A suspect believed to be involved in the November murders of four University of Idaho students was arrested Friday in Pennsylvania.
Moscow Police Chief James Fry identified the suspect as Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28. Kohberger received a bachelor’s and master’s degree from DeSales University and was a graduate student at Washington State University at the time of his arrest. Kohberger has been charged with 4 counts of first-degree murder and 1 count of felony burglary and is currently being held in police custody without bond while he awaits extradition to Idaho. A spokesperson for WSU did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment.
“These murders have shaken our community and no arrest will ever bring back these young students. However we do believe justice will be found through the criminal process,” Chief Fry said Friday. “Be assured the work is not done. This is just getting started.”
Police have said the slow release of information was to prevent alerting the suspect to authorities’ movements and have said they will release more information on the suspect after his first day in court, in accordance with Idaho law. The murder weapon has not been found, but a vehicle related to the case was recovered. According to Fry, police received over 19,000 tips related to the case and conducted over 300 interviews.
Bryan Kohberger, 28, was arrested in Pennsylvania and is awaiting extradition to Idaho, based on an active arrest warrant for first degree murder issued by the Moscow Police Department and Latah County Prosecutor’s Office.
Monroe County (Pa.) Correctional Facility/AP
The students, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, were found stabbed to death in their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho on the morning of Nov. 13. All four were active members of the University of Idaho’s Greek life. No suspects were originally named in the case and authorities could not find a murder weapon, but the Moscow Police Department labeled the case as an ongoing homicide investigation, eventually asking the public’s help in identifying a white sedan they believed to be related to the killings.
“Your information, whether you believe it is significant or not, might be the piece of the puzzle that helps investigators solve these murders,” the department wrote in a statement.
University of Idaho President Scott Green said he was heartbroken by the students’ deaths.
“Today’s news of an arrest is a welcome one,” Green said Friday. “It’s a relief to our university, our community, and our extended Vandal family.” A spokesperson for the University did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment Friday.
The news comes after weeks of intense online speculation on potential suspects behind the murders. One University of Idaho professor, Rebecca Scofield, is even suing a self-proclaimed sleuth on TikTok, Ashley Guillard, who has accused the professor multiple times of murdering the students and has said her evidence is in tarot cards.
“Although the news is preliminary, reports that a suspect in the tragic murders of four University of Idaho students has been arrested begins to provide relief to the Moscow community and begins to provide answers for the students’ grieving families,” a lawyer for Scofield tells Rolling Stone Friday. “Professor Scofield’s thoughts are with the families and with the hard-working team of law enforcement officers who brought their investigation to this critical point.”
Guillard did not respond to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment.
Kohberger’s next court appearance is scheduled for Jan 3, 2023.
Fri. Dec. 30, 4:30 p.m.: This story has been updated to include details from the Moscow, Idaho police press conference.