Officers Pursuing Idaho Student Killing Suspect Cross Country to Pennsylvania, Sources Say | CNN
Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
CNN
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Officers tracked down the man. Charged with Murdering Four Idaho College Students to Pennsylvania and monitored him for several days before finally apprehending him on Friday. A source told CNN.
Brian Christopher Kohberger, 28, was arrested in his native Pennsylvania. and was charged with four counts of first-degree murder. As well as a burglary involving the stabbing, four University of Idaho students died in November, according to Latah County Attorney Bill Thompson.
However, investigators have not publicly confirmed the suspect’s motives. Or does he know the victim? No murder weapon was found either, Moscow Police Commissioner James Fry said Friday.
It has been nearly seven weeks since a student was found stabbed to death in his off-campus home. Investigators conducted more than 300 interviews and made approximately 20,000 recommendations in the search for suspects. News of the killings—and long periods without any suspects or significant progress—sheared the University of Idaho community and surrounding Moscow city. which has not seen a murder in seven years
inquiry official Focus on Kohberger. as a suspect through DNA evidence and by confirming his ownership of the white Hyundai Elantra seen near the crime scene. According to reports from two law enforcement sources that concluded the investigation.
Koh Burger The official said he lived only minutes from the scene of the accident. Am a PhD student in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology. Washington State University confirmation school
He drives a Hyundai Elantra White crosses the country and arrives at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania for Christmas. according to law enforcement sources Authorities began tracking him at one point during his eastward journey from Idaho.
“Sometimes before Christmas We are aiming for him to go or go to Pennsylvania,” a source told CNN.
An FBI surveillance team followed him for 4 days before he was arrested. While law enforcement agencies work with prosecutors to develop sufficient grounds for an arrest warrant. Two law enforcement sources said.
Genetic genealogy techniques were used to connect Kohberger to the unidentified DNA evidence. Another source with knowledge of the matter told CNN. Sources stated that The DNA was run through public databases to find possible family members matches. And the ensuing investigation by law enforcement has made him a suspect. the source said
Kohberger was detained Friday morning in Pennsylvania and is being held without bail, records show.
Kohberger intends to waive his extradition hearing to expedite his transportation to Idaho, Monroe County Chief Public Defender Jason Labar said in a statement to CNN Saturday.
“Mr. Kohberger is eager to be cleared of these allegations. and look forward to addressing these issues as soon as possible,” said Labar.
LaBar later told CNN that Kohberger arrived in Pennsylvania around Dec. 17 to celebrate the holiday with his family.
“His father left (to Idaho) and they drove home together,” Labar said.
He said Kohberger’s white Hyundai Elantra was found at his parents’ house. Authorities arrested him early Friday. LaBar said his client’s father, Michael, answered police questions. Father and son are working together, he said.
LaBar said he has advised his clients to undergo psychological testing before their court hearings.
Kohberger was alone in his cell. Labar said and said “There are officers on duty 24 hours a day for his safety.”
LaBar said the extradition trial was He said what the Commonwealth needed to prove was that his client looked like or was an arrest warrant and that he was on the grounds at the time of the crime.
LaBar said he spoke with Kohberger for about an hour on Friday evening. by discussing where he was at the time of the killing “Of course it is possible that they have location information from his mobile phone. And put him on the border of Washington and Idaho,” Labar told CNN. “Obviously it was an easy decision. Since he doesn’t dispute that he’s Brian Kohberger.”
Koh Burger “A little shocked,” Labar said.
LaBar added, “We don’t know much about the case. I have no affidavit or probable cause. I don’t want to discuss this with him because I am only representing him for this procedural issue of whether he wants to extradite him back to Idaho.”
Even if the suspect was charged But law enforcement work is not yet over, prosecutors said.
“This is not the end of this investigation. In fact, this is a new beginning,” Thompson said Friday night.
Thompson urges people to continue to send advice. It asks anyone with information about the suspect to “report it, call the hotline.” Report everything you know about him to help investigators.”
since the killing of four students – Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen 21; Xana Kernodle 20 years; and Ethan Chapin. Some 20-year-old community members are becoming frustrated as investigators have yet to elaborate on how that night took place. Official disclosure of limited details including the victim’s activities leading up to the attack and persons they judge to be suspects.
Fry told reporters Friday that state law limits what information the agency can release before Kohberger makes his first appearance in an Idaho court. A probable affidavit detailing the factual basis of Kohberger’s allegations. It will remain sealed until the suspect is in Latah County, Idaho, and a subpoena has been obtained from the state of Idaho. Thompson said
Kohberger lives in Pullman, Washington, a city just nine miles from the crash site, officials said. His apartment and office on Washington State University’s Pullman campus were searched by law enforcement on Friday morning. The university confirmed in a statement.
In June 2022, he completed his graduate studies at DeSales University, an undergraduate university, according to a statement on the school’s website. He also received an associate degree from Northampton Community College in 2018, the college confirmed to CNN.
LaBar called Kohberger “very smart.”
The lawyer said he spoke to Kohberger’s family Friday night for 15 to 20 minutes.
“They were shocked as well,” he said. “Brian’s character was unusual… The FBI, local Idaho state troopers knocked on the door at about 3:00 a.m. yesterday and announced they were ‘no one.’ into with shock and fear towards them.”
In a deleted Reddit post after Kohberger’s arrest was announced, an investigative student named Bryan Kohberger involved in the DeSales University study requested participation in the research project. “To understand how emotions and psychological traits influence decisions when committing crimes.”
“Especially This study attempts to understand the story behind your most recent criminal act. It focuses on your thoughts and feelings throughout your experience,” the post said.
CNN contacted one of the study’s principal investigators. DeSales University professor, but they declined to comment on the matter. The university did not respond to a request for comment.
