He is accused of murdering Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin on November 13, 2022.
Kohberger is currently being extradited to Idaho from Pennsylvania, departing early on Wednesday morning, NewsNation reported.
The jail will be tightly quartered, according to Latah County Sheriff’s Department. The facility houses up to 42 inmates in cells in the basement of the country courthouse.
The suspect will reportedly have access to a library that has a selection of books, including a pull-up and dip bar, a small recreation yard, all under constant surveillance.
Goncalves was one of four University of Idaho students who died in November. The suspect, Bryan Kohberger, a 28-year-old Ph.D. student and teaching assistant in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University, was arrested at his parents’ home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, on Friday. He is due to be extradited to face trial in Idaho, where the alleged murders took place.
Goncalves’ parents spoke to Sean Hannity on Fox News on Wednesday. Asked what she thought the just punishment was for the murderer of her daughter, Kristi Goncalves said: “Well considering that this person went in there that night with the intent to kill and show no mercy and provoke and killed our daughter, her best friend and her two friends, we’re glad we live in the state of Idaho with the death penalty.”
Asked about her ordeal since her daughter died, she added: “It’s terrible just as anybody could imagine. It’s just like a nightmare that you never ever wake up from. There’s not a second throughout the day that I don’t think about Kaylee and what happened to her. It’s sickening.”
The man accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November is being sent back to Moscow, Idaho to face trial, a source told the outlet.
Kohberger, a 28-year-old Ph.D. student and teaching assistant in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University, was arrested at his parents’ home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, on Friday.
He appeared in court in Pennsylvania on Tuesday where he waived extradition, telling the judge that he is not on any medication that would impact his decision making.
Once Kohberger arrives in Idaho, he is expected to be brought to Latah County Jail in Moscow, less than two miles from where the killings took place on November 13, NewsNation reported.
Law enforcement tracked down Kohberger through DNA by using public genealogy databases, ABC News reported, citing police sources.
The channel reported that local police and the FBI tracked Kohberger to Pennsylvania through his vehicle, a white Hyundai Elantra — the same car type Moscow police said had been seen near the home around the time of murders.
Jason LaBar, the chief public defender in Monroe County representing Kohberger, said that his client drove 2,500 miles across the country with his father in mid-December to spend the winter vacation with his family.
Kohberger, a 28-year-old criminology doctoral student and teaching assistant, was arrested at his parents house in eastern Pennsylvania early on Friday, authorities said.
At the brief hearing on Tuesday, Kohberger showed little emotion. Idaho officials are now expected to arrange Kohberger’s transport back to Idaho but exact details on timings are kept secret due to security concerns.
The suspect is expected to return to Idaho soon, perhaps as early as this morning, according to Monroe County’s chief public defender Jason LaBar, who is representing Kohberger.
LaBar said on Tuesday that the extradition waiver was so the suspect could fight his murder charges.
Once he’s back in Idaho, Kohberger is due to be formally charged with the November 13 killings of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, according to officials.
Ramsland is a renowned forensic psychologist who is an expert on serial killers, and who taught Kohberger, who is now charged in connection with the murder of four students at the University of Idaho.
The suspect is a Ph.D. student and teaching assistant in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University in Pullman. Prior to this, Kohberger completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees at DeSales University in Pennsylvania, the university said in a statement on Friday.
Ramsland, a professor and assistant provost at the university, taught Kohberger when he was studying there. Notably, the subjects she taught include causes in forensic psychology, criminal sleuthing, dangerous minds, the psychology of fear, psychological logical, behaviour criminology, introduction to profiling and forensic science.
The academic has not made any public comments since Kohberger has been arrested.
Speaking to NewsNation, Goncalves said: “I’m biased, but if he got to know my daughter, I would think it would be impossible for you to hurt her.”
He continued: “So I think a little bit of us all kinda felt like this was somebody who didn’t have a chance to meet her, talk to her, get to know her because she was [a] very likable person and she didn’t have a mean bone in her body.”
“So, I think there’s a little comfort in knowing that this person wasn’t somebody she trusted and loved.”
A Latah County judge has issued a nondissemination order for the case, noting the State of Idaho as the plaintiff, and Bryan C. Kohberger as the defendant.
It reads: “It is hereby ordered that the parties to the above titled action, including investigators, law enforcement personnel, attorneys, and agents of the prosecuting attorny or defense attorny, are prohibited from making extrajudicial statements, written or oral, concerning this case, other than a quotation from or reference to, without comment, the public records of the case.”
