want to sincerely thank everyone who has supported us throughout this tragedy. To the people who send us condolences and prayers, all the way to the (always 100% anonymous) individuals sending in multiple new leads,” they wrote.
“From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you all for the unwavering support and outpouring of love.”
Pennsylvania police are sifting through cold cases for possible links to Bryan Kohberger
Friday 10 February 2023 13:15 , Andrea Blanco
Two law enforcement offices in Pennsylvania are reportedly sifting through cold case files in search of any potential links to Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger.
Northampton County District and Lehigh County started looking for links between unsolved cases and Mr Kohberger following his 30 December arrest, King5 reported. The Washington State University PhD student is accused of murdering Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Ethan Chapin on 13 November in Moscow, Idaho.
Mr Kohberger, originally from Pennsylvania, was a student at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem before he went on to spend four years studying criminology at DeSales University in Lehigh County.
Prosecutors in the two Keystone State counties told King5 that although no links have emerged so far, their offices are still working through cold cases databases.
Pennsylvania police looking at cold cases for possible links to Bryan Kohberger
Kaylee Goncalves’ family fight gag order in Idaho murders case
Friday 10 February 2023 14:00 , Andrea Blanco
The family of slain University of Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves are fighting back against an unusually restrictive gag order placed on the case against her accused killer.
In an appeal filed in court on Friday, the Goncalves’ family attorney Shanon Gray called on the judge to pull back the scope of the gag order, describing it as unconstitutional and “facially overbroad and vague”.
A gag order was first issued in the case on 3 January, just days after Bryan Kohberger was arrested and charged with the quadruple homicide of Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in Moscow, Idaho, on 13 November.
The initial order barred the prosecution, the defence, and law enforcement and other officials from speaking publicly about the case.
On 18 January, the gag order was broadly expanded to also ban any attorneys representing survivors, witnesses or the victims’ family members from talking or writing about the case.
Dickies tag and receipts from Walmart and Marshalls seized from Bryan Kohberger’s home
Friday 10 February 2023 15:07 , Andrea Blanco
According to the search warrant record unsealed last month, investigators seized one receipt from Walmart, two from Marshalls and a tag from the clothing brand Dickies from Bryan Kohberger’s home.
Last month, The Independent spoke to two experts - Dr Monte Miller, a former crime scene investigator and forensic expert for the Texas Department of Public Safety; and former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer - for their takes on each item.
Dr Miller said investigators could seek to prove that the items listed on those receipts, and whatever the tag came from, match with the clothing worn by the alleged killer.
“[The suspect] may have bought something to wear and discard, and then [law enforcement] found these receipts and asked ‘Where are these clothes?’” he said.
The receipts could also reveal how long in advance the clothing was purchased, Ms Coffindaffer noted.
Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20 and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were killed on 13 November
“I think that those would indicate not only what was purchased — which is relevant to the crime — but also when, which I think is very important to see timing, to see a forethought that this was planned,” Ms Coffindaffer said. “Was this just one day? Several days before? The timestamp to me is as important as what was on those receipts.”
ICYMI: The unique facial feature that may have linked Bryan Kohberger to the Idaho murders
Friday 10 February 2023 16:47 , Andrea Blanco
Bryan Kohberger’s distinct eyebrows may have been among the first in a string of details that linked him to the Idaho murders, according to a new report.
Air Mail’s “The Eyes of a Killer: Part Two” offers a vivid description of the Moscow police hunt for evidence that would ultimately materialise in Mr Kohberger’s arrest for the murders of four University of Idaho students, based on an affidavit released earlier this month and sources close to the investigation,
According to the report, a lead investigator first had an inkling that Mr Kohberger would become a suspect in the crime after he ran the Washington State University PhD student’s licence plate and noticed his “bushy eyebrows”.
One of the surviving roommates at the 1122 King Road home had recounted how she unknowingly saw her friends’ killer leaving the scene before going back into her room in a state of shock. The woman said the killer was wearing a mask, but his “bushy eyebrows” stood out to her.
