Idaho murders: Police address Bryan Kohberger’s ties to woman’s death as parents testify

Police in Pennsylvania have spoken out about the possible connection between Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger and the death of a woman whose body was found almost a year after her disappearance.

It emerged this week that Mr Kohberger’s parents had been ordered to testify before a grand jury investigating the disappearance and death of Dana Smithers, 45.

Smithers vanished without a trace in May 2022 from Monroe County, Pennsylvania – where Mr Kohberger was living at the time. Her remains were found last month in a wooded area, her cause of death still unknown.

A source told CNN that the accused killer’s mother had already given evidence to the grand jury while his father was appearing to testify on Thursday.

Stroud Area Regional Police Department has now issued a statement insisting there is “NO EVIDENCE that Dana Smither’s disappearance, is in ANY WAY tied to Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger”.

The development comes days after Mr Kohberger was arraigned on four counts of murder and one count of burglary in Moscow, Idaho.

Mr Kohberger is accused of killing Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, on 13 November.

Key points

• Bryan Kohberger’s parents to testify in case of woman found dead in Pennsylvania

• What happened to Dana Smithers and how is Kohberger linked?

• Families of murdered students prepare to sue University of Idaho

• Bryan Kohberger refuses to enter plea as he's arraigned on murder charges

• Trial date set for October

• Bryan Kohberger’s sister feared he was responsible for killings prior to arrest

Bryan Kohberger allegedly broke into female student’s home and spied on her months before Idaho murders

Thursday 25 May 2023 08:30 , Shweta Sharma

Bryan Kohberger is believed to have broken into the home of a female student and then installed security cameras to spy on her in the months before he allegedly killed four other students in a horror attack in Moscow, Idaho.

The 28-year-old criminology PhD student had befriended the woman after he moved to Pullman, Washington state, to begin a graduate program in criminal justice at Washington State University (WSU), according to a source.

One day, the woman returned to her apartment and found that someone had broken in and moved items around the home – but that nothing was missing.

Bryan Kohberger allegedly broke into student’s home before Idaho murders

When is Bryan Kohberger’s trial?

Thursday 25 May 2023 08:50 , Rachel Sharp

Judge John Judge has set Bryan Kohberger’s trial date for 2 October 2023.

The trial is expected to take around six weeks.

The prosecution has 60 days from Monday’s arraignment to confirm whether or not it is seeking the death penalty in the case.

Families of slain University of Idaho students prepare to sue college over murders

Thursday 25 May 2023 09:50 , Rachel Sharp

The families of two of the four University of Idaho students stabbed to death in an off-campus home are now preparing to sue the college over their brutal murders, it has been revealed.

An attorney representing the families of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21, filed tort notices this month leaving them open to filing lawsuits within the next two years.

The notices, obtained by ABC News, protect their rights to sue the University of Idaho, Washington State University – the university where accused killer Bryan Kohberger was a student – the city of Moscow and Idaho State Police.

Read the story here:

Families of slain University of Idaho students prepare to sue college over murders

Bryan Kohberger bought Ka-Bar knife from Amazon months before deadly stabbings of Idaho students

Thursday 25 May 2023 10:50 , Rachel Sharp

Bryan Kohberger bought a Ka-Bar knife and knife sheath from Amazon seven months before he allegedly stabbed four University of Idaho students to death in a brutal attack that sent shockwaves across America, it has been revealed.

NBC’s Dateline special “The Killings on King Road” reported that the 28-year-old accused killer shopped online for the military-style knife in April 2022.

At the time, he was still studying for his master’s degree in criminology at DeSales University in Pennsylvania.

Read more here:

Bryan Kohberger bought Ka-Bar knife from Amazon months before murders

Idaho murder victims’ families accepted posthumous degrees at graduation ceremony

Thursday 25 May 2023 12:00 , Shweta Sharma

The grieving families of two slain University of Idaho students accepted their posthumous degrees on 13 May.

Six months after best friends, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, were killed in their sleep at their off-campus home in Moscow, their loved ones received the awards during two separate ceremonies.

Goncalves’ four siblings received their sister’s general studies diploma while Mogen’s parents were given her marketing degree.

Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chaplin, who were also killed in the 13 November attack, received certificates for semesters they had completed.

Kernodle’s family accepted her certificate in marketing at a private ceremony last week while Chapin’s award in sports, recreation and management will be mailed to his parents.

What happened to Dana Smithers and why has her death been linked to Bryan Kohberger?

Thursday 25 May 2023 12:41 , Rachel Sharp

The horrifying case of four University of Idaho students butchered in an off-campus home has taken another dramatic twist after it emerged that the parents of their accused killer have been called to testify in a separate case thousands of miles away in Pennsylvania.

Bryan Kohberger’s parents have been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury investigating the disappearance and death of mother-of-three Dana Smithers.

Smithers was last seen alive in May 2022. Her remains were discovered last month, her cause of death still unknown.

It remains unclear what connection – if any – her disappearance and death may have to Mr Kohberger but multiple outlets reported that Mr Kohberger’s parents Michael and Maryann Kohberger have been ordered to testify in the case.

So who was Dana Smithers and what happened to her?