On Facebook, the Moscow Police Department have appealed to the public to continue to submit tips and information regarding this case.
“Within the next 10 days, Kohberger will be returned to Idaho,” the police department posted to Facebook. “Details regarding Kohberger’s transportation to Idaho, specifically when that may occur and by what method of transportation will not be shared publicly for security reasons.”
The Moscow Police Department does ask for any tips or updates about the case, which can be submitted to 208-883-7180, by e-mail: tipline@ci.moscow.id.us or to fbi.gov/moscowidaho.
“Though Mr. Kohberger is not enrolled as a student at WSU Pullman, we recognize some of you may still have questions about safety on campus,” WSU Pullman Chancellor Elizabeth Chilton wrote in a letter.
Chilton informed Cougars in Pullman that they can do a variety of things if they feel uncomfortable or want extra protection. These include:
Calling or texting Cougar Safe Rides at WSU‑267‑SAFE (978‑267‑7233) to arrange a free ride Contacting the WSU Police Cadet Corps, which offers a free on‑foot escort service for students and employees to and from campus most evenings. The number is 509‑432‑3818 for details
Bus routes are available for evening transportation. The Pullman Transit Wheat and Lentil routes run daily until 10 p. m. For personal safety and convenience, after dark, ask your driver to let you off at any point along your bus route, even if it’s not a regular stop For the most up‑to‑date transit information, consider downloading the PTBusBeacon app, available for both Android and iOS Anyone on campus needing immediate help can look for emergency blue light telephone. Push the button and you will be directly connected to the Whitcom 911 Communications Center.
The order calls for the need to have an equivalent balance for “the constitutional right to a fair hearing” and “the public’s right to information.”
These include maintaining an orderly fashion for safety and security and for “responsibilities without undue distraction.”
Certain seating could be reserved for families of the victims, family of Kohberger and for members of the media, which will be on a first come-first-serve basis, but with no still photography or video for those.
Any “pooled media” will be assigned a specific part of the courtroom, according to the document.
“First and foremost, I want to reiterate my heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends of Ethan, Kaylee, Madison, and Xana. The tremendous loss of these young lives has left all of us deeply saddened. I encourage all of our faculty, staff, and students to take advantage of the support resources available to you, listed at the end of this email,” WSU Pullman Chancellor Elizabeth Chilton wrote.
Chilton said that while the comings weeks will provide “more answers and information” they warned of students, teachers, faculty, staff and parents getting bombarded from the outside.
“Over the next few weeks, I anticipate that many members of our Cougar family, particularly those familiar with Mr. Kohberger, may be contacted by law enforcement, the media, and concerned citizens,” Chilton stated.
“I strongly encourage everyone to cooperate with the investigative process as much as they are able. If you have information that you believe would be relevant to the investigation, the Moscow Police Department asks that you submit it to their tipline at 208‑883‑7180 or tipline@ci.moscow.id.us.”
Chilton furthermore said all media inquiries can be directed to Phil Weiler, vice president for marketing and communications, at phil.weiler@wsu.edu, if they feel uncomfortable answering media questions.
Kohberger is currently in Pennsylvania awaiting extradition to Idaho, where prosecutors in Latah County will serve him with an arrest warrant. Kohberger has been accused in the November killings of four University of Idaho students. He was arrested for his alleged role in the murders last week at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania.
Kohberger waived extradition during a Tuesday court appearance in Monroe County. A judge then ordered authorities to transport Kohberger to Idaho within 10 days.
During a Tuesday afternoon press briefing, Paris said authorities want to move Kohberger “as soon as possible” but that the court order grants them 10 days to accomplish the move. Paris was then asked by a reporter if it is possible Kohberger will be flown to Idaho Tuesday night.
“I would think that’s probably not likely,” Paris said.
Arrangements for Kohberger’s transfer were being made Tuesday evening, but Paris said the PSP will not be making an announcement about the details of his extradition due to security concerns.
Area III Commander of the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Major Christopher Paris confirmed Kohberger’s parents were present at the time authorities executed a “high-risk” warrant in the early hours of December 30.
“His parents were in the house at the time,” Paris said.
Authorities are unable to release much information on the specifics of Kohberger’s arrest at this time. The probable cause affidavit for his arrest will remain under seal until Kohberger returns to Latah County, Idaho. That affidavit could be unsealed soon now that Kohberger has waived extradition. A judge in Monroe County, Pennsylvania ordered authorities on Tuesday to transport Kohberger to Idaho within 10 days.
