Suspect in University of Idaho Quadruple Homicide Submits Alibi, Faces Skepticism

Bryan Kohberger, the suspect charged in the brutal stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students in November 2022, has submitted an alibi claiming he was out driving alone at the time of the murders. However, the family of one of the victims, Kaylee Goncalves, has expressed skepticism about Kohberger's explanation.

Kohberger, a 29-year-old criminology student, is accused of breaking into an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, and stabbing Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin to death between 4:00 and 4:30 a.m. on November 13, 2022. He was arrested nearly seven weeks later in Pennsylvania and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and felony burglary.

In court documents filed this week, Kohberger's defense team outlined his alibi, asserting that he was driving in a remote area on the night of the murders to "hike and run and/or see the moon and stars." The lawyers plan to use analysis of cell tower data to show that Kohberger was not near the crime scene at the time of the killings.

Why this matters: The University of Idaho quadruple homicide case has attracted considerable media attention in the United States and internationally due to its brutality and the speculation surrounding the masked assailant. The suspect's alibi and the victims' families' reactions have introduced new aspects to the ongoing investigation and legal proceedings.

However, the Goncalves family is not persuaded by Kohberger's alibi. They believe it conflicts with the information in the probable cause affidavit and does not hold any "weight." "If he disputes the cellphone data, it would be either before or after the times of the murders, and therefore not a real alibi," the family stated.

Prosecutors have tied Kohberger to the murders through surveillance footage, DNA evidence found on a knife sheath left at the scene, and cellphone activity. Authorities say that for a two-hour period between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., Kohberger's phone stopped reporting to the network entirely, which is consistent with the phone being out of service or in airplane mode.

Kohberger has been indicted by a grand jury and is being held without bail in the Latah County Jail. The state of Idaho has filed intent to seek the <a href="https://abc7.com/idaho-murders-bryan-kohberger-alibi-hiking

Key Takeaways

• Kohberger claims he was driving alone at time of murders, but family skeptical
• Kohberger accused of stabbing 4 Idaho students in Nov 2022, arrested 7 weeks later
• Prosecutors tie Kohberger to murders through surveillance, DNA, and cellphone data
• Kohberger's phone stopped reporting to network for 2 hours during murders
• Kohberger indicted, held without bail; Idaho seeks death penalty