Idaho murders - live: Bryan Kohberger’s eyebrows helped Moscow police link him to college killings

Rachel Sharp and Andrea Blanco

1 February 2023 at 10:49 am·33-min read

The grieving mother of slain University of Idaho student Ethan Chapin has shared an update about how the family is adjusting to their “new normal” without the 20-year-old.

In a Facebook post, Stacy Chapin spoke of the small victories they accomplish each day in the healing process as she revealed she and her husband had visited their two surviving triplets Mazie and Hunter at the college where all three had been enrolled before Ethan’s murder.

“The start of the grieving process felt like standing at the bottom of the wall with no key to get through the gate and no rope to get up the wall. The rope has been tossed over the wall and we’ve started the tedious climb,” she wrote.

Her statement comes as it emerged an FBI surveillance team “lost” Bryan Kohberger for several hours while the net was closing in on him for the 13 November murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Chapin.

Air Mail’s “The Eyes of a Killer: Part Two” reported that Mr Kohberger “vanished” for several hours as he and his father began their cross-country trip from Washington State University (WSU) to his family home in Pennsylvania.

Key points

Bryan Kohberger attorneys receive trove of evidence in case
Kohberger’s attorney has ties to second victim’s family
Xana Kernodle’s mom feels ‘betrayed’ by attorney who dropped her for daughter’s alleged killer
Bryan Kohberger met local police chief and sent him gushing email – months before murders
Chilling online comments from suspect as teen revealed

Ethan Chapin’s mother shares update about family

10:44 , Rachel Sharp

The grieving mother of slain University of Idaho student Ethan Chapin has shared an update about how the family is adjusting to their “new normal” without the 20-year-old.

Bryan Kohberger’s trial for the Idaho murders is months away. How strong is the case against him?

15:30 , Rachel Sharp

It will be another six months before Bryan Kohberger and the families of his alleged victims come face to face in court again, after his preliminary hearing was postponed until the summer.

The 28-year-old criminology PhD student could face the death penalty if convicted when he eventually goes on trial for the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin – the four students who were found violently stabbed to death in an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, on 13 November.

For more than six weeks, the murders remained a mystery and left the small college town racked by fear.

Then, on 30 December, Mr Kohberger was arrested 2,500 miles away at his family home in Pennsylvania and charged with four counts of murder and one charge of burglary.

Details about the murders and his alleged role in them were laid out in the damning probable cause affidavit released earlier this month.

But just how strong is the case against him? What can we expect next from the defence and the prosecution? And why has Mr Kohberger’s attorney requested evidence about a co-defendant?

Duncan Levin, a former assistant district attorney in the Manhattan DA’s office who has no official connection to the Idaho murders case, speaks to The Independent about the strength of the criminal case and what to expect next as it makes it way through the courts:

Ethan Chapin’s family opens up about finding ‘the little victories’ in their grief journey

14:30 , Rachel Sharp

In a Facebook post on Monday, Stacy Chapin said she and her husband had visited her two surviving triplets, Mazie and Hunter, at the University of Idaho over the weekend. The Chapin triplets were all enrolled at the college in the town of Moscow when Ethan was killed on 13 November.

Ethan’s girlfriend Xana Kernodle her roommates Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were also brutally murdered in the attack in their off-campus rental home. Washington State University PhD student Bryan Kohberger, 28, was arrested and charged with the slayings on 30 December.

Speaking out about life after losing her son, Ms Chapin said she had early on agreed with her husband that Maizie and Hunter would be returning to school for the spring semester. The mother-of-three said that she wanted to keep her family close but also allow her children “to heal at their own pace.”

During their visit, Ms Chapin said, the parents fed over 20 of their children’s friends and enjoyed long conversations, coffee dates and hugs.

The Chapin family also spent time “remembering Ethan and sharing stories” before Ms Chapin and her husband returned to their home in Washington.

