Introduction to the Case
In the early hours of Nov. 13, 2022, when four University of Idaho students would be stabbed to death in an off-campus house as some of them slept, a neighbor’s home security video captured the same white car circling the block multiple times. The vehicle approached the house again and again before speeding away 13 minutes later.
New Evidence Emerges
The previously unseen footage obtained by “Dateline” offers another angle into the turbulent events at the time prosecutors believe the students were murdered.
Photos and digital materials are included in a two-hour special airing Friday, tracing suspect Bryan Kohberger’s movements and online habits before and after the killings that stunned the small community of Moscow, Idaho.
The Investigation
Bryan Kohberger and his father were stopped by Indiana police on Dec. 15, 2022, for following a vehicle too closely. Hancock County Sheriff’s Department
Investigators referred to a white Hyundai Elantra, believed to be from 2011 to 2013, as a critical clue as they solicited the public’s help in finding a suspect, according to NBC News. It also remains one of several key pieces of evidence, including DNA and cellphone data, that prosecutors say ties Kohberger to the crime scene. Kohberger drove a white 2015 Elantra.
Cellphone Data and Online Activities
Cellphone tower data and phone records also obtained by “Dateline” indicate that an FBI cellphone expert said Kohberger’s phone connected to a cell tower providing coverage within 100 meters of the rental house at 1122 King Road. It connected 23 visits over a four-month period, all after dark. One visit was just six days before the killings. Meanwhile, phone data from Kohberger’s phone and in the possession of law enforcement include internet searches in the weeks before and after the killings on serial killer Ted Bundy and searches for pornography with the words “forced,” “passed out,” “drugged,” and “sleeping.”
The Accused
Kohberger, who at the time was a graduate student in criminology at nearby Washington State University, was eventually arrested in late December 2022 while he was back at his family’s home in Pennsylvania.
AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, Pool, File
Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students, is escorted into court for a hearing in Latah County District Court on Sept. 13, 2023, in Moscow, Idaho. A judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf in May 2023 on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary.
Defense and Trial
Defense lawyers have said Kohberger maintains his innocence. During a court hearing in Boise last month, they teased the possibility of an “alternate suspect.” Judge Steven Hippler said the defense must present any such evidence by this month, ahead of Kohberger’s murder trial planned to start Aug. 11. Kohberger, 30, could face the death penalty if convicted.
Conclusion
The case of the Idaho student murders continues to unfold with new evidence and developments emerging. As the trial approaches, the nation waits to see how the justice system will handle this heinous crime. With the prosecution presenting a strong case and the defense preparing to argue their client’s innocence, the outcome is far from certain.
FAQs
Q: What is the current status of Bryan Kohberger’s case?
A: Bryan Kohberger’s murder trial is planned to start Aug. 11, and he could face the death penalty if convicted.
Q: What new evidence has emerged in the case?
A: New video footage shows a car resembling Kohberger’s driving around the time of the murders, and cellphone data indicates Kohberger’s phone connected to a cell tower near the crime scene.
Q: What is the defense’s strategy?
A: The defense has hinted at the possibility of an "alternate suspect" and will present their evidence before the trial.
Q: What are the charges against Bryan Kohberger?
A: Kohberger is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary.
