Arrests made in Univesity of Idaho student murders

Bryan Christopher Kohberger, who was arrested for the murders of four University of Idaho students on November 13 waived extraction and was returned to Idaho to face murder charges.

Kohberger appeared in court in Idaho today for a brief appearance.  He was denied bail and will return to court for a status hearing on January 12 . Police released their 19-page probable cause affidavit ahead of the hearing for Kohberger. He denies the murders and is ‘eager’ to learn of the cops’ evidence. He was described as talkative and warm.

Kohberger, a Ph.D. student at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, was arrested Friday at his parent’s home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania. He drove across the country with his father from Washington State to Pennsylvania. Kohberger is 28. Police broke down the front door and kicked and shattered windows to make the arrest.

There is no known motive for Kohberger murdering the students. The students’ parents have never heard their son or daughters mention him, and the arrested suspect asked if any others had been taken into custody. Court documents matched DNA from trash recovered at the Kohberger family home in Pennsylvania to a tan leather knife sheath found on one of the victim’s beds.

Kohberger is accused of murdering Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. They were all murdered in their beds, but Groncalves put it in a fight before she was killed.

The suspect earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from DeSales University. He lived in Pullman, Washington, which is a few miles away from the University of Idaho. 

Jason LeBar, the suspect’s attorney, said Kohberger looks forward to being exonerated. Kohberger is expected to be returned to Idaho Sunday for arrangement on the charges, which include four counts of first-degree murder and felony burglary. LeBar and Kohberger are working with the police.

“We have fully cooperated with law enforcement agencies in an attempt to seek the truth and promote his presumption of innocence rather than judge unknown facts and make erroneous assumptions,” Kohberger’s family said in a statement released by his public defender, LaBar. The family said they “will continue to let the legal process unfold and as a family, we will love and support our son and brother.”

On behalf of the victims, Kohberger’s family said “there are no words that can adequately express the sadness we feel, and we pray each day for them.” 

“We respect privacy in this matter as our family and the families suffering loss can move forward through the legal process,” the family said. 

Moscow Police Chief James Fry said he believes Kohberger is the killer and that he acted alone.

Genetic genealogy helped investigators identify him as a suspect.

During a press conference on Friday, authorities confirmed that a white Hyundai Elantra was discovered in the search – with sources saying it was towed from outside Kohberger’s family home.

Law enforcement sources told CNN that his DNA was discovered at the scene of the crime – with officers managing to track down who owned the car seen in the area of the slayings. He and his father were stopped twice while driving through Indiana, but police only gave a warning.

However, Kohberger has no prior arrests, according to public records.

The killings have shaken Moscow, an Idaho Panhandle town of 25,000 residents that last saw a homicide about five years ago.

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