A student potentially facing the death penalty after being accused of four brutal murders in Idaho could walk free thanks to new DNA evidence. Bryan Kohberger, a criminology PhD student, is facing four counts of first-degree murder and burglary over the University of Idaho stabbings and appeared in Latah County Court in Moscow, Idaho, in May 2023. The victims, University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, were mourned by their community and the nation at large.
Kohberger denies murder, and today his lawyers have revealed new evidence which could set him free. They revealed blood from an unknown person was found in the victims’ home and mystery DNA was discovered in a glove nearby. A key piece of evidence potentially pointing towards Kohberger is a leather sheaf for a knife, on which his DNA was discovered. Ada County District Judge Steven Hippler said last month: “How does that, even if disclosed, preclude a finding of probable cause when there’s a DNA match between the DNA on the sheath and Mr. Kohberger? Isn’t that probable cause every day and twice on Sunday?.
Defense attorney Anne Taylor replied: “If that’s the only thing she’s told, I can see why she’d find probable cause. It’s these other things that are withheld that create a context around it Do we want to have one thing with no context around it when there’s this other context that really matters?. "I mean, that’s the ultimate question that will be before a jury, what does a knife sheath at a scene mean?” Hippler replied: “If you’re killed with a knife, that probably means a lot.”.
Kohberger grew up in small-town Pennsylvania, where he lived with his parents, Michael and Maryann, and two sisters, Amanda and Melissa. His family lived for years in Effort, a community in Monroe County, 90 miles north of Philadelphia. Kohberger went to Pleasant Valley School District, where his mother was also employed. Nick McLoughlin, 26, who attended classes at Pleasant Valley High School with Kohberger said the murder suspect had been interested in becoming a police officer and took criminal justice courses.
