Bryan Kohberger's DNA recovered from knife sheath found beside Madison Mogen's body, case files reveal
MOSCOW, IDAHO: Idaho police revealed a plethora of documents outlining the early stages of their investigation against Bryan Kohberger the suspect accused of killing Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin on November 13 in an off-campus rented home, near the University of Idaho. According to the records, his DNA was detected on a knife sheath located adjacent to one of the dead bodies, and he stalked the home by visiting 12 times before committing the heinous crime.
Kohberger's DNA was discovered on the sheath's snap button enclosure and was subsequently confirmed that it was matching him. On December 27, cops "stole" trash from his family's residence in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, and acquired a sample of his DNA. The samples they collected from his father's home matched the sample discovered at the crime scene, Daily Mail reported.
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A statement from Moscow Police Officer Brett Payne was also released in support of Kohberger’s arrest affidavit, revealing new details about the murders and the crime scene. The officer said he noticed Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves both had "visible stab wounds".
“I also later noticed what appered to be a tan leather knife sheath laying on the bed next to Mogen’s right side (when viewed from the door). The sheath was later processed and had “Ka-Bar” ‘USMC” and the Unicd States Marine Corps eagle globe and anchor insignia stamped on the outside of it,” the officer wrote.
“The Idaho state lab later located a single source ofmale DNA (suspect Profile) left on the button snap of the knife sheath.”
He also revealed where the four victims were found inside the bloodied home. Mogen and Goncalves were both found stabbed to death in Mogen’s single bed in her bedroom on the third floor, whereas the bodies of Kernodle and Chapin were both found in Kernodle’s bedroom on the second floor of the property — Kernodle was found on the floor.
Goncalves’ pet dog Murphy was found unharmed in Goncalves’ bedroom, which is also on the third floor, the officer wrote.
Surviving roommate saw masked killer leave home
The court documents further revealed that one of the surviving roommates, Dylan Mortensen, identified only as D.M. in the affidavit, told authorities she not only overheard the sounds of the killing but saw the killer walk right past her
D.M., who was asleep in one of the rooms on the second floor, awoke at approximately 4am to the sounds of Goncalves playing with her dog in one of the third-floor bedrooms.
A short time later, she heard someone say, "there's someone here," court documents claim. Minutes later, she looked out of her bedroom for the first time but did not see anything. She then opened her door for a second time when she heard what she thought was crying coming from Kemodle’s room, the documents state.
At that point, she said she heard a man’s voice saying something to the effect of “it’s ok, I’m going to help you”.
When she opened her door for a third time minutes later, she said she saw “a figure clad in black clothing and a mask that covered the person’s mouth and nose walking towards her”.
As she stood in a “frozen shock phase,” she said the man walked past her and headed towards the back sliding glass door of the home. She then locked herself in her room.
The investigators have also described how they used his surveillance camera footage from Kohberger's Washington State campus residence to follow the movements of his white Hyundai Elantra after it was spotted around the crime scene during the November 13 night. Police had so far remained tight-lipped about the pieces of evidence they had gathered against Kohberger and even appealed to report about the suspect when he was arrested on December 30, 2500, miles far in Pennsylvania, his parent's home where he drove from Pullman Washington with his father.
Moreover, recent reports also suggest that the two traffic stops along the way to A Albrightsville were facilitated by the FBI who wanted to have a close look at the suspect and even confirm injuries on his left hand allegedly received during the killings as the victims had defended themselves.