Paris said troopers with the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Bureau of Criminal Investigations were asked by the FBI to help with surveillance related to the case. Paris declined to comment on the timeline of the PSP’s involvement but said no more than 10 people with the PSP knew about the bureau’s involvement in the investigation until right before Kohberger’s arrest.
The execution of Kohberger’s arrest warrant was considered “high risk” because Kohberger has been accused in a quadruple homicide, Paris said.
Safety factored into the decision to serve Kohberger’s arrest overnight, according to Paris.
“Surveillance was conducted, and we wanted to go in at a time when we thought it would be the safest for everybody: safest for anybody else in the house, safest for Mr. Kohberger, and safest for our people,” Paris said.
During a Tuesday afternoon press conference, authorities described the close coordination between federal investigators and law enforcement branches in Idaho and Pennsylvania leading up to Kohberger’s arrest on December 30. Mancuso said his office’s involvement in the case was “relatively recent.”
“We weren’t advised of the presence of the defendant in our county until only a couple days before the apprehension of the defendant,” Mancuso said.
Once the district attorney’s office became involved, Mancuso said part of his responsibility was to pull together three separate search warrants. The affidavits for each of those search warrants remain under seal, he said.
Though Mancuso said he could not discuss specific details regarding the search warrant affidavits, he was able to describe the warrants in general terms.
“One was for the person of Mr. Kohberger—collecting DNA, photographs, that sort of thing. One was for the white Elantra vehicle, which I understand has been seized and is being processed. And one was for the address, the residence itself, that he was living in with his family,” Mancuso said.
Area III Commander of the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Major Christopher Paris declined to comment on what specifically was seized from the Kohberger family’s Pennsylvania home.
The probable cause affidavit used for Kohberger’s arrest warrant in Idaho remains under seal per Idaho state law, Mancuso said. That affidavit is not expected to become publicly available until Kohberger is extradited to Idaho and served with an arrest warrant in Latah County.
Kohberger waived extradition to Idaho during his Tuesday hearing in Monroe County, after which a judge ordered authorities to transport him within 10 days.
Mancuso shared his belief on why Kohberger waived extradition during the Tuesday briefing with PSP officials.
“Having read those documents and the sealed affidavits of probable cause, I definitely believe that one of the main reasons the defendant chose to waive extradition and hurry his return back to Idaho was the need to know what was in those documents,” Mancuso said.
Kohberger, the suspect in the November killings of four University of Idaho students, made the trip with his father in a white Hyundai Elantra. Police in Moscow, Idaho were at the time looking for information about a white Hyundai Elantra that they said might be connected to the murders, but Indiana police said there was no specific information about the vehicle available at the time of the traffic stop.
The footage released Tuesday is dated December 15. It shows an officer approaching the vehicle from behind and greeting the two individuals in the front seat. The driver was later identified as Kohberger.
The officer can be heard telling Kohberger that he was driving too close to the back of a semi-truck. He then appears to learn that the vehicle was a short time earlier stopped by another officer for speeding. The second traffic stop occurred less than 10 minutes after the first, according to the Indianapolis-based television news station WXIN.
Toward the end of the video, the officer can be heard laughing as he reacts to the distance of their road trip from Washington to Pennsylvania: “That’s a long haul. You guys scared of airplanes?”
Indiana State Police said the traffic stop occurred along Interstate 70 in Hancock County following another stop a few minutes earlier by a deputy with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, according to a statement shared with Law & Crime. The state trooper gave Kohberger a “verbal warning.”
Jason LaBar, the Pennsylvania public defender who represented Kohberger at his extradition hearing in Monroe County, said Tuesday morning that Kohberger and his father told him about two traffic stops in Indiana on their drive from Washington to Pennsylvania. The Kohbergers were not issued tickets for either of the stops, LaBar said.
After Kohberger entered the courtroom, reporters said he looked at his family sitting in the front row and reportedly nodded at them. His family members had emotional reactions to seeing him in court, with his mother reportedly weeping and one of his sisters trying to comfort her.
Once the brief hearing was over, Kohberger reportedly mouthed, “I love you” to his family before he was led away. Another reporter said one of Kohberger’s sisters was also heard crying.
Anne Taylor, the chief public defender in Kootenai County, will be representing Bryan Kohberger in Idaho, according to the Spokesman-Review.
Kohberger faces four first-degree murder charges and one felony burglary charge in Latah County, Idaho.
Kohberger waived his right to extradition from Pennsylvania, where he was taken into police custody last week.