Andrea Blanco has more:
One unique facial feature may have linked Bryan Kohberger to the Idaho murders
Ethan Chapin’s mother shares how family are adjusting to ‘new normal’
Friday 10 February 2023 18:18 , Andrea Blanco
The mother of slain University of Idaho Ethan Chapin has opened up about finding “the little victories” in her grief journey.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Stacy Chapin said she and her husband had visited her two surviving triplets, Mazie and Hunter, at the University of Idaho over the weekend. The Chapin triplets were all enrolled at the college in the town of Moscow when Ethan was killed on 13 November.
Speaking out about life after losing her son, Ms Chapin said she had early on agreed with her husband that Maizie and Hunter would be returning to school for the spring semester. The mother-of-three said that she wanted to keep her family close but also allow her children “to heal at their own pace.”
Read the full story here:
Ethan Chapin’s mom speaks about adjusting to ‘new normal’ after Idaho murders
Bryan Kohberger’s attorney says defence has no evidence to hand to state
Friday 10 February 2023 19:26 , Andrea Blanco
Court filings show the suspect’s defence attorney’s has now responded to the state’s request for discovery in the case.
In a court filing on 30 January, public defender Anne Taylor writes that the defence so far has no evidence to turn over such as books, documents, papers and photos.
There are also no results or reports of mental or physical exams or tests, the documents state.
This comes after prosecutors handed over a trove of documents, photos and video files in the case.
Why we should defend the surviving roommate in the Idaho murders
Friday 10 February 2023 22:29 , Andrea Blanco
There are many chilling similarities between the murders of four Idaho students in November and a 1992 attack at a student home in Buffalo – none more so than the experiences of the roommates who survived.
Alanna Zabel tells The Independent’s Rachel Sharp why she feels the need to defend the surviving roommate in Idaho and how she understands the way trauma can shape reactions to such horrifying events:
University of Idaho students claim they saw Bryan Kohberger ‘staring’ on campus
Friday 10 February 2023 23:44 , Andrea Blanco
Several students have recalled seeing Bryan Kohberger – a PhD student at Washington State University – on the University of Idaho campus in the weeks before the murders.
Three separate students told People that they believe they saw him in the Student Union building, with one saying he was sitting “staring” at people.
“It was really early in the semester,” sophomore student Chelsea said. “He was at the food court, drinking water. He sat by himself.”
“He was the type to stare. He wouldn’t look away if you caught him staring. Like he wanted you to notice that he was looking at you. He didn’t smile, didn’t nod, didn’t say anything. Just stared.”
Chelsea said that his behaviour prompted her to point him out to a friend.
“I told my friend to not be suspicious but to look at him, because the eye contact was making me uncomfortable,” she said. “It was so weird that we ended up leaving and eating outside, because we wanted to get away from him.”
Another student told the outlet she recognised Mr Kohberger after his arrest as she had seen him often around the campus – despite the fact that he did not go to UI.
“It’s not a huge school; it’s like a small town,” she said.
“So you start seeing the same faces again and again. They become familiar, like you know that you’ve seen them in class or around campus. I definitely saw him more than once. He was just really quiet and really intense, staring. He made me uncomfortable.”
Their accounts support comments previously made by a law enforcement source to People that the suspect spent some time on the UI campus before the 13 November killings.
No connection is yet known between the suspect and the victims.
Bryan Kohberger was interviewed by local police chief for internship months before Idaho murders
Saturday 11 February 2023 00:30 , Andrea Blanco
A criminology PhD student accused of murdering four University of Idaho students was interviewed by a local police department for an internship position months before the
Emails obtained by The New York Times show a brief exchange between Washington State University student Bryan Kohberger and the then-chief of Pullman Police Department Gary Jenkins regarding Mr Kohberger’s interview process for the research assistantship for public safety position in April 2022.
Mr Kohberger, 28, is facing four murder charges in the brutal stabbings of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho, on 13 November. Mr Kohberger was arrested in Pennsylvania on 30 December before he was extradited to Idaho on 5 January.
In his email to Mr Jenkins, Mr Kohberger wrote that “it was a great pleasure to meet with you today and share [his] thoughts and excitement.” Mr Jenkins replied that it was “great to meet and talk with you as well.”
