The man who allegedly stabbed four University of Idaho students to death is said to have stalked them for weeks and tried to cover his tracks following the slayings, according to the Daily Mail.
Citing an unnamed source who claims to be a friend of a law enforcement officer connected to the case, the Daily Mail reports that Bryan Christopher Kohberger followed the victims for multiple weeks leading up to the killings.
Police reportedly compared cell phone data associated with Kohberger to phone data tied to at least some of the victims, and some locations appear to have matched, according to the news outlet.
“Not sure if they ever interacted – but his cell phone pings followed their every move for weeks,” the source wrote to the Daily Mail.
Crime Online has not independently corroborated the Daily Mail’s reporting or the source’s claims.
Kohberger, 28, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary in connection with the deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, who were found stabbed to death November 13 in Moscow, Idaho.
Police arrested Kohberger early Friday at this parents’ house in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, more than 2,000 miles away from the murder scene.
Kohberger is a first-year Ph.D. student at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, where he was studying criminology. Pullman is located about 9 miles across the Washington-Idaho border from Moscow.
The Daily Mail source further says that after law enforcement began surveilling Kohberger, they saw him take measures to cover up his tracks, such as wearing gloves inside a grocery store, which investigators interpreted as him trying to avoid leaving fingerprints or DNA.
“A good friend of ours was one of the cops who has been following him the last couple days,” the source told the Daily Mail. “He followed him into a Giant (local grocery store) and wore gloves the entire time.”
“He’s not stupid and has been very careful,” the source added, referring to Kohberger.
Authorities have not released key details of the case yet, including the probable cause affidavit, which Idaho law requires be sealed until Kohberger returns to the state and is served with the document.
Kohberger is being held in a jail in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, away from other inmates and “on 24-hour watch by the guards there to ensure his safety,” Monroe County Chief Public Defender Jason LaBar told CNN on Saturday. He said Kohberger has been “cooperative” with investigators,” according to CNN.
In an additional statement, LaBar said his client is “eager to be exonerated” and has agreed to waive extradition to Idaho.
“Mr. Kohberger intends to waive his extradition hearing to expedite his transport to Idaho,” LaBar said, according to KTVB-TV.
“Mr. Kohberger has been accused of very serious crimes, but the American justice system cloaks him in a veil of innocence. He should be presumed innocent until proven otherwise – not tried in the court of public opinion. One should not pass judgment about the facts of the case unless and until a fair trial in court at which time all sides may be heard and inferences challenged.”
“Mr. Kohberger is eager to be exonerated of these charges and looks forward to resolving these matters as promptly as possible.”
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[Feature Photo: Left, Ethan Chapin, and Xana Kernodle; Top right: Kaylee Goncalves; Bottom right: Madison Mogen/Instagram]
