In the latest development surrounding the brutal murder case of four University of Idaho students in Moscow, Idaho, defense attorneys for Bryan Kohberger filed new court documents, laying out their defense strategy.
Kohberger, the accused, alleges he was not present at the scene of the crime, 1122 King Road, on the night of the murders, Your Content has learned.
“By statutory definition, Mr. Kohberger may remain silent yet testify that he was not at 1122 King Road November 13, 2022.”
According to the court filing, Kohberger is known for his habit of late-night drives, which he claims to have been doing during the time of the murders.
“Mr. Kohberger has long had a habit of going for drives alone… He was out, driving during the late night and early morning hours of November 12-13, 2022.”
The filing also highlights that while no specific witness can account for Kohberger’s whereabouts on the mentioned dates, his defense team expects to bring forward corroborating witnesses. However, the details about these potential witnesses and their testimonies remain unclear.
Lawyers for the suspected killer asserted their understanding of the case-law broadening the definition of alibi and has signaled their intent to demonstrate Kohberger’s absence from the crime scene through cross-examination of the state’s witnesses.
The filing criticizes the state’s choice of a secret grand jury over a planned preliminary hearing, implying that the defense has been disadvantaged due to limited access to crucial information.
“The defense has been hampered by the state’s own choices. The state chose a secret grand jury rather than the planned preliminary hearing.” the filing continues.
Lawyers allege that the state’s motion is an attempt to peek inside their work strategy and accuses the state of using delay tactics to compel a waiver of speedy trial.
“The state’s motion is an attempt to force the defense to open its work product files and let the state peek inside,” lawyers for Kohberger argued. “The state continually uses those opportunities to attempt to force a waiver of speedy trial.”
Kohberger also seeks an exemption from further inquiry, considering it an intrusion into his case investigation and protected work-product. To support this, Kohberger is ready to provide further details in a private hearing with the court.
“Mr. Kohberger requests such an exception at this time. Continued inquiry at this juncture delves into his case investigation as well as protected work-product.”
As Your Content readers know, on November 13, 2022, four students from the University of Idaho lost their lives in a violent stabbing event that took place in an off-campus residence in Moscow, Idaho. Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, was later apprehended in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, charged with first-degree murder and felony burglary.
The murder scene was a three-story rental house occupied by several students in the quiet college town of Moscow, which hadn’t experienced a murder since 2015. The victims – Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves, and Ethan Chapin – were all inhabitants or guests of the house at the time of the incident.
In the early hours of the attack, Chapin and Kernodle returned home after attending a campus party, while Mogen and Goncalves returned after visiting a downtown sports bar. Multiple calls were made from the house between 2:26 am and 2:52 am, and a DoorDash order was delivered around 4 am.
Two roommates survived the attack. Both were present in the house but were not disturbed. One of the survivors heard what she thought was a conversation and then a man’s voice comforting someone. She later spotted an unknown figure in black attire, a mask obscuring his face, leaving the house. The victims were discovered in their beds on the upper floors, with no sign of restraints or gags, but evidence of a violent struggle.
It wasn’t until nearly noon that authorities were alerted via a 911 call, as the survivors and friends initially believed one of the victims was simply unconscious. There was no evidence of forced entry or theft, and all four victims were pronounced deceased by noon.
Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Madison Mogen were students at the University of Idaho, their tragic deaths leaving a significant impact on the community. A total of around 130 members from local law enforcement began working on the case.
After the autopsies were conducted, it was determined that all victims were fatally stabbed multiple times in the chest and upper body. Defensive wounds suggested that at least one victim tried to fight off the attacker.
The investigation involved poring over thousands of tips from the public and examining footage that revealed the movements of a Hyundai Elantra near the crime scene around the time of the killings. This vehicle was later linked to Bryan Kohberger.
Upon further investigation, DNA found on a knife sheath at the crime scene didn’t match any of the victims but was traced back to Kohberger via a public genealogy database. Surveillance of Kohberger at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania further escalated suspicions, leading to his arrest. At the time of his arrest, Kohberger was found in the kitchen, clad in a shirt, shorts, and examination gloves, organizing trash into separate zip-lock bags.