What happened to Dana Smithers? Woman whose death now linked to Bryan Kohberger

Novelist James Patterson, journalist Vicky Ward plan book on killing of Idaho college students

Thursday 25 May 2023 13:00 , Shweta Sharma

Best-selling novelist James Patterson is teaming up with investigative journalist Vicky Ward on a book about the 2022 killing of four University of Idaho students.

Little, Brown and Company announced Friday that Mr Patterson and Mr Ward will “draw from dozens of exclusive interviews, extensive on-the-ground reporting, copious court transcripts” and their own planned attendance at the trial of suspect Bryan Kohberger, who was indicated this week by a grand jury in Boise.

“The Idaho murders have captured imaginations all around the world and I’m as caught up in it as anyone else. Because all of this happened in such a small town, there are definitely echoes of ‘In Cold Blood,’” Mr Patterson said in a statement.

He is one of the world’s most prolific and popular novelists, but also has worked on nonfiction books, with subjects ranging from Princess Diana to Jeffrey Epstein.

Novelist James Patterson, journalist Vicky Ward plan book on killing of Idaho college students

Idaho murder victim’s father shares stark warning to alleged killer: ‘He’s gonna realize’

Thursday 25 May 2023 13:30 , Shweta Sharma

The father of Kaylee Goncalves, one of the four University of Idaho students fatally stabbed to death by alleged killer Bryan Kohberger, has issued a stark warning to him ahead of a preliminary hearing scheduled for 26 June.

The latest development in the case is the release of new documents relating to the search of Mr Kohberger’s apartment near Washington State University, a short distance across the state line from Moscow, where he was pursuing a PhD.

A 166-page report on the search containing details of the items seized was obtained by The New York Times. These included possible hair strands, a computer, two stains that may be blood, and other items.

On Friday, Steve Goncalves, Kaylee’s father told ABC News: “I can’t wait to see the evidence… And then I’m gonna bring it.”

Idaho murder victim Kaylee Goncalves’ father issues stark warning to alleged killer

ICYMI: Bryan Kohberger’s parents to testify in 2022 Dana Smithers case - report

Thursday 25 May 2023 14:00 , Shweta Sharma

Bryan Kohberger’s parents have been called to testify before a grand jury in Pennsylvania in a case related to Dana Smithers, who went missing in 2022, according to NewsNation.

Smithers, a 45-year-old woman, was last seen on 28 May 2022 in Monroe County and her remains were discovered in a wooded area in Stroudsburg on 27 April, around 30 miles away from Kohberger’s home in Albrightsville.

However, a source told NewsNation that Mr Bryan’s alibi proves that he likely wasn’t involved in Smithers’ missing case.

But the grand jury has not concluded their proceedings in the case and investigations are ongoing.

Dana Smithers’ last known movements

Thursday 25 May 2023 15:03 , Rachel Sharp

In May 2022, Smithers vanished without a trace from Monroe County – the same county in Pennsylvania where Mr Kohberger was living at the time before moving cross-country to Washington state in the summer to pursue a graduate degree program in criminal justice.

A ring video camera captured Smithers leaving a neighbour’s house at around 11.05pm on the night of 28 May, holding her cellphone in her hand.

She was never seen alive again.

What was especially odd was that Smithers’ cellphone, wallet and daily medication were all found at her home.

Earlier that day, Smithers and her youngest daughter, 7, had gone to a local festival at the Happy Hour Bar and Grille in Stroudsburg with her daughter’s father.

Smithers’ sister Stacey told NBC’s Dateline in December that the couple were no longer together but were still on good terms.

At the festival, Smithers appeared to be having a good time, dancing and saying hello to people.

The three later returned to the home that Smithers, her daugher and Smithers’ mother shared.

Later that night, best friend Tara Cioni said that Smithers called into her home to hang out. The two women lived just a couple of doors down from each other and would often just call in to see each other on an evening.

“We’re best friends. She’s been my neighbor for 16 years. We’ve raised our children together,” Ms Cioni told Dateline.

“It was an open door policy, like, with her. So she came in and she was here for a little bit.”

Ms Cioni said that, in hindsight, she wonders if something was troubling her friend that night.

Smithers – who had a history of substance abuse – was smoking, something she only did if she was “nervous” or on edge.

Ms Cioni said that Smithers later asked her if she wanted to come back to her house to hang out but she was tired so said she was going to bed.

That was the last time anyone saw her.

The search for Dana Smithers

Thursday 25 May 2023 15:30 , Rachel Sharp

Smithers was last seen alive on 28 May 2022 when she left her friend’s house.

It was the following morning when Smithers’ mother realised her daughter had not come home that night.

Initially, the family wasn’t too concerned as Stacey said the 45-year-old had stayed out all night in the past.

But, when she didn’t show up for Memorial Day celebrations with the family on 30 May, they knew something must be wrong.

Smithers and her children, aged 25, 23 and 7, had a family tradition to go to Knoebels Park in Pennsylvania ever Memorial Day.

“She would not have missed Memorial Day,” said Stacey, adding that she would also never have left her youngest child for that long.

“She didn’t do anything that didn’t involve her kids,” she said. “That was her thing. I mean she was always there with the kids.”

Smithers was finally reported missing days later after Stacey said law enforcement initially didn’t take her disappearance seriously.

