Bryan Kohberger Caught Sorting Through Trash, Wearing Surgical Gloves When Police Nabbed Him

Accused Idaho killer Bryan Kohberger was caught separating his personal trash at his family’s Pennsylvania home when police arrested him in December, according to Monroe County First Assistant District Attorney Michael Mancuso

BRC 13 News reports that Mancuso said that Kohberger was awake on December 30, 2022, at around 1:30 a.m., when police raided his family’s Chestnuthill Township residence and arrested him.

“Mr. Kohberger was found awake in the kitchen area dressed in shorts and a shirt a wearing latex medical type gloves and apparently was taking his personal trash and putting it into a separate zip lock baggies,” Mancuso stated.

The items were already listed in a search warrant released earlier this year, but no additional details were provided on how the items were found and what Kohberger was doing when police arrived at the home.

Mancuso said that the defendant separating his personal trash could be why investigators didn’t have a DNA sample from the suspect until they performed a cheek swab upon his arrest.

“The trash pull that was done days before recovered DNA profiles but not from him, only from his family members,” Mancuso said.

“It could very explain some of the other aspects of the case from Idaho, some of the lengths that a person would go to to avoid having their DNA left behind when they know or should have known that there was an investigation underway.”

Mancuso added that although Kohberger is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the suspect’s shoes could play a big part in the case.

“I would be keen on the shoes, the size of the shoes, comparison to any show impressions that might have been recovered at the scene that sort of thing,” he said.

“Mr. Kohberger, as with any other criminal defendant, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law so that remains the case. But certainly, for the investigation and the interest of the investigators in building the case layer by layer, that was a significant find.”

Bryan Kohberger Hyundai Search by Leigh Egan

Along with the surgical gloves, law enforcement seized numerous items from Kohberger’s Pennsylvania home and car, including, in part:

  • A Glock .40 Caliber handgun with three empty Glock .40 Caliber magazines
  • A Smith & Wesson pocketknife
  • A “green leafy substance” in a container
  • Masks
  • A Taylor cutting knife with a sheath
  • Black gloves and a black hat
  • A criminal psychology book

As CrimeOnline previously reported, Kohberger facing murder and burglary charges in connection with the November 13 deaths of students Ethan Chapin, 20; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and 21-year-old Kaylee Goncalves.

The victims were stabbed to death in their off-campus rental on King Road, near the University of Idaho. Kohberger then drove over 2,000 miles from Washington to his home state of Pennsylvania.

He remains behind bars without bail. Check back for updates.

Listen to a previous “Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” episode on the case below:

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[Feature Photo: Monroe County PD]