Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four college students in Idaho, is now facing a new development in his case involving a previous investigation for a home invasion that police determined he was not involved in. Attorney Brian Buckmire, a former public defender, believes that Kohberger’s defense team will likely use the home invasion case to raise reasonable doubt in his murder case. Kohberger, 30, is accused of fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students in an off-campus residence in Moscow, Idaho in 2022. He is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary.
The home invasion incident in question occurred a year before the killings, in a nearby city of Pullman, Washington. In body camera footage obtained by ABC News, a woman describes a masked intruder entering her bedroom with a knife in the early hours of the morning. Police responding to the scene did not find the suspect or any evidence. Kohberger was named as a person of interest in the Pullman incident, but was later cleared as he did not match the physical description provided by the woman and was not enrolled in or visiting Washington State University at the time.
Despite being initially considered a person of interest in the alleged home invasion, Pullman officials have since closed the case and stated they have no evidence to link Kohberger to the incident. However, Brian Buckmire believes that Kohberger’s defense team will likely use this closed case to point to an alternative suspect in an effort to cast doubt on their client’s involvement in the murders. Brad Garrett, an ABC News crime & terrorism analyst, suggests that investigators often look for similar cases in the area, such as fingerprints, DNA or hair samples, in order to link a suspect to a crime.
Kohberger, who remains in custody at Ada County Jail in Boise, Idaho, is awaiting trial and is facing the death penalty if convicted. His trial is scheduled to begin on August 11, 2025, with jury selection set for July 31. A hearing in the case is scheduled for January 23. Buckmire questions whether a judge would admit the evidence from the closed home invasion case in Kohberger’s murder trial, given that it does not directly prove his innocence. The defense team is expected to use this angle to create reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors.
The high-profile murder case involving Kohberger and the four college students has garnered significant media attention and public interest. With new developments surfacing regarding the previous home invasion investigation, the defense strategy may focus on introducing an alternative suspect to shift the focus away from Kohberger. As the trial date approaches, the legal proceedings and courtroom tactics employed by the defense team will be closely scrutinized to determine the impact on the final outcome of the case.
The victims of the tragic murders, Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, have left a lasting impact on the community and their loved ones. The pursuit of justice for their deaths will be at the forefront of the upcoming trial, as the legal system seeks to hold Kohberger accountable for his alleged actions. The prosecution will present their case against Kohberger, while the defense attempts to raise doubts and introduce alternate theories to persuade the jury. It remains to be seen how the details of the previous home invasion case will factor into the larger narrative of the murder trial and whether it will have a significant impact on the final verdict.