In June, the Pennsylvania State Police and local police carried out searches with cadaver dogs at Glen Park in Stroudsburg – a heavily wooded area close to her home. The search did not turn up anything and the case went cold for months.

For almost a year, the mother-of-three’s family desperately searched for answers and Smither’s case featured in an episode of NBC’s Dateline in December 2022 – one month after the four students were murdered in Idaho.

Stacey feared the worst, saying: “I think something happened. I don’t think she’s here anymore.”

Dana Smithers’ remains found

Thursday 25 May 2023 16:00 , Rachel Sharp

Almost one year after she was last seen alive, on 27 April Smithers’ remains were found in a wooded area in Stroudsburg.

Stroud Area Regional Police said that a Borough employee had discovered decomposing human remains in a wooded area close to Park Avenue in the Borough of Stroudsburg.

Due to extensive decomposition, the gender and identity of the individual was unclear at the time.

Using dental records, the remains were later identified as belonging to Smithers.

Her cause and manner of death is not yet known.

What is Bryan Kohberger’s connection to the Dana Smithers’ case?

Thursday 25 May 2023 16:30 , Rachel Sharp

There are many unanswered questions around what happened to Smithers – and what it may have to do with Mr Kohberger.

It is currently unclear why Mr Kohberger’s parents Michael and Maryann Kohberger have been called to testify in the case.

At the time of Smithers’ disappearance in May 2022, Mr Kohberger was also living in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, with his family.

That summer, he then moved cross-country to Pullman for a graduate program in criminal justice at Washington State University (WSU).

A few months later on 13 November, he allegedly broke into an off-campus student home just over the border in Moscow, Idaho, and murdered the four college students.

In that case, it remains unclear what motive and what connection Mr Kohberger may have had to the victims.

And now, in Smithers’ case, a possible link also remains unclear.

Mr Kohberger is said to have a solid alibi for Smithers’ disappearance and is likely not connected to her death, a source told Eyewitness News. But the grand jury investigation is still ongoing and no findings have been revealed.

However, it comes following a report that one of the accused killer’s older sisters grew increasingly suspicious that her brother could have been involved in the Idaho murders prior to his arrest.

Her suspicions were so great that – at one point – several family members searched Mr Kohberger’s white Hyundai Elantra for possible evidence of the crime when the family gathered to spend the holidays together, sources told NBC’s Dateline.

They found nothing but investigators had already allegedly seen Mr Kohberger scrubbing his car with bleach.

Dana Smithers’s sister noted possible link to Idaho case months ago

Thursday 25 May 2023 17:09 , Andrea Blanco

Back in January, Stacey posted an update on the Facebook page “Finding Dana” saying that many people had contacted her about a possible link between her sister’s disappearance and the Idaho murders.

“Thank you to everyone who has been reaching out recently regarding the possibility of the suspect in the horrific murders in Idaho having been in our area around the time of my sister, Dana’s disappearance,” she wrote.

“I have forwarded all of your suggestions on to local law enforcement. Please pray for everyone involved.”

She vanished months before the Idaho murders. Why has her death been linked to Bryan Kohberger?

Thursday 25 May 2023 17:31 , Andrea Blanco

Dana Smithers was last seen alive in May 2022. Her remains were found in a wooded area last month. Now, Bryan Kohberger’s parents are testifying in an investigation into her death.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp reports:

What happened to Dana Smithers? Woman whose death now linked to Bryan Kohberger

ICYMI: Bryan Kohberger’s parents to testify in 2022 Dana Smithers case - report

Thursday 25 May 2023 18:13 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger’s parents have been called to testify before a grand jury in Pennsylvania in a case related to Dana Smithers, who went missing in 2022, according to NewsNation.

Smithers, a 45-year-old woman, was last seen on 28 May 2022 in Monroe County and her remains were discovered in a wooded area in Stroudsburg on 27 April, around 30 miles away from Kohberger’s home in Albrightsville.

However, a source told NewsNation that Mr Bryan’s alibi proves that he likely wasn’t involved in Smithers’ missing case.

But the grand jury has not concluded their proceedings in the case and investigations are ongoing.

Novelist James Patterson, journalist Vicky Ward plan book on killing of Idaho college students

Thursday 25 May 2023 18:56 , Andrea Blanco

Best-selling novelist James Patterson is teaming up with investigative journalist Vicky Ward on a book about the 2022 killing of four University of Idaho students.

Little, Brown and Company announced Friday that Mr Patterson and Mr Ward will “draw from dozens of exclusive interviews, extensive on-the-ground reporting, copious court transcripts” and their own planned attendance at the trial of suspect Bryan Kohberger, who was indicated this week by a grand jury in Boise.

“The Idaho murders have captured imaginations all around the world and I’m as caught up in it as anyone else. Because all of this happened in such a small town, there are definitely echoes of ‘In Cold Blood,’” Mr Patterson said in a statement.

He is one of the world’s most prolific and popular novelists, but also has worked on nonfiction books, with subjects ranging from Princess Diana to Jeffrey Epstein.