Kaylee Goncalves’ family reveals reason for calls to former boyfriend not long before murders

13:30 , Rachel Sharp

Kaylee Goncalves’ family members have revealed a possible reason for the calls the slain student made to her former boyfriend not long before she was brutally murdered.

In the early hours of 13 November, Goncalves and Mogen both made phone calls to Goncalves’ ex-boyfriend Jack DuCoeur, with whom she shares pet dog Murphy.

Mr DuCoeur did not answer the calls.

Just hours later – at between 4am and 4.25am – Goncalves and Mogen were brutally stabbed to death alongside Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

In a sit-down interview with the YouTube channel Chronicles of Olivia, the Goncalves family spoke out about the calls, saying that they believe their daughter was seeking to rekindle her relationship with Mr DuCoeur.

Goncalves broke up with Mr DuCoeur ahead of her post-graduation move to Texas, but had later voiced concerns that she “might not ever find another Jack” and was considering getting back together with him, they said.

Kaylee’s father Steve Goncalves said that the couple had remained friends and the slain student was looking “for every excuse for [Mr DuCoeur] to pick up the phone.”

Restaurant where two Idaho murders victims worked denies Bryan Kohberger rumours

12:30 , Andrea Blanco

The owner of a restaurant where two of the four University of Idaho victims worked has denied a report that suspect Bryan Kohberger ate at the business.

Jackie Fischer, owner of the Mad Greek — where slain students Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle were servers — spoke out in a strongly-worded Facebook post on Friday after an anonymous former staff member claimed to People that Mr Kohberger had visited the eatery in the weeks before the killings.

Mogen, Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves, and Kernodle’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin were all killed in a violent stabbing attack on 13 November in Moscow. Mr Kohberger, a Washington State University PhD criminology student who lived 15 minutes from the victims’ home, has been charged with the murders.

According to the People report, Mr Kohberger visited the restaurant in Moscow twice in the weeks leading up to the murders and ordered vegan pizza.

It also alleged that an investigator with insight into the case reportedly told the magazine that authorities knew about the visits to the restaurant, had seized footage and that both staff and owners had been interviewed by law enforcement.

Ms Fischer slammed the claims and said they were unequivocally false.

“The news/media should really do their due diligence before running a story with completely fabricated information. This person who wants their 5 minutes of fame has now caused a whole bunch of extra work for myself and the investigators,” Ms Fischer wrote in a Facebook post.

University of Idaho students launch fundraiser selling bracelets in victims’ honour

11:30 , Andrea Blanco

University of Idaho students have launched fundraiser selling bracelets in honour of the four murder victims.

The Vandal Strong bracelets are black silicon bands featuring the names of Ethan, Maddie, Xana and Kaylee.

They are for sale on the UI website with funds from the sales set to go towards a memorial for the victims.

“Student fundraiser organized by @ASUIDAHO selling #vandalstrong bracelets to raise money towards building a permanent memorial on @uidaho campus for Xana, Ethan, Madison, and Kaylee. A way for us to honor and remember them forever,” tweeted Xana Kernodle’s family member Sheldon Kernodle.

Student fundraiser organized by @ASUIDAHO selling #vandalstrong bracelets to raise money towards building a permanent memorial on @uidaho campus for Xana, Ethan, Madison, and Kaylee. A way for us to honor and remember them forever. Link to buy below:https://t.co/agvLa4CtmB
— Sheldon Kernodle (@amigoshel) January 20, 2023

Bryan Kohberger ‘vanished’ for hours while under surveillance in Idaho murders case

10:00 , Andrea Blanco

Surveillance teams had been tasked with keeping eyes on the 28-year-old criminology PhD student after he became a “person of interest” in the 13 November murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in Moscow, Idaho.

But, in the early morning of 13 December, when he set off on a cross-country drive with his father from his apartment at Washington State University (WSU) to his family home in Pennsylvania for the holidays, FBI agents “lost” the accused quadruple killer.

