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A newly unsealed search warrant in the University of Idaho murders case revealed a list of items that police seized from suspect Bryan Kohberger's apartment, offering new details on potential evidence as authorities seek to prove his alleged involvement in the killings.
Kohberger has maintained his innocence in the case, with his former public defender, Jason LaBar, saying in a statement that Kohberger was "eager to be exonerated."
The items seized included possible hair strands, a nitrite-type black glove, a computer tower and cuttings from an uncased pillow of a "reddish/brown stain," according to the warrant. The search warrant and warrant application can be read below.
Four University of Idaho students—Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin, and Xana Kernodle—were found dead in an off-campus residence in mid-November last year.
Kohberger, a 28-year-old Ph.D. student in criminal justice and criminology at Washington State University, was arrested on December 30 at his parents' home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, in connection with the case and charged with four counts of first-degree murder.
Though arrested in Pennsylvania, Kohberger agreed earlier this month to be extradited back to Idaho to face his charges. He waived his right last week to a speedy preliminary hearing, delaying the start date of a potential trial.
His right to a timely preliminary hearing would have required it to be held within 14 days, but his attorney said that Kohberger wanted his defense team to have time to discover new information in the case.
The search warrant revealed that a possible animal hair strand was also among the items that were seized from Kohberger's apartment. This is notable because police have previously said that a dog belonging to one of the victims was found at the residence where the killings occurred.
The warrant specifically called for the seizure of "trace evidence" such as DNA, footprints, fingerprints and hair "whether human or animal/dog."
Other items seized from Kohberger's apartment included the dust container from a vacuum cleaner, receipts from Marshalls and Walmart and a collection of a "dark red spot."
The list lacked any type of weapon, however. Police have not located a murder weapon in the case, but they have said they were looking for a fixed-bladed knife, Newsweek previously reported.
The Latah County coroner determined the cause and manner of death for each of the four victims as homicide by stabbing.
Newsweek reached out to Anne Taylor, Kohberger's public defender, for comment.
Update 1/18/23, 4:15 p.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information and background.
About the writer
Zoe Strozewski is a Newsweek reporter based in New Jersey. Her focus is reporting on U.S. and global politics. Zoe ... Read more