Newly released court documents have revealed that law enforcement officials have matched DNA samples taken from Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger to DNA obtained from a knife sheath found at the crime scene.
Police investigating the murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin near the University of Idaho in November 2022 found a Ka-Bar knife sheath on the bed next to two of the victims, the court documents reveal. Mogen, Gonclaves, Kemodle and Chapin were all found stabbed to death in a home they shared near the university by their two surviving roommates, Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortenson.
Ladies and Gentlemen….5.37 octillion times more likely The DNA on the sheath found next to Maddie is that of #bryankohberger.#idaho4#idaho pic.twitter.com/7Fcvu7C0di
— Jennifer Coffindaffer (@CoffindafferFBI) June 21, 2023
As the sheath was processed as evidence, the Idaho State Police Lab detected a single-source DNA sample on the sheath that belonged to a male. After comparing the DNA sample with that of other samples within the police database and finding no leads, law enforcement officials turned to Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG), court documents state. (RELATED: Cop: Idaho Murders Suspect Made Crucial Mistake That Led Authorities To Arrest)
Utilizing the genetic genealogy’s service portal, FBI officials were able to create a family tree around the suspect’s DNA sample, linking the suspect to hundreds of relatives of Kohberger. An analysis of the garbage obtained from outside of Kohberger’s parents’ home prior to his arrest in December indicated to law enforcement officials that the “DNA found on the trash belonged to the biological father of the individual who left the DNA on the Ka-Bar knife sheath,” the court documents state.
Once Kohberger was taken into custody, law enforcement officials took a swab sample from the suspect’s cheek and found a “statistical match” with that of the DNA found on the Ka-Bar knife sheath. “Specifically, the STR [short tandem repeat] profile is at least 5.37 octillion times more likely to be seen if Defendant is the source than if an unrelated individual randomly selected from the general population is the source,” the court documents state.
Kohberger opted to stand silent at his arraignment hearing in May, prompting his lawyers to enter a plea of “not guilty” on his behalf. His trial is set for Oct. 2, 2023.