Officials said they will discuss Kohberger’s arrest at 4:30 p.m. ET.
The sole suspect in the University of Idaho quadruple murder was before a judge for only about 10 minutes, according to reporters at the courthouse.
He will now begin the process of being transported to Idaho. The judge in the hearing ordered Kohberger’s extradition to Idaho within 10 days.
A judge asked Kohberger about his mental state to ensure he was choosing to waive extradition with a clear mind, according to a CBS reporter inside the courtroom. Kohberger reportedly answered “no” in response to the judge’s question and also denied being on medication for any relevant diagnoses.
As expected, Kohberger’s public defender Jason LaBar told the judge his client will waive extradition.
Next, Kohberger will be transferred back to Idaho where he is expected to make an initial appearance before a magistrate ahead of further hearings.
Latah County prosecutors said the affidavit outlining the four first-degree murder and felony burglary charges will remain sealed until Kohberger is brought to Idaho.
Following Kohberger’s arrest last week, Moscow Police Department Chief James Fry said the case was not over.
The murder suspect arrived at the courthouse more than four hours earlier, wearing a red jumpsuit.
In photos and videos shared online, Kohberger can be seen wearing handcuffs while surrounded by several security personnel. He did not speak as he was led inside the courtroom.
The hearing at the Monroe County Courthouse in Stroudsberg, Pennsylvania is expected to be brief, as Kohberger will likely not fight extradition.
Kohberger’s public defender said his client is expected to wave his extradition hearing in order to be transferred to Latah County, Idaho as soon as possible.
While Kohberger and his family maintains his innocence, the Moscow Idaho Police Department believes it found the killer.
“We believe we’ve got our man,” Captain Anthony Dahlinger told the Associated Press.
Kohberger was arrested at his parent’s home in Pennsylvania last week. He faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary in relation to the slaying of four students in November.
There is no cameras or reporter live tweeting allowed inside the courtroom during the hearing.
Jason LaBar, the public defender representing Kohberger at the hearing, told reporters earlier Tuesday that Kohberger’s parents and his two sisters were expected to attend.
The hearing is slated to begin at 3:30 p.m. ET. Cameras will not be allowed inside the courtroom to cover the hearing, which is expected to be brief. LaBar has said Kohberger will “likely” sign the extradition paperwork, which will allow authorities to move Kohberger quickly to Idaho and serve him an arrest warrant in Latah County.
Forensic death investigator Joseph Scott Morgan told Law & Crime Network that investigators found “a copious amount” of blood at the crime scene.
“The question is, was it co-mingled with the perpetrator or alleged perpetrator’s blood or any other body fluids that may have been left around,” he said, adding that “blood is not the only source for DNA-rich evidence.”
Investigators are also likely looking at the bodies of the victims, Morgan added.
Such trace evidence includes anything found under the four victims’ fingernails, like blood or skin.
Scott adds that the suspect’s vehicle is “huge” in this investigation.
He said if the suspect was in the home when the crime was committed, he would have been “super saturated in blood” and that evidence would have transferred into his car.
“This is an evidence-rich environment,” Scott said, adding that it would have been full of “everyone’s DNA that was on the scene.”
Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Colonel Robert Evanchick, Pennsylvania State Police Area III Commander Major Christopher Paris and Monroe County District Attorney E. David Christine Jr. are expected to speak.
“Kohberger was taken into custody early Friday by members of Troop N and the Special Emergency Response Team at a home in Chestnuthill Township,” police wrote in a release. Kohberger was arrested on December 30 in connection to the murders of four University of Idaho students nearly seven weeks prior.
The press conference is scheduled for Tuesday, January 3 at 4:30 p.m. ET. You can watch live here.
LaBar is the chief public defender for Monroe County and will represent Kohberger in Tuesday’s extradition hearing.
Before Kohberger’s arrest, he and his father made a planned cross-country trip from Washington to their family’s home in Pennsylvania. During that trip last month, Kohberger’s father said they were stopped twice by police while traveling through Indiana, LaBar said.
LaBar said he believes the Kohbergers’ reports of the traffic stops were a “random coincidence” and not related to the investigation into the students’ murders.
“I don’t disbelieve that Bryan and Michael Kohberger would have made that story up,” LaBar said. “There’s no reason. They have been fully cooperative when they did speak with police and authorities.”
LaBar said there is “no actual evidence” the two were stopped by police in Indiana. He said they were likely pulled over “back to back,” once for speeding and once for driving too close to another vehicle, but were not administered any tickets.
