Bryan Kohberger Given Protective Helmet as He Arrives in Idaho

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Law enforcement officers escorting Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger put a protective helmet on the alleged killer's head before taking him to jail, new footage shows.

After disembarking from a flight from Pennsylvania to a regional airport near Moscow, Idaho, sheriff's deputies fitted the headgear to Kohberger before he was driven away in a pick-up truck, according to a video posted to Twitter by NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin.

Kohberger, a 28-year-old criminology student and teaching assistant at Washington State University, is suspected of killing four university students in the Idaho city.

The bodies of Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen were discovered in their rented accommodation on November 13, 2022.

Bryan Kohberger at Monroe County Correctional Facility
Bryan Kohberger photographed after his arrest in Pennsylvania on December 30, 2022. He was extradited to Idaho on Wednesday, and is expected to appear in court on Thursday. Monroe County Correctional Facility/ Getty Images

Kohberger, who is alleged to have killed the four students, was detained by authorities at his family home in Pennsylvania on December 30.

Appearing in court on Tuesday, Kohberger waived his extradition rights before being taken to Idaho on Wednesday.

He was then transported to Latah County Jail in Idaho, where he was booked for four counts of murder and one count of burglary, jail records show. He is expected to make an initial court appearance in Idaho on Thursday.

A statement from Kohberger's attorney in the extradition case has said he is "eager to be exonerated" and was "looking forward to resolving these matters as promptly as possible."

Footage publicized by reporters showed a heavy media presence outside Latah County Jail as the alleged killer arrived.

One video posted to social media by a KTVB reporter showed the pick-up carrying Kohberger heading directly for the garage of the county facility, but it was not possible to see the suspect.

Another, posted by an NBC correspondent, showed the convoy of vehicles heading to the building, with the windows of the pick-up covered.

Few details of the arrest have been made public, and it is not known what the alleged motive for the murders was, nor if Kohberger was known to the victims.

It is believed that the reasons behind his arrest will become public on the probable-cause warrant as Kohberger appears in court in Idaho.

Michael Mancuso, the first assistant district attorney of Monroe County, Pennsylvania, where Kohberger had been held before his extradition, said it was a "quirk" of state law in Idaho that the affidavit is sealed until this point.

Following Kohberger's hearing when the suspect agreed to be extradited, he told the media he "definitely" believed "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."

Correction 1/5/23 7:00 a.m. EST: This article was updated to change a reference from "four roommates" to "four students".

About the writer

Ellie Cook is a Newsweek security and defense reporter based in London, U.K. Her work focuses largely on the Russia-Ukraine war, the U.S. military, weapons systems and emerging technology. She joined Newsweek in January 2023, having previously worked as a reporter at the Daily Express, and is a graduate of International Journalism at City, University of London. Languages: English, Spanish.You can reach Ellie via email at e.cook@newsweek.com



Ellie Cook is a Newsweek security and defense reporter based in London, U.K. Her work focuses largely on the Russia-Ukraine ... Read more