Accused Idaho multiple murderer Bryan Kohberger was meticulously sorting through his trash wearing latex gloves when he was busted at his parents’ Pennsylvania home, a prosecutor has revealed.
Monroe County First Assistant District Attorney Michael Mancuso told BRC 13 that “Kohberger was found awake within the kitchen area wearing shorts and a shirt” on Dec. 30 when cops raided his family’s Albrightsville home around 1:30 a.m.
The 28-year-old suspect was also “wearing latex medical-type gloves and apparently was taking his personal trash and putting it into separate Ziploc baggies,” Mancuso said.
The items were previously listed in search warrants, without detail on what the troubled criminology student was doing.
Hiding his trash, Mancuso suggested, could explain why “the trash pull that was done days before” the raid had only detected DNA profiles of his relations “but not from him.”
It would likely be utilized by prosecutors in Idaho, where Kohberger was quickly extradited to be charged with the Nov. 13 slaying of 4 University of Idaho students.
“It could thoroughly explain a few of the other facets of the case from Idaho, a few of the lengths that an individual would go to to avoid having their DNA left behind once they know or should’ve known that there was an investigation underway,” Mancuso suggested.
A very powerful part was a cheek swab, the prosecutor noted — calling it “something that they might compare to the DNA of … the snap button for the sheath of the knife” left on the murder scene.
The inventory also suggested other potential distinctive clues — particularly the indisputable fact that Kohberger’s black-and-white coloured Nike sneakers were listed as being a size 13.
“I can be keen on the shoes, the scale of the shoes, comparison to any show impressions that might need been recovered on the scene that form of thing,” Mancuso told the outlet.
The prosecutor stressed that “Kohberger, as with another criminal defendant, is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court of law.”
“But actually for the investigation and the interest of the investigators in constructing the case layer by layer — that was a major find,” he said of the items taken from Kohberger’s possession.
A separate warrant released later showed that law enforcement officials also took a Glock 22 .40-caliber handgun and empty magazines, a Smith & Wesson pocketknife, and a 3rd Taylor Cutlery knife in a leather sheath.
Officials haven’t said if either of those knives is considered the one used to stab to death Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.
Kohberger was busted while home for the vacations after driving cross-country from his student digs in Washington, where he lived just 10 miles from where the 4 students were murdered of their off-campus home.
Cops had zeroed in on him after his white Hyundai Elantra matched a automotive seen speeding from the crime scene. He was under surveillance before, during and after the road trip.
Kohberger is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on June 26. He has not entered a plea yet but previously said through an attorney that he’s “desirous to be exonerated.”