Hayden Stinchfield told The Spokesman-Review that Kohberger was a teaching assistant in a criminology class Stinchfield was enrolled in during the fall semester at WSU.
“He was definitely kind of a creepy guy,” Stinchfield told the paper, adding that Kohberger seemed to grow distracted and was “looking a lot worse” after the November 13 murders.
Stinchfield and Joey Famularo, another of Kohberger’s students, described Kohberger as strict when it came to grading papers. Famularo told the paper students spoke with Kohberger about his grading tactics around the time that the murders occurred, after which Kohberger is said to have stopped grading their work as harshly.
Another student who had Kohberger as a teaching assistant told the paper he “didn’t really seem like he wanted to be there” as the semester approached its end and that her professor was frustrated by Kohberger’s efforts in the class.
Ben Roberts, a graduate student studying criminology at WSU, told the Associated Press that Kohberger acted confident but was “super awkward” and “was always looking for a way to fit in.”
Criminal defense attorney Jim Siebe told NonStop Local that, if found guilty, Kohberger could face the death penalty.
This would depend on the prosecuting attorney, Bill Thompson. Siebe said he thinks the death penalty would be requested.
“I can’t speak for the prosecuting attorney, obviously,” Siebe said. “He’s the one that makes the determination based on consultation with his law enforcement people, the families and some determination as to the personal circumstances of the personal defendant.”
Siebe added that in a case where the defendant is subject to a severe mental illness, “that’s really Bill’s call.”
According to the report, some legal experts have suggested that Kohberger could face a preliminary hearing within 14 days of arriving in Idaho.
Thompson could appear before a magistrate judge and present evidence against the Kohberger that supports the theory he committed the crimes.
Depending on what the judge decides, Kohberger would then face an arraignment in front of a district judge, followed by a pretrial conference and jury trial.
Alternatively, Thompson could choose to present his evidence to a grand jury.
The case would begin with a private meeting between 12 jury members and Thompson. Neither the judge nor Kohberger would be present for this.
The grand jury would then decide if there was enough evidence to move forward with the case. If so, Kohberger would appear in front of a district judge for arraignment, then a pretrial conference and jury trial.
Goncalves said during a Tuesday morning appearance on Good Morning America that his family learned of the arrest the night of December 29. Bryan Kohberger, the man arrested in connection with the murders, was arrested in Pennsylvania early on December 30, just hours before a scheduled celebration of life for Goncalves’ daughter, Kaylee.
“It felt like a cloud was lifted off of us,” Goncalves said. “I mean, it’s like seeing sunlight after you’ve been stuck in a house for a month. So it definitely provided relief and comfort to know that things were progressing, and all this torture, waiting, had a purpose and a meaning.”
Shanon Gray, an attorney for the Goncalves family, told GMA that the family is “looking for any connections there might be” between Kaylee and Kohberger. Any information they or the three other victims’ families find of possible connections will be shared with Moscow police, he added.
Gray said he and the Goncalves family are curious to have access to the probable cause arrest affidavit, which is under seal until Kohberger can be extradited to Idaho. Kohberger’s extradition hearing is taking place on Tuesday afternoon.
While the hearing is not set to begin until 3:30 p.m. ET, Kohberger arrived at the courthouse just after 11 a.m.
There will be no cameras allowed inside the courtroom during the hearing, but media outlets have set up tents outside the building.
Jason LaBar, Kohberger’s public defender in Pennsylvania, said Kohberger does not plan to fight extradition.
Kohberger is “likely to sign the extradition paperwork,” LaBar said during a Tuesday morning interview with TODAY.
Kohberger was arrested in Pennsylvania on December 30, nearly seven weeks after the students were found stabbed to death in an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho.
Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said Kohberger faces four first-degree murder charges and felony burglary charges. Thompson said at the time that the case will move forward more quickly if Kohberger does not fight extradition.
The probable cause affidavit tied to Kohberger’s arrest last week is currently under seal and will remain so until Kohberger returns to Idaho and is served an arrest warrant in Latah County, Thompson said.
Jason LaBar has visited Kohberger several times, but has not spoken with him about the charges against him.
LaBar told NBC’s TODAY that Kohberger is “aware” and understands the court proceedings and what to expect in Pennsylvania and Idaho court.
He added that Kohberger called the charges “out of character” and believes he will be exonerated.
“He has been very easy to talk to and has a calm demeanor,” LaBar said.
Kohberger’s family also believes he is innocent, LaBar added.
Kohberger could be seen dressed in a red jumpsuit as he was led out of a transport van. Officers walked him from the van to the courthouse as reporters shouted questions in his direction.