The shocking revelation came to light in Air Mail’s “The Eyes of a Killer: Part Two”, citing law enforcement sources who admitted that Mr Kohberger managed to slip the net almost as soon as his white Hyundai Elantra pulled out of the parking lot at his graduate housing complex.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:

Bryan Kohberger ‘vanished’ for hours while under surveillance in Idaho murders case

Judge extends gag order in Idaho murders

08:30 , Andrea Blanco

A court in Idaho has extended a gag order issued earlier this month prohibiting law enforcement officials from revealing information about the murders of four University of Idaho students and the arrest of their accused killer Bryan Kohberger.

The order, issued by the Latah County Chief Magistrate on 4 January, was extended on 19 January and will remain in place throughout court proceedings until a verdict has been reached or unless the mandate is modified by the court.

The earlier court order banned investigators, law enforcement personnel, attorneys, and members of both the prosecution and the defence from sharing any new information about the investigation or the suspect before a verdict is reached at trial.

As a result Moscow Police Department, which had been sharing updates on the investigation, said in a statement that it will no longer be communicating with the public or the media regarding the case.

The order both extends and expands the earlier measure.

According to court documents “any attorney representing witness, victim, or victim‘s family, as well as the parties to the above-entitled action, including but not limited to investigators, law enforcement personnel, and agents for the prosecuting attorney or defense attorney, are prohibited from making extrajudicial statements (written or oral) concerning this case”.

What forensic experts say about evidence seized from Bryan Kohberger’s home in the Idaho murders case

07:00 , Andrea Blanco

A record of evidence recovered during the apartment search was unsealed on Wednesday, revealing the seizure of 15 items including hairs, receipts, a computer tower, a disposable glove and items with peculiar stains.

The record reignited a frenzy of speculation online - despite its simplicity and lack of conjecture.

But what significance, if any, can actually be gleaned from the list? The Independent spoke to two experts - Dr Monte Miller, a former crime scene investigator and forensic expert for the Texas Department of Public Safety; and former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer - for their takes on each item.

What forensic experts say about evidence seized from Bryan Kohberger’s home

How strong is the case against Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger?

05:30 , Andrea Blanco

The prominent attorney Duncan Levin spoke to The Independent’s Rachel Sharp about the case against Bryan Kohberger and what to expect for the next moves from the defence and the prosecution.

How strong is the case against Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger?

Bryan Kohberger is believed to have followed the three female slain University of Idaho victims on Instagram

04:00 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger is believed to have followed all three slain female University of Idaho victims on Instagram and “repeatedly” messaged one of them prior to the brutal stabbings, according to a report.

An investigator familiar with the case told People that the 28-year-old criminology PhD student followed the accounts of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves and Xana Kernodle but neither of them followed him back.

Then, in late-October – around two weeks before the 13 November slayings – Mr Kohberger allegedly messaged one of the victims “repeatedly” on the social media platform, the source said.

It is unclear which of the three female students was the recipient or if she even saw the messages.

However, the source said that the victim did not respond to Mr Kohberger’s messages.

“He slid into one of the girls’ DMs several times but she didn’t respond,” the investigator said.

“Basically, it was just him saying, ‘Hey, how are you?’ But he did it again and again.”

Bryan Kohberger was interviewed by local police chief for internship months before Idaho murders

02:30 , Andrea Blanco

A criminology PhD student accused of murdering four University of Idaho students was interviewed by a local police department for an internship position months before the slayings.

New emails obtained by The New York Times show a brief exchange between Washington State University student Bryan Kohberger and the then-chief of Pullman Police Department Gary Jenkins regarding Mr Kohberger’s interview process for the research assistantship for public safety position in April 2022.

Mr Kohberger, 28, is facing four murder charges in the brutal stabbings of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho, on 13 November. Mr Kohberger was arrested in Pennsylvania on 30 December before he was extradited to Idaho on 5 January.

