Arrest Made In Killings Of 4 Idaho Students

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly spelled the suspect's first name as Brian. It has since been corrected to say Bryan.

MOSCOW, ID — A man was arrested in Pennsylvania Friday in connection with the killings of four University of Idaho students who were found slain in an off-campus house in mid-November in a brutal crime that left the small college community shaken and invited global interest into what led to the fatal stabbings.

Pennsylvania State Police identified the suspect as 28-year-old Bryan C. Kohberger who they say was arrested on a fugitive from justice warrant in Chestnuthill Township in Monroe County. He is waiting to be extradited to Idaho.

Moscow, Idaho Police Chief James Fry confirmed Kohberger's arrest at a news conference Friday afternoon. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said Kohberger is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and felony burglary.

"These murders have shaken our community and I know that no arrest will restore the families or bring these young students back. However, we believe in the criminal process and continue to extend our most sincere condolences to the families," Fry said at the news conference.

Thompson said Kohberger lives in Pullman, Washington and is a graduate student at Washington State University. He graduated from Northampton Community College in Pennsylvania with an associate of arts degree in psychology in 2018, said college spokesperson Mia Rossi-Marino. DeSales University in Pennsylvania said that he received a bachelor’s degree in 2020 and completed graduate studies in June 2022.

Kohberger is being held without bond and his next court appearance in Pennsylvania is on Tuesday.

The probable cause affidavit detailing the factual basis for Kohberger's arrest will remain sealed until Kohberger is physically in Latah County, Idaho in accordance with the state's supreme court, Thompson said. Authorities asked anyone who might have information on Kohberger to come forward.

Police did not share details on a possible motive or what led authorities to arrest Kohberger.

A white 2011-2013 Hyundai Elantra that authorities were searching for was located but police did not say where it was found. Authorities are still looking for the murder weapon, which they have previously said is believed to be an edged device.

Arrest paperwork filed by Pennsylvania State Police in Monroe County Court said Kohberger was being held for extradition in a criminal homicide investigation based on the active arrest warrant for first-degree murder issued by the Moscow Police Department and Latah County Prosecutor’s Office.

Updates and details on the case had been scarce and no person of interest had been named over the course of the investigation. At Friday's news conference, police said they were selective in what information they shared because they did not want to taint the prosecution or alert the suspect to their progress.

Autopsies showed all four students were likely asleep when they were attacked. Some had defensive wounds and each was stabbed multiple times. There was no sign of sexual assault, police said.

Police said Thursday the rental home where the students were found would be cleared of “potential biohazards and other harmful substances” to collect evidence starting Friday morning. The cleanup has since been halted because of a court request, Fry said.

All Eyes On Idaho

The case has drawn wide interest with police receiving thousands of tips. Just a day before news of the person being in custody, police once again made a plea for additional photos, videos or social media content that would add context to what happened the night of the killings.

Previously, after multiple conflicting updates, Moscow police said they believed that the attack was targeted but had not concluded that the target was the residence or its occupants.

Police in Idaho were careful in what information they shared with the public in an effort to stamp out disinformation that swirled around the case and repeatedly emphasized that only vetted information was being released.

Fears of a repeat attack prompted nearly half of the University of Idaho's over 11,000 students to leave the city and switch to online classes.

Some Victims Were Last Seen Together

The four students who were found dead were identified as Ethan Chapin, 20, of Conway, Washington, Madison Mogen, 21, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Xana Kernodle, 20, of Avondale, Arizona and Kaylee GonCalves, 21, of Rathdrum, Idaho.

Goncalves and Mogen were seen at a local bar called Corner Club at 202 N. Main Street in downtown Moscow between 10 p.m. November 12 and 1:30 a.m on November 13, investigators said. Then, at around 1:40 a.m., the pair were seen on video at the "Grub Truck" food vendor before arriving home at 1122 King Road around 1:56 a.m.

Investigators also revealed that Chapin and Kernodle were seen at the Sigma Chi house on the University of Idaho Campus at 735 Nez Perce Drive before arriving at 1122 King Road at around 1:45 a.m.

Detectives believe that on November 12, the two surviving roommates had also been out separately in the Moscow community but returned home by 1 a.m. on November 13.

Authorities Combatted Rumors, Speculation

"There is speculation, without factual backing, stoking community fears and spreading false facts," police said earlier in the investigation.

Police said they had pursued tips that Goncalves had a stalker, but they hadn’t been able to identify one. They also have knocked down rumors about other incidents — including a car break-in and a dog’s slaying — being potentially related to the case, as well as a rumor that the victims had been tied up or gagged.

Another report about dead animals being left on a property was related to wildlife activity, police said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.