University of Idaho stabbing suspect's DNA found on knife sheath: investigators

Investigators used a DNA sample on a knife sheath to link a suspect to the fatal stabbing of four University of Idaho students, according to court documents released on Thursday.

Authorities arrested Bryan Kohberger in Pennsylvania last week in connection with the November stabbings, and officials released the affidavit that supported his arrest after he was extradited to Idaho on Wednesday evening ahead of his first court appearance there.

The documents provide the most detailed account yet of how authorities came to charge Kohberger with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary, which occurred nearly seven weeks after 21-year-olds Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen and 20-year-olds Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were found the stabbed to death near the University of Idaho campus.

Investigators allegedly found a male DNA sample at the scene on a knife sheath near Mogen’s bed and later matched it to a DNA sample obtained from trash where Kohberger was residing in Pennsylvania after the tragedy, according to the affidavit.

Kohberger’s public defender in the extradition proceedings said the suspect believes he will be exonerated, and Kohberger’s family has also indicated they were cooperating with law enforcement to promote his “presumption of innocence.” 

The affidavit also indicates one of the deceased students’ roommates told authorities she heard what she thought was crying coming from another bedroom in the house at about 4 a.m. on the night of the stabbings.

Moments later, she saw a man who wore black clothing and a mask covering their mouth and nose walking toward her as she stood in a “frozen shock phase,” before the man walked toward a back sliding glass door, according to the affidavit. 

The roommate, who did not indicate she recognized the suspect, allegedly described him as 5’10’’ or taller with an athletic build and bushy eyebrows.

The documents indicate authorities used video footage to identify a white Hyundai Elantra as the suspect’s vehicle, ultimately tracking it to Kohberger’s residence in Pullman, Wash.

Through a search warrant, authorities allegedly received location data from Kohberger’s cell phone that indicates he left his residence, located near the Idaho border, just before 3 a.m. on the night of the stabbings. 

The documents allege Kohberger disconnected his phone from the network, and it reconnected just before 5 a.m. south of the town where the stabbings took place minutes earlier.

Five days after the students’ deaths, Kohberger received a new license plate for the car when he changed the registration from Pennsylvania to Washington, according to the affidavit. 

Kohberger later traveled by car to his parents’ home in Pennsylvania, and he was stopped twice by police on the way, although he was not issued a ticket during either traffic stop.