WATCH: Moment Idaho student murders suspect arrives in court for arraignment

Thursday 25 May 2023 19:43 , Andrea Blanco

Four students stabbed to death, a weeks-long manhunt and still no motive: What we know about the Idaho murders

Thursday 25 May 2023 20:33 , Andrea Blanco

The murder of four college students in the quiet town of Moscow, Idaho, last November unravelled a months-long investigation that is now headed to trial.

The victims, all students at the University of Idaho, were ambushed in their rooms and stabbed to death with a military-style knife that has yet to be found. Police were called to the gruesome scene at the off-campus residence almost eight hours after the vicious attack.

The Independent has more:

What to know about Idaho murders and suspect Bryan Kohberger

Who is Bryan Kohberger? The criminology graduate being arraigned over the Idaho college murders

Thursday 25 May 2023 21:13 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger became a household name across America when police swooped on his parents’ home in December and arrested him for the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students.

But who is he?

Who is Bryan Kohberger?

Accused Idaho college killer Bryan Kohberger’s belongings test positive for blood

Thursday 25 May 2023 22:42 , Andrea Blanco

At least two items seized from the home of accused killer Bryan Kohberger tested positive for blood.

Court documents, released by Washington authorities earlier this month, show that multiple items taken from the 28-year-old Washington State University criminology PhD student’s apartment in Pullman had been tested for the presence of blood.

While most items came back negative, two items were positive.

Those items were a mattress cover on the bed and an uncased pillow, both of which were described as having visible “reddish brown stains”. The documents do not reveal who the blood belongs to.

The items were all seized when police executed a search warrant at Mr Kohberger’s address on 30 December – the day that he was arrested for the murders of University of Idaho students Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21.

WATCH:: Bryan Kohberger being pulled over by Washington police one month before college murders

Friday 26 May 2023 00:00 , Andrea Blanco

Kaylee Goncalves’ father thanks roommates who survived Idaho murders for helping in Bryan Kohberger case

Friday 26 May 2023 01:00 , Andrea Blanco

The father of slain University of Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves has expressed his support for the young women who survived the attack in which his daughter was killed.

Dylan Mortensen and Brittany Funke were inside their off-campus home in Moscow when roommates Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Kernodle’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin were stabbed to death in the early morning hours of 13 November.

According to an affidavit released earlier this year, Ms Mortensen told investigators that on the night of the murders, she saw “a figure clad in black clothing and a mask that covered the person’s mouth and nose walking towards her”.

Ms Mortensen and Ms Funke faced online harassment as speculation grew and questions were raised over the eight hours that passed between the attack and the time police were called. They were never considered suspects and authorities have described them as survivors since the early stages of the probe.

In an interview with NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield aired last week, Goncalves’ father Steve Goncalves thanked Ms Funke and Ms Mortensen for their cooperation with the investigation, which he called critical to build a strong case against suspect Bryan Kohberger.

“They’re going through a lot; I appreciate what they’ve done for the case and all the information that they’ve provided,” Mr Goncalves said. “I wish they wouldn’t have to go through it but it’s critical, it’s absolutely going to make the case so I commend them for their courage and to go through this and to know I can’t fix it for them.”

Timeline of the Idaho college murders

Friday 26 May 2023 02:00 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger has refused to enter a plea on four murder charges, prompting the judge to make one on his behalf and effectively moving the case to trial.

The Independent’s Io Dodds reports:

Idaho murders case timeline

There was a glaring mistake at the Idaho murders hearing

Friday 26 May 2023 03:00 , Andrea Blanco

The grieving family of slain University of Idaho Kaylee Goncalves has complained to the court after the judge presiding over their daughter’s murder case mispronounced her name.

Read more:

There was a glaring mistake at the Idaho murders hearing

Bryan Kohberger’s sister searched his car for evidence before police swooped in

Friday 26 May 2023 04:00 , Andrea Blanco

Sources told NBC’s Dateline that one of the accused killer’s older siblings grew increasingly suspicious of her brother and his behaviour when the family gathered to spend the holidays together.

Her suspicions were so great that – at one point – several family members searched Mr Kohberger’s white Hyundai Elantra for possible evidence of the crime, they said.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp reports:

Bryan Kohberger’s sister feared he was involved in Idaho murders

WATCH: Idaho student murders suspect stands silent after hearing charges during arraignment

Friday 26 May 2023 05:00 , Andrea Blanco

Judge enters not guilty plea for suspect in stabbing deaths of 4 University of Idaho students

Friday 26 May 2023 06:00 , Andrea Blanco

A judge entered a not guilty plea Monday for a man charged in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students, setting the stage for a trial in which he could potentially face the death penalty.

The 13 November 2022 killings stunned the rural community of Moscow, Idaho, and prompted many students to leave campus early, switching to remote learning for the remainder of the semester.

Bryan Kohberger, 28, was arrested late last year and charged with burglary and four counts of first-degree murder in connection with the slayings of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin at a rental home near the University of Idaho campus.

AP

Bryan Kohberger’s parents to testify in 2022 Dana Smithers case - report

Friday 26 May 2023 07:00 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger’s parents have been called to testify before a grand jury in Pennsylvania in a case related to Dana Smithers, who went missing in 2022, according to NewsNation.

