Idaho murders suspect Bryan Christopher Kohberger lived in Pullman, Washington following the death of four University of Idaho students last month. Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were brutally murdered while they slept at the three women’s off-campus residence. Kohberger, a student at Washington State University, was arrested more than 2,500 miles away from the murder scene six weeks after he allegedly stabbed the four victims to death.
Moscow Police chief James Fry confirmed an arrest was made on Friday, December 30 after more than 19,000 tip-offs poured in to help investigators.
Chief Fry confirmed the suspect is a graduate student at Washington State University but said they remain “limited in the information we can release today”.
He said: “Last night, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation, detectives arrested 28-year-old Bryan Christopher Kohberger in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania on a warrant for the murders of Ethan, Xana, Madison and Kaylee.
“I want to personally thank these agencies for their assistance in this case. Kohberger resides in Pullman, Washington and is a graduate student at Washington State University.”
Chief Fry thanked the local community for their support both with the investigation and with supporting officials seeking evidence to identify the killer.
He also thanked the victims’ families for their patience as he reiterated the importance of keeping details of the investigation under wraps to ensure the smooth conclusion of the inquiry.
He continued: “This was a very complex and extensive case. We developed a clear picture over time and stand assured the work is not done, just started.
“Since November, we’ve remained laser focussed on pursuing every lead in our pursuit of justice for the victims and their families. I recognise the frustration with the lack of information that has been released.
“However, providing details in this criminal investigation might have tainted the upcoming criminal prosecution or alerted the suspect of our progress.”
Kohberger is believed to have been arrested at his parents’ house in a gated community in Albrightsville. He is now waiting for extradition to Idaho.
The FBI is believed to have tracked the suspect to Pennsylvania through his vehicle, a white Hyundai Elantra – the same make and model seen near the crime scene in the hours before the murder.
Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen were both 21 and friends who grew up together in northern Idaho. Ms Mogen worked with Ms Kernodle at a Greek restaurant in Moscow. She was also a member of Pi Beta Phi.
Ms Goncalves was a senior majoring in general studies, a member of the Alpha Phi sorority and was planning a trip to Europe next year.
Xana Kernodle, 20, was a junior studying marketing. She was from Post Falls, Idaho, and joined the Pi Beta Phi sorority on campus and lived at the rental home with Ms Goncalves and Ms Mogen. Ms Kernodle was dating Ethan Chapin, who was sleeping over the night of the killings.
Mr Chapin, also 20, was from Conway, Washington, and was a triplet. His brother and sister also attend the University of Idaho, and both Mr Chapin and his brother were members of the Sigma Chi fraternity.
On the night of the murder, Ms Goncalves and Ms Mogen were seen ordering food at an all-night food truck and then caught a ride home around 2am.
Mr Chapin and Ms Kernodle attended a party at the Sigma Chi house on campus and returned to the murder scene at around 1:45am.
Two other roommates who live in the home also returned home by 1 AM after spending the evening out and they did not wake up until later on the morning of November 13.
The surviving roommates called some friends to come to the house after finding one of the victims on the second floor and thinking them unconscious.
At 11:58 am, someone inside the home placed a call to 911 using the cell phone of one of the roommates. Multiple people talked with the dispatcher before the police arrived.
Police found two of the victims on the second floor of the three-story home, and two on the third floor.
The coroner’s report suggested the four victims were all likely asleep when they were attacked.
Some of the bodies showed signs of defensive wounds and each of the students was stabbed multiple times. There was no sign of sexual assault, police said.
