Idaho Killer Was First Timer Who Made 'Sloppy' Mistakes—Criminologist

The murderer who stabbed four University of Idaho students to death in November was likely killing for the first time, otherwise they wouldn't have made so many "sloppy mistakes," according to an expert in criminology.

Bryan Kohberger, a 28-year-old graduate student at the Washington State University, has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder over the killings, though he has denied responsibility and hopes to be "exonerated of these charges."

Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, were killed at a shared student house in Moscow, Idaho, during the early hours of November 13. Two other female students who were in the house when the murders took place escaped unharmed.

During a NewsNation appearance on Friday Casey Jordan, a professor of justice and law at Western Connecticut State University, was asked whether she thought the murders were a "first time killing."

She replied: "Yes I do, because of all the mistakes made. Because if he'd done it before he would not have been this sloppy. But just because this was in my estimation the first time, if we hadn't of caught him I doubt it would have been the last."

Kohberger was arrested on December 30 at his parents' house in Monroe County, Pennsylvania.

According to the probable cause affidavit, used to justify his arrest, phone records showed Kohberger was near the targeted property "on at least 12 occasions prior" to the murders.

The document also revealed police recovered a knife sheath from the property, which had DNA on it linked to the suspect.

Jason LaBar, Kohberger's public defender in Pennsylvania, said his client denied the charges on January 1.

He commented: "Mr Kohberger is eager to be exonerated of these charges and looks forward to resolving these matters as promptly as possible. He should be presumed innocent until proven otherwise—not tried in the court of public opinion."

According to the affidavit, Kohberger had applied for an internship with a Washington state police department, offering to assist "rural law enforcement agencies with how to better collect and analyze technological data in public safety operations."

In response, Jordan commented: "That is ironic, because of course it's the digital forensics, the cell phone, the videos of his car, that got him caught.

"The biggest thing, if you want to chalk up, if he is indeed guilty, how idiotic this is, is that he is in a death penalty state that doesn't have the insanity defense. It's the only state in the union that doesn't have the insanity defense."

During an interview with NewsNation, Kristi and Steve Goncalves, the parents of murdered student Kaylee, indicated they would support the death penalty if a suspect is found guilty of their daughter's murder.

Newsweek has contacted Kohberger's public defender in Idaho for comment.