A suspect has finally been identified in the gruesome murders of four University of Idaho students. 28 year old Bryan C. Kohberger, a Ph.D. student at Washington State University in criminal justice, was arrested at his parents home in Effort, Pennsylvania after evidence linking him to the scene was discovered.
Investigators had a knife sheath found next to one of the victims to work with to find forensic evidence. They also had surveillance footage of a white Hyundai Elantra being in the area at the time. After broadening their search to outside of Idaho, they were able to find out that Kohberger had a white Elantra registered with Washington State University. Investigators said his physical appearance matches reports from witnesses.
Kohberger’s phone records were obtained right before Christmas, showing that his phone was possibly shut off at 2:47 a.m. in Pullman, Washington and was turned back on south of Moscow, Idaho, where the murders had taken place, at 4:48 a.m. The phone history also showed that Kohberger had been in the area twelve times in the months leading up to the attacks.
Police were able to retrieve a DNA sample from Kohberger’s father from trash he had left behind. The sample proved that he was most likely the father of whoever left DNA on the knife sheath left at the scene. Bryan Kohberger was then arrested shortly after on December 30th, during a raid of his parents home.
Investigators have yet to release a motive or a connection to the victims. Kohberger is very confident in being release and being found not guilty. He has said that the he looks forward to being exonerated.