According to a recent legal filing from his defense, Bryan Kohberger, the graduate student accused of murdering four University of Idaho students in November of 2022, was reportedly on an early morning drive during the time of the killings.
According to the document, Mr. Kohberger frequently went out driving in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022. This was his routine to engage in activities such as hiking, running, and admiring the beauty of the moon and stars.
According to the filing, he covered a wide area which included Wawawai Park, driving through the region south of Pullman, Washington and west of Moscow, Idaho.
According to the filing, the defence intends to bring in a cell tower data expert to support the claims regarding the 29-year-old’s whereabouts during the time of the killings.
The defense also hinted that there might be “additional information” about Mr. Kohberger’s whereabouts and potentially crucial evidence that could prove his innocence.
Mr. Kohberger stands accused of the murder of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, who were all University of Idaho students residing in an off-campus house.
Two additional female roommates resided with the trio of women at the residence and were present during the tragic incident. However, they managed to survive.
In May 2023, Mr. Kohberger chose not to enter a plea in the case, which led the judge to interpret his position as pleading not guilty.
Mr. Kohberger was also accused of being out for a drive during the time of the murders in a previous filing in August.
The previous document, though, provided limited information, stating that the student did not assert being at a particular place at a specific time.
According to the statement, Mr. Kohberger has developed a longstanding habit of going on solitary drives. It is common for him to indulge in these drives during nighttime.
Late on November 12 and into November 13, 2022, Mr. Kohberger made his move. He is not asserting that he was at a particular place at a specific time. Currently, there is no eyewitness to confirm the exact whereabouts of Mr. Kohberger during the hours spanning from late night on November 12, 2022, to early morning on November 13, 2022.
He was driving during the late night and early morning hours of November 12-13, 2022.
The prosecutors contended that this claim was too vague.
The filing for Wednesday was made just in time to submit additional information pertaining to his alibi defense.
The high-profile trial has seen the latest development with the introduction of updated alibi defence claims.
Earlier this month, Mr. Kohberger’s defense team requested that the discovery requests be placed under seal. They argued that “the documents contain facts or statements that might threaten or endanger the life or safety of individuals.”
In March, Mr. Kohberger’s request for his grand jury indictment to be dismissed was denied by the Idaho Supreme Court.
The court has yet to determine a date for the trial.
In January of last year, an affidavit was released that detailed some of the evidence against the accused killer. This evidence included the presence of his DNA on a knife sheath that was found at the scene of the murders, as well as surveillance footage and cellphone activity.
The DNA found on the button clasp of the sheath was later discovered to be a match for the 28-year-old suspect in the murder case.
Mr. Kohberger’s lawyers have tried to question the reliability of the DNA evidence, specifically the utilization of genetic genealogy.
The FBI utilized genetic genealogy databases in an attempt to pinpoint the origin of the DNA source, as stated in the case affidavit.
According to the criminal affidavit, authorities collected trash from the suspect’s parents’ home in the Poconos Mountains. They were able to make a familial match to the sheath from Mr. Kohberger’s father.
Prosecutors have stated that after Mr. Kohberger’s arrest on December 30th, DNA samples were taken directly from the suspect and were found to be a “statistical match.”
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