Court Filings Expose Bryan Kohberger’s Activities Months Before Idaho Killings

New court filings in the Idaho murders case have shed more light on the events that may have led up to accused killer Bryan Kohberger’s alleged heinous act.

Kohberger, who was charged with murdering four University of Idaho students, allegedly purchased a black balaclava and combat knife months before the November 2022 stabbings.

Despite the defense’s efforts to exclude evidence from Bryan Kohberger’s online purchases, the judge presiding over the case denied the motion.

According to newly released court documents, Kohberger, who is facing charges for the fatal stabbings of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin at their off-campus residence in Moscow, Idaho, allegedly purchased a black balaclava nearly a year before a witness reported seeing a masked man inside the home.

Prosecutors revealed that Kohberger bought the face covering on January 10, 2022, at a Dick’s Sporting Goods store in Pittsburgh, eleven months before the fatal stabbings on November 13, 2022.

Prosecutors also pointed to Kohberger’s online shopping history, which they say includes the purchase of a combat-style knife, a sheath, and a sharpener from Amazon approximately eight months before the attack.

A knife sheath containing Kohberger’s DNA was later recovered at the crime scene. Additionally, Dylan Mortensen, a witness inside the King Road residence the night of the killings, told police they saw a man wearing a similar mask.

They later provided a drawing of the covering, which was included in court filings submitted by Kohberger’s defense attorney, Elisa Massoth, as per the New York Post.

A crucial piece of evidence in Kohberger’s trial is the knife sheath found at the crime scene, which contained his DNA.

His defense team previously sought to have the sheath dismissed by requesting a Franks hearing, but Judge Steven Hippler denied the motion.

More recently, they attempted to challenge the inclusion of Kohberger’s Amazon purchase history, believed to include the murder weapon, by presenting defense experts.

However, Hippler also denied this request, stating, “the information Defense seeks to convey can be presented by declarations.”

He added: “Counsel may have the witnesses available by video streaming during the hearing and, should the Court determine it is necessary to hear from the witness, the Court may allow such testimony by video live-stream.”

Despite the judge’s decision, Kohberger’s defense team is expected to revisit the discovery of unidentified DNA during the trial.

Legal experts suggest this could be used to create reasonable doubt, though its impact remains uncertain.

Criminal defense attorney Edwina Elcox noted: “That evidence could be any variety of things: It could be something, or it could be a lot of things that are nothing.”

She added: “There’s at least something to be made of it, and it’s better than having nothing as a defense.”

As reported by The Blast, Kohberger’s upcoming murder trial could include testimony from his own family members.

Kohberger’s legal team had requested that his family be given priority seating during the trial. However, prosecutors opposed the request and argued that any relatives who may be called as witnesses should be barred from attending before providing testimony.

According to the New York Post, Deputy Latah County Prosecutor Ashley Jennings confirmed in a filing to Judge Steven Hippler that “the State may call member(s) of the Kohberger family to testify at trial.”

She also noted that “prior to the start of the trial, the State anticipates it will motion the Court, or the Court will on its own accord, generally exclude testifying witnesses from the courtroom so that they cannot hear other witnesses’ testimony.”

In the filing, prosecutor Jennings argued that Kohberger’s family does not have the same legal rights as the victims’ families.

“Defendant requests that members of his family be granted the same rights as the victim’s families,” she stated. “However, the ‘immediate families of homicide victims’ have constitutional and statutory rights to attend pursuant to [the] Idaho Constitution…There is no comparable constitutional or statutory provisions affording a defendant’s family these same rights.”

Kohberger’s trial is set for August in Boise, Idaho, after being moved from Moscow due to concerns about an unfair trial.

The first proceeding will determine whether he is guilty of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. If convicted, a second phase will be held to decide whether he faces the death penalty, which is applicable under Idaho law.

With a potential two-phase process, the trial could extend until November. Jury selection is scheduled to begin in late July after pretrial motions are addressed.

For now, Kohberger remains in custody without bail.