On Friday, officials apprehended Bryan Christopher Kohberger, a 28-year-old individual suspected of being involved in the fatalities of four students from the University of Idaho. This particular case, which initially puzzled investigators due to their inability to find the weapon used in the murders, represents a significant development in the arrest.
The four students, namely Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves, were discovered deceased at a residence located off-campus on Sunday, Nov. 13, following police intervention prompted by reports of an individual in an unresponsive state.
In relation to the murders, Kohberger has been accused of four charges of first-degree homicide and one charge of felony burglary involving the four students.
During a press conference on Friday, the authorities reiterated that they would remain tight-lipped on the investigation, but shared information that could be disclosed to the public.
Thompson, the prosecuting attorney for Latah County, home to the University of Idaho, declared, “This investigation is far from over.” “In reality, it marks a fresh start. You are all now aware of the identity of the individual accused of these crimes.”
The incident in Moscow, Idaho, shocked those who lived in the small town of Palouse Region, including roughly 11,000 students and a population of about 25,000, which is known for farming and a small college.
Moscow Police Chief James Fry informed reporters, “I would like to convey my gratitude to our local community.” “It has been highly commendable,” both nationwide and the residents of Idaho, who offered valuable information to assist us in probing these homicides.
Fry stated, “These youthful pupils will never be brought back by any apprehension. Nevertheless, we firmly believe that justice will be obtained through the legal procedure.”
The authorities did not provide any information regarding a possible reason.
After a gunman opened fire at Virginia University, killing two students and three more were taken into custody, the manhunt lasted for more than 12 hours. The authorities also took the shooter into custody shortly before the campus-wide lockdown took place, along with the stabbings that occurred.
Here’s what we know about the stabbings at the University of Idaho.
The individuals all were acquainted with one another
Following their identification by the Moscow Police Department, the University of Idaho disclosed the subsequent information regarding the four individuals who were impacted.
Ethan Chapin, a freshman from Mount Vernon, Washington, is a member of the Chi Sigma fraternity, majoring in management tourism and sport recreation.
Xana Kernodle, a student in her third year from Post Falls, Idaho, and a Pi Beta Phi sorority member, chose to study marketing.
Madison Mogen, a marketing major from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, who is in her senior year.
Kaylee Goncalves, a senior from Rathdrum, Idaho, who pursued a degree in general studies.
Autopsies revealed that the individuals had numerous puncture and protective injuries and were probably murdered while they were asleep. There were no indications of sexual assault. The initial law enforcement officers who reached the location stumbled upon an unlocked door and no evidence of unauthorized entry.
On King Road, the three-story residence, Mogen, Goncalves, and Kernodle, resided together with two more individuals, all of whom were actively engaged in the Greek community of the university.
Kernodle worked together with Mogen at a Greek restaurant and was in a romantic involvement with Chapin, who arrived to visit on that specific night.
A 911 call was placed at 11:58 a.M. From the cellphone of one of the roommates who survived, reporting an individual who was unconscious. The two roommates who survived had come back earlier, at approximately 1 a.M. According to the authorities, Mogen and Goncalves returned to the residence approximately 10 minutes later, after visiting a nearby bar and street food seller. Chapin and Kernodle arrived home around 1:45 a.M. After attending an event at the Sigma Chi fraternity house on the evening prior to the homicides.
The accused is being detained with no possibility of release
He is not currently being held without bail. After a hearing set for Tuesday, a judge in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, ordered Kohberger’s extradition to Idaho on a warrant for first-degree murder. The Pennsylvania State Police worked with the FBI to arrest Kohberger in Albrightsville.
The suspect is a graduate student at Washington State University’s campus in Pullman, where he completed his first semester as a Ph.D. Student in the university’s criminal justice program, according to a statement from WSU. He resides in an apartment on campus and also has an office there.
In a bid to uncover the truth and uphold his presumption of innocence instead of making unfounded assumptions and passing judgment based on incomplete information, the suspect’s family issued a statement on Jan. 1, asserting that they have “completely collaborated with law enforcement agencies.”
On Friday morning, Washington State University stated that their campus police department aided Idaho law enforcement authorities in carrying out search warrants at the suspect’s residence and workplace.
“Expressed Elizabeth Chilton, the chancellor of the WSU Pullman campus, ‘This dreadful deed has unsettled everyone in the Palouse area.’ On behalf of the WSU Pullman community, I desire to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of the law enforcement organizations that have been diligently working to resolve this offense.”
According to online records, an individual with an identical name also attained a postgraduate degree in criminal justice from DeSales University in the previous year.
It has taken weeks for the authorities to apprehend a suspect.
The authorities remained tight-lipped on the details of the investigation as police were unable to arrest a suspect for the stabbing deaths. Online sleuths also attracted attention to the case for weeks.
The Chief of Police in Moscow, James Fry, stated during a press conference on November 20th that it will take some time to resolve the incident, as it is a terrible and intricate crime.
As the weeks dragged on, the restlessness of the people in Little Brad, Idaho grew, prompting the state government to allocate $1 million in emergency funds for investigation on November 28th.
The Idaho State Police, consisting of 15 troopers, along with 20 additional investigators from The Associated Press, and 44 individuals assigned by the FBI, received assistance from local authorities during the case.
On Dec. 7, the Moscow police department asked the public for help identifying a white sedan previously spotted near the off-campus home.
On Thursday, the police department stated that they are still working through over 300 interviews, 6,050 digital media submissions, 4,575 phone tips, and more than 9,025 emailed tips.
On Facebook, the law enforcement agency stated, “Your data could potentially be one of the puzzle components that aid in resolving these homicides, regardless of whether you perceive it as important or not.”
The college’s campus remains unsettled
The small University of Idaho community has been shaken by the slayings, as many as 9,000 enrolled students at the school did not return to campus after the Thanksgiving break. The faculty has informed its professors that classes and sessions for finals will be canceled altogether, and they have the option to conduct virtual and optional sessions for their students, in order to provide flexibility.
In December, alumni and students held a candlelight vigil on both the main campus and the satellite campuses of Idaho University to honor the four victims who were killed.
President C. Scott Green of the University of Idaho expressed during the Friday press conference, “We always maintained our belief that this case would be resolved, and we appreciate the excellent efforts of the Moscow Police department, as well as their law enforcement colleagues.”