Bryan Kohberger and the University of Idaho murders | One year later
It's been one year since four students were brutally murdered at the University of Idaho. Monroe County native Bryan Kohberger stands accused of the slayings.
One year ago, four University of Idaho students were found stabbed to death in their off-campus home
In the following weeks, a Monroe County native would be arrested and charged with four counts of first-degree murder.
A Saturday night out is not unusual for college students, and that November weekend didn't seem any different.
Court paperwork explains what investigators say happened that early morning.
Ethan Chapin and his girlfriend, Xana Kernodle, both 20, spent the night at a fraternity party returning home around 2 a.m.
Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and her lifelong best friend Madison Mogen, 21, were at a bar in their Idaho college town. The girls then stopped at a food truck and headed home.
Their two other roommates were also at the house along King Road in Moscow, Idaho.
Around 4 a.m., one of the roommates heard a noise. She brushed it off, thinking it was Goncalves playing with her dog until she heard another noise and looked out of her bedroom door.
She told investigators she heard crying and saw a figure wearing black clothing and a mask walk past her and towards a sliding glass door.
Police say the roommate stood there, frozen in shock, and then locked her bedroom door.
The next morning, police responded to the home. When they arrived, they found the bodies of Chapin, Kernodle, Goncalves, and Mogen. All four had been stabbed to death.
"You can't imagine sending your girl to college, and then they come back in an urn," said Steve Goncalves, Kaylee's father.
Fear on campus grew over the next few weeks while police combed through hundreds of thousands of tips.
But no arrests were made until the morning of December 30.
Brian Kohberger's Arrest
Authorities arrested Bryan Kohberger at his parents' home in Chestnuthill Township near Brodheadsville.
"These murders have shaken our community, and no arrest will ever bring back these young students. However, we do believe justice will be found through the criminal process. This was a very complex and extensive case. We developed a clear picture over time," said Moscow Police Chief James Fry.
Kohberger, age 28 and a Monroe County native, was a graduate student at the time of the murders studying at Washington State University, about 15 minutes away from the victims' home in Idaho.
Kohberger drove a white Hyundai Elantra, the same car police say they found on multiple security cameras the night of the murders.
According to the affidavit, the sedan passed by the victims' home three times, then on a fourth, stopped only to take off a few minutes later at a high speed. This is the time frame in which the police believe the murders took place.
It was a few weeks later that police announced they were looking for a car spotted near the murder scene.
A tip was called in from Washington State University, saying a car that matched the description belonged to a student who lives on campus: Bryan Kohberger.
Kohberger also matched the description one of the surviving roommates gave to police.
Investigators say a knife sheath was found underneath one of the victims, and the Idaho State Lab later found a single source of male DNA on the button snap. The DNA didn't match anyone in the national criminal database, so FBI agents compared it with DNA shared publicly on genealogical research websites.
Investigators say the DNA pointed them to Kohberger.
Officers in the Poconos then collected DNA from outside his family's home.
The DNA from the trash matched Kohberger's father, and investigators say that sample matched the father of the person whose DNA was found on the knife sheath at the crime scene.
Investigators say a third match was made with Kohberger himself after his December arrest.
"The chances that this DNA came from someone other than the suspect are just astronomically slim," said David Rusak, a professor at the University of Scranton.
A few days into the new year, the accused killer was in Monroe County court for an extradition hearing. He agreed to be taken back to Idaho to face charges.
Pennsylvania State Police flew him across the country the next day.
Kohberger Appears in Idaho Court
Then, the day the families of the victims had waited for—the day the accused killer was in an Idaho courtroom.
After Kohberger waived his right to a speedy preliminary hearing, a judge set a date for late June, but that day would never come.
Grand Jury Indictment
In May, a grand jury indicted Kohberger on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary.
During his arraignment, Kohberger was asked how he pleads, but he didn't respond. His lawyer told the judge they would be standing silent.
The judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
In late June, the state of Idaho announced it would pursue the death penalty.
Trial Date Uncertainty
Kohberger's trial was set to begin last month, but six weeks before, he waived his right to a speedy trial, delaying the proceedings indefinitely.
His defense team tried to get the charges against him thrown out, arguing that the grand jury indictment was flawed. A judge ultimately decided in the state's favor.
Earlier this month, a Latah County judge decided the state must turn over all investigative genetic genealogy in the case by December 1, something the defense says they need for trial.
But a trial date has yet to be set.
A gag order has been in place since Kohberger's arrest, meaning investigators and lawyers cannot talk about the case publicly. As a result, many details remain unknown, including exactly what, if any, connection Kohberger has to the four victims.
The building in Moscow that was once home to the victims remains boarded up. It now belongs to the University of Idaho, and the school intends to knock it down. Until then, it serves as a constant reminder of what happened inside.
Follow Newswatch 16's coverage of the case against Bryan Kohberger on YouTube.