It is not clear whether Mr Kohberger was offered a position with the department. The Independent has reached out to the department for comment.
BTK killer Dennis Rader shares sympathy for Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger
Saturday 11 February 2023 02:00 , Andrea Blanco
Serial killer Dennis Rader has expressed sympathy for Bryan Kohberger as he awaits trial in the Idaho murders.
Rader —who gave himself the title of the BTK killer because he bound and tortured his victims before killing them — is serving ten consecutive life sentences in a maximum security prison in Kansas after he confessed in 2005 to killing 10 people over a span of three decades.
In an interview with Fox News Digital on last week, Rader said he understands how Mr Kohberger must feel while in solitary confinement at Latah County Jail ahead of his preliminary hearing on 26 June.
“Since I spent from February 2005 to April 2005 in a cell by myself, I know how he feels. Very lonely,” Rader told the outlet, adding that his situation improved when he was allowed to receive mail. “And soon letters started to come in ... [I] read a lot of the Bible and wrote poetry.”
Rader’s name was first linked to the Idaho case last month after it emerged that Mr Kohberger had been a student in a criminology class taught by Dr Katherine Ramsland, the leading academic authority on the BTK killings.
Kaylee Goncalves’ family fight gag order in Idaho murders case
Saturday 11 February 2023 03:30 , Andrea Blanco
The family of slain University of Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves are fighting back against an unusually restrictive gag order placed on the case against her accused killer.
In an appeal filed in court last week, the Goncalves’ family attorney Shanon Gray called on the judge to pull back the scope of the gag order, describing it as unconstitutional and “facially overbroad and vague”.
A gag order was first issued in the case on 3 January, just days after Bryan Kohberger was arrested and charged with the quadruple homicide of Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in Moscow, Idaho, on 13 November.
The initial order barred the prosecution, the defence, and law enforcement and other officials from speaking publicly about the case.
On 18 January, the gag order was broadly expanded to also ban any attorneys representing survivors, witnesses or the victims’ family members from talking or writing about the case.
The unique facial feature that may have linked Bryan Kohberger to the Idaho murders
Saturday 11 February 2023 05:00 , Andrea Blanco
Bryan Kohberger’s distinct eyebrows may have been among the first in a string of details that linked him to the Idaho murders, according to a new report.
Air Mail’s “The Eyes of a Killer: Part Two” offers a vivid description of the Moscow police hunt for evidence that would ultimately materialise in Mr Kohberger’s arrest for the murders of four University of Idaho students, based on an affidavit released earlier this month and sources close to the investigation,
According to the report, a lead investigator first had an inkling that Mr Kohberger would become a suspect in the crime after he ran the Washington State University PhD student’s licence plate and noticed his “bushy eyebrows”.
One of the surviving roommates at the 1122 King Road home had recounted how she unknowingly saw her friends’ killer leaving the scene before going back into her room in a state of shock. The woman said the killer was wearing a mask, but his “bushy eyebrows” stood out to her.
Andrea Blanco has more:
One unique facial feature may have linked Bryan Kohberger to the Idaho murders
Kaylee Goncalves’ family creates Facebook page for ‘tips’
Saturday 11 February 2023 06:30 , Andrea Blanco
Kaylee Goncalves’ family has created a new Facebook page for the public to send in “tips” and “leads” about the murders case.
The page, “Idaho Murders- The Goncalves Family Page”, was launched last week and has already reached 18,000 followers.
“This page is for the public to reach out if you have any tips/leads that could be helpful,” the page description reads.
In an update on Sunday, the family shared an update thanking the public for their support.
“We want to sincerely thank everyone who has supported us throughout this tragedy. To the people who send us condolences and prayers, all the way to the (always 100% anonymous) individuals sending in multiple new leads,” they wrote.
“From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you all for the unwavering support and outpouring of love.”
ICYMI: Possible animal hair found at Bryan Kohberger’s home after Kaylee Goncalves’ dog spared in Idaho murders
Saturday 11 February 2023 08:00 , Andrea Blanco
A “possible animal hair” was among the evidence seized from the home of Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger - sparking speculation that it could belong to victim Kaylee Goncalves’ dog.
