Criminology graduate accused of committing Idaho stabbings

Courtesy+of+abc7+eyewitness+news

Courtesy of abc7 eyewitness news

Ell Samara, News Editor

Moscow Idaho has a population of about 25,000 people, where Idaho University resides. In the university, four students, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves, were found stabbed to death in their home off campus, on November 13. 

The victims are believed to have been stabbed in their sleep, receiving multiple stab wounds. The door had no sign of forced entry, it was open when police arrived, and there was no sign of sexual assault from any of the students. 

All of the students arrived at their collective house sometime at 1 a.m. , with some arriving later than others. Chapin and Kernodle came home first, coming from a frat party. After that, Mogen and Goncalves joined them when coming home from a night at the bar. 

Idaho police were stumped and did not call to arrest a suspect for many weeks. The police kept the details of the case to themselves until a suspect was officially arrested on December 30 at his parent’s home in Effort, PA. 

Bryan Kohberger is a student who had studied criminology to get a Ph.D. in the subject. NewsNation’s article “Expert: Alleged Idaho killer may have ‘multiple motives’” stated, “Kohberger previously studied under a serial killer expert connected to BTK Killer Dennis Rader … he may have also paid attention to past serial killers’ crimes.” This suggests that not only did Kohberger allegedly contact serial killers in prison but that he had studied killer’s crimes to an unhealthy extent. 

He was not known for obsession with criminal activity in his everyday life, more often he was known for his creepy behavior toward Seven Sirens Brewing Company employees in Bethlehem, PA. The owner of the brewery, Jordan Serulneck, noted that Kohberger would allegedly make comments to female staff and although he never saw the interactions himself, many of his staff reported it to him. 

U.S News’ article “Suspect in Idaho killings had made ‘creepy’ comments to brewery staff, customers, owner says,” wrote, “Kohberger would ask the female staff or customers who they were at the brewery with, where they lived and what their work schedule was … one time he called one of his staff members a disparaging term.” After Serulneck talked to him about his staff’s complaints months ago, Kohberger did not return.

Fox News article “Dr. Baden explains how police may have used DNA to hunt down alleged Idaho college killer,” said “And with all the blood there … 99% of [the DNA] would probably be from the victims,” the article also added that, “They also reportedly utilized cell phone data to link the 28-year-old graduate student to the scene. The process, called geofencing, allows officials to search cell phone data within certain parameters.” While they have all of these important aspects to a trial, they need more evidence to convey that he is the murderer of those students, exclaimed Dr. Michael Baden.

As the days go on more and more comes out about Kohberger. For example, his roommate allegedly saw him leave the morning of the murder with a mask on, or how he had changed his license plate only five days after the killing. Hopefully, more will be found out about the truth that happened that November 13 night as the persecution progresses.