Smithers, a 45-year-old woman, was last seen on 28 May 2022 in Monroe County and her remains were discovered in a wooded area in Stroudsburg on 27 April, around 30 miles away from Kohberger’s home in Albrightsville.

However, a source told NewsNation that Mr Bryan’s alibi proves that he likely wasn’t involved in Smithers’ missing case.

But the grand jury has not concluded their proceedings in the case and investigations are ongoing.

Bryan Kohberger allegedly broke into female student’s home and spied on her months before Idaho murders

Friday 26 May 2023 08:00 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger is believed to have broken into the home of a female student and then installed security cameras to spy on her in the months before he allegedly killed four other students in a horror attack in Moscow, Idaho.

The 28-year-old criminology PhD student had befriended the woman after he moved to Pullman, Washington state, to begin a graduate program in criminal justice at Washington State University (WSU), according to a source.

One day, the woman returned to her apartment and found that someone had broken in and moved items around the home – but that nothing was missing.

Since nothing was taken, the woman decided not to call the police but instead called her new friend Mr Kohberger and asked him to come over.

Mr Kohberger allegedly offered to install a video security system inside her home and the woman agreed.

Following its installation, investigators believe Mr Kohberger used the security cameras to spy on the woman as – knowing her wifi password – he was able to tap into the cameras when within close proximity to the apartment.

The bombshell allegation was revealed in an NBC Dateline episode titled “The Killings on King Road”, which reported that Mr Kohberger is now a strong suspect in the initial break-in. NewsNation originally reported the claims last month.

IN PICTURES: Bryan Kohberger’s arraignment

Friday 26 May 2023 09:00 , Andrea Blanco

Who is the woman whose mysterious death could be linked to Bryan Kohberger?

Friday 26 May 2023 10:00 , Andrea Blanco

Dana Smithers, the mother of three, went missing on 28 May 2022 after she returned from a Happy Hour festival in Stroudsburg with her daughter and her daughter’s father.

After returning, she walked to a neighbour’s house and left the house after a few minutes. She was reported missing on her way back from the neighbour’s house.

A month later on 27 April, Stroud Area Regional Police Department in Pennsylvania said human remains have been discovered in a wooded area next to Park Avenue in the Borough of Stroudsburg.

The autopsy revealed the remains belonged to Smithers.

She had three children: a 25-year-old son, a 23-year-old daughter, and a 7-year-old daughter. She was described as a 5’5 woman with dark eyes and dark hair, who was last seen wearing a burgundy T-shirt and black jeans.

Pennsylvania police speak out over Bryan Kohberger’s connection to Dana Smithers’ case

Friday 26 May 2023 10:30 , Rachel Sharp

WATCH: Moment Idaho student murders suspect arrives in court for arraignment

Friday 26 May 2023 11:00 , Andrea Blanco

Dana Smithers’ sister speaks out about ties to Kohberger

Friday 26 May 2023 11:30 , Rachel Sharp

Dana Smithers’ sister Stacey has spoken out about the potential ties between her sister’s disappearance and death and Bryan Kohberger.

Families of Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen plan to sue college

Friday 26 May 2023 12:00 , Andrea Blanco

The families of two of the four University of Idaho students stabbed to death in an off-campus home are now preparing to sue the college over their brutal murders, it has been revealed.

An attorney representing the families of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21, filed tort notices this month leaving them open to filing lawsuits within the next two years.

The notices, obtained by ABC News, protect their rights to sue the University of Idaho, Washington State University – the university where accused killer Bryan Kohberger was a student – the city of Moscow and Idaho State Police.

No lawsuit has been filed at this stage and the notices do not reveal what claim the families may make or how much damages they may seek.

People called to do ‘random acts of kindness’ on Madison Mogen’s birthday

Friday 26 May 2023 12:30 , Rachel Sharp

People were urged to do “random acts of kindness” on Thursday in honour of what would have been Madison Mogen’s 22nd birthday.

What comes after Bryan Kohberger’s not-guilty plea?

Friday 26 May 2023 13:00 , Andrea Blanco

A preliminary hearing, where prosecutors had to show a judge that there is enough evidence to justify moving forward with charges of burglary and four counts of murder, was previously scheduled for 26 June.

However, on 16 May, a grand jury indicted Mr Kohberger on the same charges, effectively rerouting the case directly to the state’s felony court level and allowing prosecutors to skip the preliminary hearing process, the Associated Press reported.

The former Washington State University PhD student is now expected to appear for his arraignment at the Latah County District Court at 9am on Monday to enter a plea. According to the indictment, Mr Kohberger is charged with four counts of murder in the first degree and one count of burglary.

Each murder count states that he “did wilfully, unlawfully, deliberately, with premeditation and with malice aforethought, kill and murder” each of the victims by stabbing.

The list of witnesses who testified before the grand jury is sealed. Mr Kohberger’s indictment means that the jurors empanelled on the grand jury believed there was enough evidence against him for the case to proceed to trial.

Mr Kohberger said through a public defender earlier this year that he “was eager to be exonerated.”

He is being represented by Ann Taylor, one of thirteen public defence attorneys in the state who can work in cases where the prosecution requests capital punishment. Prosecutors in the Idaho murders case have not publicly addressed whether they plan to make that request

A tentative trial date has been set for 2 October.