In his email to Mr Jenkins, Mr Kohberger wrote that “it was a great pleasure to meet with you today and share [his] thoughts and excitement.” Mr Jenkins replied that it was “great to meet and talk with you as well.”

It is not clear whether Mr Kohberger was offered a position with the department.

Bryan Kohberger’s legal team receives thousands of documents and photos as evidence in Idaho murders case

01:00 , Andrea Blanco

Attorneys representing Bryan Kohberger have now received thousands of documents and photos as evidence in the University of Idaho murders case.

Court filings reveal that prosecutors in Moscow, Idaho, handed over the huge trove of evidence to lawyers for the 28-year-old suspected mass killer last week, including 995 pages of documents, one audio/video file, and 1,865 photos.

The evidence – which shows what led investigators to arrest the criminology PhD student for the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin – came in response to the defence’s discovery request in the case.

However, the state objected to handing over some information in the case, including the identity of potential informants.

“The State objects to requests by the Defendant for anything not otherwise addressed above on the grounds that such requests are outside the scope of I.C.R. 16 and/or are not subject to disclosure under ICR 16(g) (work product and informants),” prosecutors wrote in the court filings.

Xana Kernodle’s mother says Bryan Kohberger’s lawyer had power of attorney over her as she slams ‘betrayal’

Tuesday 31 January 2023 23:30 , Andrea Blanco

The mother of slain University of Idaho student Xana Kernodle has claimed that she gave her power of attorney to the public defender now representing her daughter’s alleged killer.

Anne Taylor, the chief of the Kootenai public defender’s office, filed on 5 January to recuse herself from representing Xana Kernodle’s mother Cara Denise Northington in order to become the lead defence attorney for Bryan Kohberger.

In an interview with NewsNation on Wednesday night, Ms Northington spoke out over the sense of “betrayal” she feels after her attorney stepped down from her case, saying she had given Ms Taylor power of attorney over her.

The Independent’s Andrea Blanco has the full story:

Idaho murder victim’s mom says she gave Bryan Kohberger lawyer power of attorney

Ethan Chapin’s mother shares how family are adjusting to ‘new normal’ after Idaho murders

Tuesday 31 January 2023 21:47 , Andrea Blanco

The Independent has the story:

Ethan Chapin’s mom speaks about adjusting to ‘new normal’ after Idaho murders

What is the importance of the items seized from Bryan Kohberger’s home?

Tuesday 31 January 2023 20:50 , Andrea Blanco

The Independent spoke to two experts - Dr Monte Miller, a former crime scene investigator and forensic expert for the Texas Department of Public Safety; and former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer - for their takes on each of the items seized from Bryan Kohberger’s home.

How strong is the case against Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger?

VOICES: The eerie online world of the Idaho murders case

Tuesday 31 January 2023 20:05 , Andrea Blanco

“While America has long been fascinated with true crime, the shocking brutality and seeming randomness of the Moscow murders sent the internet sleuth community into overdrive.

“Conspiracy theories and rumours have dominated the investigation with thousands of people joining social media groups to discuss their take on what transpired and why.”

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp writes:

The eerie online world of the Idaho murders case

Xana Kernodle’s mother says she opposes death penalty for daughter’s killer

Tuesday 31 January 2023 19:22 , Andrea Blanco

The mother of slain student Xana Kernodle has revealed that she opposes the death penalty for her daughter’s accused killer Bryan Kohberger.

Cara Northington told NewsNation that she wants the suspect to “pay for what he’s done” but is against the death penalty.

“That’s not who I am. I don’t believe in [the death penalty], but I do think that he should spend the rest of his days in prison,” she said.

Her stance comes in opposition to the parents of Kaylee Goncalves who previously said they would support the death penalty for the person responsible for killing the four students.

These were the items seized from Bryan Kohberger’s Washington state home:

Tuesday 31 January 2023 17:22 , Andrea Blanco

Unsealed search warrants have revealed what evidence was seized from Bryan Kohberger’s apartment in Pullman and his office at Washington State University (WSU) during searches in late December.

