WSU student arrested in connection to Moscow homicides

PULLMAN – Washington State University graduate student Bryan Kohberger, 28, of Pullman was arrested under a fugitive of justice warrant the morning of Friday, Dec. 30 in the Chestnuthill Township of Pennsylvania in Monroe County on four counts of first-degree murder and an additional charge of felony burglary (entering a residence with the intent to kill.)

The criminal complaint was submitted on Dec. 29, according to Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson in a press conference held at Moscow City Hall on Friday.

Kohberger is enrolled as a Ph.D student at Washington State University, where he was searching for his doctorate in the criminal justice and criminology department.

Kohberger completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at DeSales University in Pennsylvania.

Kohberger appeared before a Pennsylvania magistrate the morning of Friday and is currently being held without bond, according to Thompson.

Kohberger returned to Pennsylvania court on Tuesday, Jan. 3 to begin the extradition process, and had been assigned a public defender.

Kohberger had the option to either waive the extradition process, shortening the amount of time it would take for him to be extradited and appear in Idaho court, or choose to undergo the full extradition process, possibly lengthening the amount of time it would take for him to be extradited.

Kohberger chose to waive the extradition process, and is expected to be transferred back to Idaho within the coming days.

Kootenai County Chief Public Defender Anne Taylor will be representing Kohberger in Idaho court.

Further details such as potential motivation, potential connection with the victims (Xana Kernodle, 20, Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Gonclaves, 21) and how police came to suspect Kohberger are under a probable-cause affidavit that will not be unsealed until Kohberger is extradited, according to Thompson.

Moscow Police Chief James Fry could not answer if the police were looking for more suspects but stated "I believe our community is safe."

Police and forensic investigators began taping off Kohberger's Pullman residence at the Steptoe Village Apartments (1630 NE Valley Road, Building G) at around 7 a.m. on Friday.

Officers and investigators had no comment regarding discoveries or evidence found in Kohberger's apartment and were in the process of casing other units in the building as of 2:43 p.m. on Friday.

The King Road residence of the victims in Moscow, Idaho where the homicides took place was scheduled to undergo remediation, or "cleanup," by a private company hired by the property managers.

"The house cleanup has been halted," Fry said in the Friday press conference. "And that came by a legal request from the court."

The cleanup was meant to remove hazardous materials used in the investigation, such as forensic chemicals and other bio-hazardous materials.