BOISE, ID – At a plea hearing held Wednesday in Boise, prosecutors disclosed new details in the case against Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students in 2022. The hearing follows Kohberger’s agreement to plead guilty in exchange for avoiding the death penalty.
Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson presented evidence that included cell phone data, surveillance footage, DNA results, and forensic findings.
According to Thompson, cell tower records placed Kohberger’s phone near the victims’ home on multiple occasions over a four-month period prior to the killings—often during the night and early morning hours. On the night of the murders, his phone was switched off for roughly two hours, coinciding with the suspected time of the crime.
Surveillance video showed a vehicle resembling Kohberger’s driving into the area near the King Road home in the early morning of November 13, 2022. Footage later showed a similar vehicle leaving at high speed around 4:20 a.m.
Investigators believe Kohberger entered the house through a sliding glass door. Prosecutors said he went to the third floor first, where two of the victims, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, were located. He then encountered Xana Kernodle in the hallway and found Ethan Chapin in a nearby bedroom. All four were fatally stabbed.
A knife sheath found near one of the victims contained DNA that investigators later matched to Kohberger. A subsequent sample collected from a Q-Tip in the trash outside his family’s home in Pennsylvania also matched the DNA profile. Prosecutors said Kohberger’s car appeared to have been cleaned thoroughly, including areas that typically collect dirt, suggesting an effort to remove evidence.
Prosecutor Thompson noted that no explanation for the killings was provided. The agreement includes four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, as well as additional time for burglary. Kohberger has also waived his rights to appeal or seek further post-conviction relief.
Reactions from the victims’ families were mixed. Some accepted the plea as a way to avoid the stress of a lengthy trial. Others expressed disappointment that the motive remains unknown.
Formal sentencing is expected to take place later this month.
