MOSCOW, Idaho – Early in the morning of December 29, 2022, very few people in the Inland Northwest knew Bryan Kohberger’s name. New documents just released in the University of Idaho murder case show what Kohberger did and said in the hours before he became the face of one of the area’s worst crimes.
Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania 46 days after four University of Idaho students were found dead in an off-campus home.
A SWAT team raided his home with probable cause that included a DNA match between the knife sheath at the crime scene and trash pulled from the family’s garbage can.
Details surrounding the case have been largely unknown as prosecutors prepared for Kohberger’s trial.
Now that Kohberger has been convicted and sent to prison, the City of Moscow is releasing documents that detail their investigation.
When Kohberger was arrested at his family’s home in Albrightsville, he came face to face with the lead investigators from Idaho, Moscow Police Cpl. Brett Payne and Idaho State Police Lt. Darren Gilbertson.
Gilbertson said when he introduced himself, Kohberger responded “you do look familiar.”
The investigators read him his Miranda rights and Kohberger said he understood.
Kohberger then told investigators he was concerned about his parents and his dog.
“Det. Gilbertson asked Kohberger if he was going to Washington State University to which he replied he was,” the document reads. “We made small talk with Kohberger about sports for some time. Kohberger stated he didn’t follow WSU football much but was a baseball fan.”
Kohberger told the men he had been at WSU for one semester and that he had also applied at UC-Irvine.
He apparently asked the investigators if it was okay to engage in small talk and they told him it was.
Gilbertson asked why Kohberger was trying to become a professor.
“Kohberger stated it was because he loved being in college and stated knowledge was far more important to him than money. Kohberger added WSU had a good program to study under, and then said “you guys know all about this more than likely”.
He told investigators he and his father had driven to WSU because he wanted the challenge of driving across the country and experiencing it with his father. He said they took a different route home that December to avoid snow.
After chatting for awhile, “Kohberger then stated he understood why were engaging in small talk but would appreciate it if we explained to him what he was doing there.”
“Det. Gilbertson said we were there because of what occurred in Moscow but did not provided any further detail,” the investigators wrote. “Det. Gilbertson asked Kohberger if he watched the news. Kohberger said ‘I watch the news’.
Kohberger then appeared to dodge questions about what specific incident occurred in Moscow and when it happened.
“Det. Gilberston confirmed that was why were there and asked if Kohberger wanted to talk about that. Kohberger replied ‘well, I think I would need a lawyer’. Kohberger then asked if we would explain to him what we were there for specifically and added he was tired. Det. Gilberston again stated we were investigating the homicides of the four students and that we had questions and things we hoped Kohberger would help us understand.”
After again saying he had a right to speak to a lawyer, Kohberger “reengaged again” and asked what questions they had for him. He said the only thing he knew about something happening in Moscow was an alert that came to his phone.
“Kohberger asked what specifically we wanted to talk to him about and the reason. I told Kohberger he invoked his Fifth Amendment Rights and we were not going to ask him any further questions. Kohberger asked again for the reason he was there but added he would like to talk to an attorney. At this point, we concluded our interview with Kohberger and left the room.”
It’s not clear if Kohberger ever spoke to law enforcement officers about the case again.
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