She vanished months before the Idaho murders. Why has her death been linked to Bryan Kohberger?

Friday 26 May 2023 13:30 , Rachel Sharp

Dana Smithers was last seen alive in May 2022. Her remains were found in a wooded area last month. Now, Bryan Kohberger’s parents are testifying in an investigation into her death.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp reports:

What happened to Dana Smithers? Woman whose death now linked to Bryan Kohberger

Idaho murders victim’s father calls for death penalty

Friday 26 May 2023 14:00 , Rachel Sharp

The father of Idaho murders victim Kaylee Goncalves has called for the death penalty for her killer.

“You can’t just hunt our babies,” Steve Goncalves told NewsNation’s Banfield on Monday.

“You can’t come to our state and hurt our people. It’s unacceptable.”

He added: “We’re a small state, but you’re gonna see how strong we are, and how big we are when you mess with us.”

“Here in Idaho, we can control one thing… And you just can’t hunt babies down. The line has been crossed, and we’re gonna go there.”

Mr Goncalves spoke the same day that suspect Bryan Kohberger appeared for his arraignment in Latah County Court on murder charges.

Bryan Kohberger bought Ka-Bar knife from Amazon months before deadly stabbings of Idaho students

Friday 26 May 2023 14:30 , Rachel Sharp

Bryan Kohberger bought a Ka-Bar knife and knife sheath from Amazon seven months before he allegedly stabbed four University of Idaho students to death in a brutal attack that sent shockwaves across America, it has been revealed.

NBC’s Dateline special “The Killings on King Road” reported that the 28-year-old accused killer shopped online for the military-style knife in April 2022.

At the time, he was still studying for his master’s degree in criminology at DeSales University in Pennsylvania.

Read more here:

Bryan Kohberger bought Ka-Bar knife from Amazon months before murders

Kaylee Goncalves’ father shares stark warning to alleged killer: ‘He’s gonna realize’

Friday 26 May 2023 15:00 , Andrea Blanco

On Friday (19 May), Steve Goncalves told ABC News: “I can’t wait to see the evidence… And then I’m gonna bring it.”

“And he’s gonna realize that this... is the family that’s gonna make sure he doesn’t get away with it,” he added.

Kaylee’s mother Kristi Goncalves said the family had given a lot of thought as to whether there was any connection between their daughter and her alleged killer.

“We’ve talked as a family, you know, we’ve done a lot of research on what’s out there... None of it makes sense,” she told ABC News.

Describing her reaction when she saw Mr Kohberger for the first time at an initial court appearance, she said: “I was completely overwhelmed. I actually almost thought I was gonna pass out.”

“My daughter saw him face-to-face and in a very different light than we saw him, sitting there, looking very meek,” she said.

Dana Smithers’ sister responds to strange link between her death and Bryan Kohberger

Friday 26 May 2023 15:00 , Rachel Sharp

The sister of a mother-of-three found dead in Pennsylvania last month has spoken out about the possible connection between Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger and her sibling’s disappearance.

Dana Smithers, 45, was last seen alive on 28 May 2022 when she left her friend’s house to walk a few doors down to her own home in Monroe County, Pennsylvania.

Almost one year on, her remains were finally discovered last month, with her cause of death still a mystery.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:

Dana Smithers’ sister responds to strange link between her death and Bryan Kohberger

Dana Smithers’ sister speaks out about ties to Bryan Kohberger

Friday 26 May 2023 16:03 , Andrea Blanco

Dana Smithers’ sister Stacey has spoken out about the potential ties between her sister’s disappearance and death and Bryan Kohberger.

When will Bryan Kohberger be back in court?

Friday 26 May 2023 16:49 , Andrea Blanco

A tentative trial date has been scheduled for 2 October, although proceedings will likely not begin until net year, according to the Law&Crime network. In June, Judge John Jodege will rule on the status of the ongoing gag order and whether cameras will be allowed during trial.

WATCH: Bryan Kohberger refuses to enter plea during arraignment

Friday 26 May 2023 17:39 , Andrea Blanco

She vanished months before the Idaho murders. Why has her death been linked to Bryan Kohberger?

Friday 26 May 2023 19:03 , Andrea Blanco

Dana Smithers was last seen alive in May 2022. Her remains were found in a wooded area last month. Now, Bryan Kohberger’s parents are testifying in an investigation into her death.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp reports:

People called to do ‘random acts of kindness’ on Madison Mogen’s birthday

Friday 26 May 2023 19:49 , Andrea Blanco

People were urged to do “random acts of kindness” on Thursday in honour of what would have been Madison Mogen’s 22nd birthday.

Idaho murders victim’s father calls for death penalty

Friday 26 May 2023 20:20 , Andrea Blanco

The father of Idaho murders victim Kaylee Goncalves has called for the death penalty for her killer.

“You can’t just hunt our babies,” Steve Goncalves told NewsNation’s Banfield on Monday.

“You can’t come to our state and hurt our people. It’s unacceptable.”

He added: “We’re a small state, but you’re gonna see how strong we are, and how big we are when you mess with us.”

“Here in Idaho, we can control one thing… And you just can’t hunt babies down. The line has been crossed, and we’re gonna go there.”