“Bryan, did you do it?” some reporters asked.
“How’re you feeling?” and “are you ready to go to Idaho?” were other questions throw at Kohberger as he walked to the courthouse.
Kohberger glanced in the direction of the reporters when he first exited the vehicle, but otherwise did not look over at the crowd or respond to any of their questions.
Jennifer Coffindaffer said it is “very plausible” that the murder of the four students was not committed by a first-time offender.
“I do think it would be rare that he would try to commit four murders and maybe possibly even was thinking about committing six,” she said, noting that two roommates in the house survived the attack that night.
“If this was his first time to kill four people, that would be very unusual in the trends of… a fledgling serial killer.”
Bryan Kohberger, the main suspect in the students’ murders, is set to appear in court this afternoon for an extradition hearing. Coffindaffer said he may be linked to other killings.
She said law enforcement “should be looking at all cold cases with a similar modus operandi” to the stabbing of the four students, including crimes where a knife were used, where the offender entered a house late at night and where the victims were women.
“That would be his MO. That is seldom changed,” she said.
Kohberger’s public defender Jason LaBar told WFLA’s Josh Benson that his client’s parents and two sisters plan to attend the extradition hearing Tuesday afternoon. They will not be permitted to visit Kohberger while they are there.
Over the weekend, Kohberger’s family released a statement expressing their sympathy for the four victims and support for Bryan.
“First and foremost we care deeply for the four families who have lost their precious children,” the family said. “There are no words that can adequately express the sadness we feel, and we pray each day for them.”
The family said they will continue to “let the legal process unfold” and said they will “love and support our son and brother.”
“We have fully cooperated with law enforcement agencies in an attempt to seek the truth and promote his presumption of innocence rather than judge unknown facts and make erroneous assumptions,” the statement continued. “We respect privacy in this matter as our family and the families suffering loss can move forward through the legal process.”
A source close to the investigation told CNN that law enforcement was “zeroing in” on Kohberger being in or around Pennsylvania right before Christmas.
Moscow Idaho Police Captain Anthony Dahlinger told the Associated Press that investigators obtained samples of Kohberger’s DNA directly from him after he was arrested. Local police and the FBI tracked Kohberger to Pennsylvania through his vehicle.
Moscow, Idaho police announced in early December that they were looking for a a white Hyundai Elantra seen near the scene of the victims’ home around the time of the crime.
The FBI surveilled the home at the foot of the Pocono Mountains for four days before Kohberger was arrested.
Kohberger, a Ph.D. student at Washington State University, and his father were driving from Pullman, WA to the Poconos on a panned end-of-semester cross country road trip, Kohberger’s public defender Jason LaBar told ABC.
Kohberger graduated from Northampton Community College in Pennsylvania with an associate of arts degree in psychology in 2018.
He then went on to receive a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania’s DeSales University in 2020 and finished his graduate studies there in June 2022.
Lieberman suggested a person could use the study of these two subjects to “calm the demons inside [them] that [may] have been telling [them] to kill.”
She also suggested that by studying these two subjects, the accused could have used it as an opportunity to “learn how to commit the perfect crime.”
She noted that as the Idaho case has been “highly publicized”, police would not have announced an arrest and the accompanying charges unless they “completely [believed] that this was the person who committed this crime.”
She added: “We obviously know they have at least that threshold of probable cause met because a judge has signed off. But I think beyond that, they have very strong evidence.”
Police have also not outlined what they believe the motive behind the crimes was.
Kohberger’s attorney has called for the public to reserve judgment until the case is resolved.
“Mr. Kohberger has been accused of very serious crimes, but the American justice system cloaks him in a veil of innocence,” LaBar wrote in a statement. “He should be presumed innocent until proven otherwise—not tried in the court of public opinion.”
Court officials said on Monday evening that media will be permitted access into the courthouse but there will be no cameras allowed inside the courtroom, where the hearing is happening.
Reporters will be allowed inside the courtroom on a first-come, first-serve basis, in line with Pennsylvania Supreme Court rules.
Despite this, some media outlets have said that they may have access and will be providing live coverage of the extradition hearing.
Newsweek will be providing updates to its liveblog on the hearing as the hearing progresses.
Following the hearing, Kohberger could be taken to Idaho as soon as Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning.
The hearing is likely to be over quickly as the public defender says Kohberger will waive his extradition hearing. Cameras are not allowed inside but members of the press are, as well as family members of the murdered victims—Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen.