This included:

- one nitrite type black glove

- one Walmart receipt with one Dickie’s tag

- two Marshalls receipts

- dust container from a vacuum

- multiple possible hair and hair strands

- one possible animal hair strands

- two cuttings from uncased pillow of reddish/brown stain

- two top and bottom mattress cover with multiple stains

- items with a ‘dark red spot’

- a computer tower

- a Fire TV stick

No items were seized from his office which he shared with other PhD students.

Defence attorneys receive thousands of documents and photos as evidence in case

Tuesday 31 January 2023 17:00 , Andrea Blanco

Attorneys representing Bryan Kohberger have now received thousands of documents and photos as evidence in the University of Idaho murders case.

However, the state objected to handing over some information in the case, including the identity of potential informants.

Idaho murders suspect was interviewed for research assistantship at local police department

Tuesday 31 January 2023 16:15 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger was interviewed by a local police department for an internship position months before the slayings.

New emails show a brief exchange between Washington State University student Bryan Kohberger and the then-chief of Pullman Police Department Gary Jenkins regarding Mr Kohberger’s interview process for the research assistantship for public safety position in April 2022.

Read the full story here.

University of Idaho students launch fundraiser selling bracelets in victims’ honour

Tuesday 31 January 2023 15:30 , Andrea Blanco

University of Idaho students have launched fundraiser selling bracelets in honour of the four murder victims.

The Vandal Strong bracelets are black silicon bands featuring the names of Ethan, Maddie, Xana and Kaylee.

They are for sale on the UI website with funds from the sales set to go towards a memorial for the victims.

Student fundraiser organized by @ASUIDAHO selling #vandalstrong bracelets to raise money towards building a permanent memorial on @uidaho campus for Xana, Ethan, Madison, and Kaylee. A way for us to honor and remember them forever. Link to buy below:https://t.co/agvLa4CtmB
— Sheldon Kernodle (@amigoshel) January 20, 2023

Debunked: Speculation about a ‘co-defendant’

Tuesday 31 January 2023 14:45 , Andrea Blanco

Earlier this month, Bryan Kohberger’s attorney Ann Taylor filed a discovery request in the case, asking the judge to order the prosecution to hand over all discovery in the case within 14 days.

Among the discovery requests were witness statements, digital media and police reports about the case.

It also included a request for information about a “co-defendant” in the case.

“Statements of co-defendant. Any written or recorded statements by a codefendant, and the substance of any relevant oral statement made by a co-defendant whether before or after arrest in response to interrogation by any person known by the codefendant to be a peace officer or agent of the prosecuting attorney, or which are otherwise relevant to the offense charged,” the filing reads.

The request has prompted speculation of evidence suggesting that Mr Kohberger may have had an accomplice – or that the defence could seek to argue that as part of their case.

However, Mr Levin explained that this is just part of the standard requests for discovery in a case.

“These are just very standard requests as part of the defence’s discovery request,” he said.

While ruling out other individuals as possible suspects will likely form part of the state’s case against Mr Kohberger, he said that this does not indicate that there are other suspects.

The probable cause affidavit makes no mention of a co-defendant and law enforcement officials have previously insisted that they believe the suspect acted alone.

The request making mention of a co-defendant is also just one of 18 discovery requests made in the court filing.

“I don’t think I would make much hay of that,” Mr Levin said of the discovery request.

Bryan Kohberger ‘vanished’ for hours while under surveillance in Idaho murders case

Tuesday 31 January 2023 13:47 , Rachel Sharp

Bryan Kohberger “vanished” for several hours while he was under surveillance by police investigating the University of Idaho murders, it has been revealed.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:

Bryan Kohberger ‘vanished’ for hours while under surveillance in Idaho murders case

Why the defence requested evidence about a ‘co-defendant’

Tuesday 31 January 2023 13:00 , Rachel Sharp