Mr Goncalves spoke the same day that suspect Bryan Kohberger appeared for his arraignment in Latah County Court on murder charges.

Bryan Kohberger allegedly broke into female student’s home and spied on her months before Idaho murders

Friday 26 May 2023 21:01 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger is believed to have broken into the home of a female student and then installed security cameras to spy on her in the months before he allegedly killed four other students in a horror attack in Moscow, Idaho.

The 28-year-old criminology PhD student had befriended the woman after he moved to Pullman, Washington state, to begin a graduate program in criminal justice at Washington State University (WSU), according to a source.

One day, the woman returned to her apartment and found that someone had broken in and moved items around the home – but that nothing was missing.

Since nothing was taken, the woman decided not to call the police but instead called her new friend Mr Kohberger and asked him to come over.

Mr Kohberger allegedly offered to install a video security system inside her home and the woman agreed.

Following its installation, investigators believe Mr Kohberger used the security cameras to spy on the woman as – knowing her wifi password – he was able to tap into the cameras when within close proximity to the apartment.

The bombshell allegation was revealed in an NBC Dateline episode titled “The Killings on King Road”, which reported that Mr Kohberger is now a strong suspect in the initial break-in. NewsNation originally reported the claims last month.

Accused Idaho college killer Bryan Kohberger’s belongings test positive for blood

Friday 26 May 2023 21:50 , Andrea Blanco

At least two items seized from the home of accused killer Bryan Kohberger tested positive for blood.

Court documents, released by Washington authorities earlier this month, show that multiple items taken from the 28-year-old Washington State University criminology PhD student’s apartment in Pullman had been tested for the presence of blood.

While most items came back negative, two items were positive.

Those items were a mattress cover on the bed and an uncased pillow, both of which were described as having visible “reddish brown stains”. The documents do not reveal who the blood belongs to.

The items were all seized when police executed a search warrant at Mr Kohberger’s address on 30 December – the day that he was arrested for the murders of University of Idaho students Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21.

When were Dana Smithers’ remains found?

Friday 26 May 2023 22:12 , Andrea Blanco

Almost one year after she was last seen alive, on 27 April Smithers’ remains were found in a wooded area in Stroudsburg.

Stroud Area Regional Police said that a Borough employee had discovered decomposing human remains in a wooded area close to Park Avenue in the Borough of Stroudsburg.

Due to extensive decomposition, the gender and identity of the individual was unclear at the time.

Using dental records, the remains were later identified as belonging to Smithers.

Her cause and manner of death is not yet known.

Pennsylvania police speak out over Bryan Kohberger’s connection to Dana Smithers’ case

Friday 26 May 2023 22:59 , Andrea Blanco

Kaylee Goncalves’ father thanks roommates who survived Idaho murders for helping in Bryan Kohberger case

Saturday 27 May 2023 00:00 , Andrea Blanco

The father of slain University of Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves has expressed his support for the young women who survived the attack in which his daughter was killed.

Dylan Mortensen and Brittany Funke were inside their off-campus home in Moscow when roommates Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Kernodle’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin were stabbed to death in the early morning hours of 13 November.

According to an affidavit released earlier this year, Ms Mortensen told investigators that on the night of the murders, she saw “a figure clad in black clothing and a mask that covered the person’s mouth and nose walking towards her”.

Ms Mortensen and Ms Funke faced online harassment as speculation grew and questions were raised over the eight hours that passed between the attack and the time police were called. They were never considered suspects and authorities have described them as survivors since the early stages of the probe.

In an interview with NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield aired last week, Goncalves’ father Steve Goncalves thanked Ms Funke and Ms Mortensen for their cooperation with the investigation, which he called critical to build a strong case against suspect Bryan Kohberger.

“They’re going through a lot; I appreciate what they’ve done for the case and all the information that they’ve provided,” Mr Goncalves said. “I wish they wouldn’t have to go through it but it’s critical, it’s absolutely going to make the case so I commend them for their courage and to go through this and to know I can’t fix it for them.”

Bryan Kohberger bought Ka-Bar knife from Amazon months before deadly stabbings of Idaho students

02:00 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger bought a Ka-Bar knife and knife sheath from Amazon seven months before he allegedly stabbed four University of Idaho students to death in a brutal attack that sent shockwaves across America, it has been revealed.

NBC’s Dateline special “The Killings on King Road” reported that the 28-year-old accused killer shopped online for the military-style knife in April 2022.

At the time, he was still studying for his master’s degree in criminology at DeSales University in Pennsylvania.

He graduated from the university that June and then relocated across the country to Pullman, Washington, where he began a graduate program in criminal justice at Washington State University.

The report indicates that Mr Kohberger took the knife with him when he moved.

There was a glaring mistake at the Idaho murders hearing

03:30 , Andrea Blanco

The grieving family of slain University of Idaho Kaylee Goncalves complained to the court after the judge presiding over their daughter’s murder case mispronounced her name.

Bryan Kohberger, accused of the 13 November stabbings of Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, appeared in Latah County Court in Moscow to enter a plea on Monday (22 May).

During the brief hearing, Judge John Judge informed Mr Kohberger of his rights, the charges against him and the penalties – including the death penalty – if he is convicted.

