Bryan Kohberger could be executed by the state of Idaho if convicted of the murders of four students in the city of Moscow, prosecutors confirmed Monday, noting that the killings were “particularly heinous, gruesome, or gruesome and expressed extraordinary depravity.”
Kohberger, 28, is accused of killing Kaylee Goncalves, 21, on November 13; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20.
The four students were found stabbed to death in their beds in their shared apartment in the university town. The case shocked and terrified the small community: Kohberger, a criminal psychology student, was arrested December 30 at his family’s home in Pennsylvania.
On Monday, prosecutors told the judge that they intend to seek the death penalty if Kohberger is convicted.
The Latah County Attorney’s Office told the court that it was seeking the death penalty because the killings were “particularly heinous, heinous or gruesome and showed exceptional depravity.”
Bryan Kohberger is pictured in court in Moscow, Idaho, on June 9. On Monday, prosecutors said they intend to seek the death penalty if the 28-year-old is convicted
Kohberger pleaded not guilty to the murders of roommate Maddie Mogen, 21, last month; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, 20
They said the death penalty was appropriate as there were multiple victims; the defendant “showed total disregard for human life”; the defendant “acted with ruthless indifference to human life”; and the accused poses a threat to society.
Prosecutors added that no mitigating circumstances had been presented to them.
NewsNation reported that prosecutors have met with the victims’ families to discuss the matter. Kernodle’s mother, Cara Northington, advocated a life sentence for Kohberger if convicted.
Her father Jeff, on the other hand, is said to support the death penalty for the alleged murderer.
The Goncalves and Mogens also support the death penalty, and the Chapins have not made their position public.
On Thursday, Kohberger’s lawyers claimed DNA evidence from two other men was found at the scene.
Lawyers said there was “no connection” between their client and the students who were fatally stabbed at their off-campus Moscow home.
“There is no connection between Mr. Kohberger and the victims,” attorney Jay Logsdon’s filing said.
“There is no explanation for the total lack of DNA evidence from the victims in Mr. Kohberger’s apartment, office, house or vehicle.”
The defense team said a second man’s DNA was found in the Moscow home and that police allegedly found a third man’s DNA on a glove that was discovered outside the home
A Ka-Bar knife similar to the one believed to have been used in the murders
The filing states that “as of December 17, 2022, laboratory analysts were aware of the DNA of two other men in the home where the deceased were kept.”
The defense team said DNA from a second man was found in the Moscow home and police allegedly found DNA from a third man on a glove discovered outside the home.
“To this date, the defense is unaware of what type of testing, if any, was performed on these samples other than STR DNA profiles.”
The filing, an objection to the state’s request for a protective order, argues that the defense team should have access to all of the data and genetic genealogy from the investigation that led prosecutors to claim Kohberger’s DNA, which was obtained using a cheek swab , was a “statistical match” with DNA found on a knife sheath discovered at the crime scene.
Earlier this month, prosecutors claimed that DNA found on a knife sheath left at the Idaho crime scene was a “statistical match” to a suspect’s cheek swab.
The FBI said it used databases from public DNA sites similar to 23andMe.
Prosecutors previously argued Kohberger was not entitled to any FBI data uncovered in the proceedings.
In its filing, the defense said, “Perhaps not surprisingly, Mr. Kohberger does not accept that his defense does not require this information.”
“The state apparently just wants to prevent Mr. Kohberger from seeing how the investigative genetic genealogy profile was created and how many other individuals the FBI has ignored in its investigations.”
The filing accused the government of not releasing the information because “people would kind of stop passing on their genetics if they realized the government was watching.”
Investigators found a Ka-Bar knife sheath on the bed containing the bodies of Mogen and Goncalves. According to court documents filed on June 16, the casing was partially underneath Mogen’s body and the duvet on the bed.
The former criminology student decided last month to remain “silent” on his charges and pleas of “not guilty” have been filed on his behalf
The house where the murders took place, on King Road in Moscow – a quiet cul-de-sac near the University of Idaho campus
The likelihood of seeing a sample of DNA left on the case is “at least 5.37 octillion times more likely when the source is the suspect than when the source is an unrelated person chosen at random from the general population.” , prosecutors said in the filing.
If DNA is found at a crime scene that does not belong to the victims, police first search their own database to see if it matches DNA from previous offenders.
This process, called a short tandem repeat (STR) comparison, tests the sample against 20 DNA markers—enough to identify the individual if their own DNA is already in the system, or in some cases if the DNA of an immediate person A relative is in the system, for example a parent or a sibling.
An affidavit filed in January shortly after Kohberger’s arrest said DNA matching that of the suspect was found on a knife sheath found at the scene near the bodies of Mogen and Goncalves.
Investigators later closely matched the DNA on the case to DNA found in trash taken from Kohberger’s childhood home in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested in December 2022.
“A traditional STR DNA comparison was performed between the STR profile on the Ka-Bar knife sheath and the defendant’s DNA.” “The comparison revealed statistical agreement,” the new filing says.
The former criminology student decided last month to remain “silent” on his charges and pleas of “not guilty” have been filed on his behalf.
He faces four counts of murder and burglary.