Surveillance footage obtained by YouTube user Christy's Chaos shows Bryan Kohberger inside a Washington Department of Motor Vehicles office in Pullman on November 18, 2022 — just five days after four University of Idaho students were fatally stabbed in Moscow, Idaho.
Background
Kohberger, then 28 years old and pursuing a Ph.D. in criminology at Washington State University, visited the Pullman DMV to request new license plates. The campus is located approximately 10 miles from the crime scene at 1122 King Road in Moscow, where Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves were killed on November 13, 2022.
During the visit, a DMV employee originally from San Francisco commented to Kohberger about the area appearing safer than her hometown. "I like how small, quiet and I would say safe. But the whole Moscow thing, kinda makes it feel a little less," she said.
Kohberger responded with a simple "Yeah" and nodded his head in agreement, according to the footage. He was later filmed filling out paperwork while wearing black gloves.
The Investigation
Kohberger, now 30, pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder in exchange for avoiding the death penalty. Under the plea deal, he received life imprisonment without parole and waived his right to appeal.
Prosecutors said Kohberger's DNA was found on a knife sheath located near the bodies of Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves. Investigators also matched DNA from a trash can outside Kohberger's family home in Pennsylvania to DNA on the sheath, with forensic analysts stating that "at least 99.9998% of the male population would be expected to be excluded from the possibility of being the suspect's biological father."
Police records show Kohberger visited the Moscow area 12 times before the slayings and turned off his phone on the night of November 13, 2022. He was arrested in Pennsylvania in December 2022 after traveling cross-country with his father.
Defense attorneys attempted to present alternative perpetrators at trial, but Judge Steven Hippler rejected the list. The defense also accused prosecutors of withholding evidence regarding unidentified DNA samples, including DNA found on a glove discovered outside the home. The judge rejected those contentions.
Key Takeaways
- Kohberger was captured on DMV surveillance footage in Pullman, Washington on November 18, 2022 — five days after the killings
- He discussed the "Moscow thing" with a DMV employee and agreed it made the area feel less safe
- He was wearing black gloves while filling out paperwork at the DMV
- Kohberger pleaded guilty to avoid death penalty, receiving life without parole
- His DNA was found on a knife sheath at the crime scene; the murder weapon has never been recovered
- A motive in the quadruple homicide remains undisclosed
What's Next
Kohberger is serving four consecutive life sentences at the Idaho State Correctional Institution. While the case has concluded with his guilty plea, questions remain unanswered, including the specific motive behind the killings. The defense had maintained Kohberger was not at the crime scene and was driving alone on the night of the murders, claims contradicted by physical evidence presented during pre-trial proceedings.