But while reading out the charges, the judge mispronounced two of the victims’ names. First, he appeared to call Goncalves “Kayla” and then struggled to pronounce Kernodle’s first name, ultimately saying “Zana.”

“This is hard, I’m sorry,” the judge told the court.

According to reporters present during the hearing, Goncalves’ sister Alivea Goncalves was seen shaking her head in disapproval. Ms Goncalves later complained to the victim assistance coordinator, COURTV reported.

Before the hearing kicked off on Monday, the grieving sister was seen arriving in court with her parents and newborn baby, who she named in part after Goncalves and Mogen.

Brutal stabbings, a white Hyundai Elantra and a criminology student

05:00 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger has refused to enter a plea on four murder charges, prompting the judge to make one on his behalf and effectively moving the case to trial.

The Independent’s Io Dodds reports:

Idaho murders case timeline

Bryan Kohberger’s sister searched his car for evidence before police swooped in

06:30 , Andrea Blanco

Sources told NBC’s Dateline that one of the accused killer’s older siblings grew increasingly suspicious of her brother and his behaviour when the family gathered to spend the holidays together.

Her suspicions were so great that – at one point – several family members searched Mr Kohberger’s white Hyundai Elantra for possible evidence of the crime, they said.

In mid-December, Mr Kohberger – a 28-year-old criminology PhD student at Washington State University (WSU) – embarked on a cross-country trip with his father from his student rental home in Pullman, Washington, back to the family home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, to spend the holidays together.

But, during his time at home, his family members noticed that he was behaving somewhat bizarrely.

The source said that Mr Kohberger was constantly wearing latex gloves, including inside their own home.

One of his two older sisters began to wonder if he could have played a part in the murders – and, at one point, she raised her concerns with her other family members.

She “loudly pointed out” that, at the time of the murders, her brother was living just a few miles from the crime scene and that he drove a white Hyundai Elantra – the make and colour of vehicle at the centre of the investigation.

Along with his bizarre tendency to wear latex gloves at all time, she believed that the family should consider that Mr Kohberger might have killed the four victims, the source said.

Idaho murders suspect allegedly broke into female student’s home and spied on her months before Idaho murders

08:00 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger is believed to have broken into the home of a female student and then installed security cameras to spy on her in the months before he allegedly killed four other students in a horror attack in Moscow, Idaho.

The 28-year-old criminology PhD student had befriended the woman after he moved to Pullman, Washington state, to begin a graduate program in criminal justice at Washington State University (WSU), according to a source.

One day, the woman returned to her apartment and found that someone had broken in and moved items around the home – but that nothing was missing.

Since nothing was taken, the woman decided not to call the police but instead called her new friend Mr Kohberger and asked him to come over.

Mr Kohberger allegedly offered to install a video security system inside her home and the woman agreed.

Following its installation, investigators believe Mr Kohberger used the security cameras to spy on the woman as – knowing her wifi password – he was able to tap into the cameras when within close proximity to the apartment.

The bombshell allegation was revealed in an NBC Dateline episode titled “The Killings on King Road”, which reported that Mr Kohberger is now a strong suspect in the initial break-in. NewsNation originally reported the claims last month.

Who is Bryan Kohberger? The criminology graduate being arraigned over the Idaho college murders

09:30 , Andrea Blanco

Speculation and rumour have swirled in the months following Bryan Kohberger’s arrest, as conspiracists and armchair detectives paint all manner of pictures of the accused killer. But who really is the former PhD student?

The Independent’s Sheila Flynn reports:

Who is Bryan Kohberger?

ICYMI: Bryan Kohberger ‘stands silent’ and refuses to enter plea in murders of four Idaho college students

11:00 , Andrea Blanco

Bryan Kohberger refused to enter a plea in the murders of four University of Idaho students who were brutally stabbed to death in a shocking attack that horrified the nation.

The 28-year-old criminology PhD student appeared in Latah County Court in Moscow, Idaho, on Monday morning for his arraignment on four charges of first-degree murder and one charge of burglary.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has more:

Bryan Kohberger ‘stands silent’ and refuses to enter plea in Idaho college murders

Families of slain University of Idaho students prepare to sue college over murders

12:30 , Andrea Blanco

An attorney representing the families of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21, filed tort notices this month leaving them open to filing lawsuits within the next two years.

The notices, obtained by ABC News, protect their rights to sue the University of Idaho, Washington State University – the university where accused killer Bryan Kohberger was a student – the city of Moscow and Idaho State Police.

No lawsuit has been filed at this stage and the notices do not reveal what claim the families may make or how much damages they may seek.

The families’ attorney Shanon Gray said that the legal move isn’t meant to do anything “other than protect the interests of the families and the victims moving forward”.

Bryan Kohberger’s parents ordered to testify in case of woman who vanished months before Idaho murders

14:00 , Andrea Blanco

The parents of Idaho student murders suspect Bryan Kohberger have been subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury in the family’s home state of Pennsylvania in the case of a woman found dead one year after her sudden disappearance, it has been revealed.

The Independent’s Graeme Massie and Rachel Sharp have more:

Idaho murders suspect’s parents ordered to testify in Dana Smithers case