Records of evidence recovered from Mr Kohberger’s home were unsealed last month, nearly three weeks after his arrest for the 13 November stabbings of University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.
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 who was at home at the time of the murders.
The dog called Murphy became the target of substantial attention in the case after investigators revealed that the pet was found unscathed in the room where Goncalves and Mogen were stabbed to death in the former student’s bed.
FBI says agents did not lose track of Bryan Kohberger before Idaho college murders arrest
Saturday 11 February 2023 09:30 , Andrea Blanco
The FBI has denied claims that its agents “lost” accused mass killer Bryan Kohberger while he was under surveillance for the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students.
Surveillance teams had been tasked with keeping eyes on the 28-year-old criminology PhD student after he became a “person of interest” in the 13 November murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in Moscow, Idaho.
But, law enforcement sources told Air Mail’s “The Eyes of a Killer: Part Two” that in the early hours of 13 December, Mr Kohberger set off on a cross-country drive with his father from Washington State University (WSU) to his family home in Pennsylvania and the surveillance team “lost” him.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:
FBI denies claim agents ‘lost’ Bryan Kohberger before Idaho college murders arrest
WSU addresses reports that Bryan Kohberger was fired from teaching assistant job before Idaho murders
Saturday 11 February 2023 11:00 , Andrea Blanco
Mr Kohberger began working as a teaching assistant in the criminology department at WSU in August as part of his graduate program.
But within a month he was already under investigation by the university because of “behavioural problems” and a “sexist attitude towards women”, according to NewsNation.
On Thursday, the university issued a statement saying that Mr Kohberger is not currently employed at WSU, but did not clarify whether he was fired before or after his 30 December arrest.
“Bryan Kohberger received an appointment as a teaching assistant at Washington State University (WSU) during the fall 2022 semester. It is typical for students to receive a teaching assistantship or similar appointment as part of their PhD program,” a spokesperson said.
“Mr. Kohberger does not currently have a teaching assistantship and he is not currently enrolled at WSU. Information concerning a student’s teaching assistantship is considered a student record.
“The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prevents universities from discussing student records. As a result, I am unable to comment on Mr. Kohberger’s experience as a teaching assistant.”
Pennsylvania police sift through cold cases for possible links to Bryan Kohberger
Saturday 11 February 2023 12:00 , Andrea Blanco
Two law enforcement offices in Pennsylvania are reportedly sifting through cold case files in search of any potential links to Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger.
Northampton County District and Lehigh County started looking for links between unsolved cases and Mr Kohberger following his 30 December arrest, King5 reported. The Washington State University PhD student is accused of murdering Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Ethan Chapin on 13 November in Moscow, Idaho.
The Independent has the story:
Pennsylvania police looking at cold cases for possible links to Bryan Kohberger
Ethan Chapin’s mother shares how family navigates grief journey
Saturday 11 February 2023 13:00 , Andrea Blanco
In a Facebook post in late January, Stacy Chapin said she and her husband had visited her two surviving triplets, Mazie and Hunter, at the University of Idaho over the weekend. The Chapin triplets were all enrolled at the college in the town of Moscow when Ethan was killed on 13 November.
Ethan’s girlfriend Xana Kernodle her roommates Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were also brutally murdered in the attack in their off-campus rental home. Washington State University PhD student Bryan Kohberger, 28, was arrested and charged with the slayings on 30 December.
Speaking out about life after losing her son, Ms Chapin said she had early on agreed with her husband that Maizie and Hunter would be returning to school for the spring semester. The mother-of-three said that she wanted to keep her family close but also allow her children “to heal at their own pace.”
During their visit, Ms Chapin said, the parents fed over 20 of their children’s friends and enjoyed long conversations, coffee dates and hugs. The Chapin family also spent time “remembering Ethan and sharing stories” before Ms Chapin and her husband returned to their home in Washington.
“Our kids are resilient, but this is definitely a challenging time. We’re grateful they have each other at school, fraternity and sorority friends, and other amazing support systems,” she wrote. “They are each processing this new normal in their own way, and that’s okay. Our job as parents is to be there and provide tools and resources as needed.”