The 28-year-old suspect in the murders of four University of Idaho undergraduate students reportedly had several photos of one of the female victims on his phone, the New York Post reported Thursday.
Investigators who seized suspect Bryan Kohberger’s cell phone found several images of one of the female victims, a source familiar with the investigation reportedly said.
"He had more than one picture of her," the source said, but did not identify which female victim the photos were of. "It was clear that he was paying attention to her."
Last month, an investigator familiar with the case told People that Kohberger messaged one of the victims on Instagram “several times” before the murders.
“He slid into one of the girls’ DMs several times but she didn’t respond,” the investigator told the outlet. “Basically, it was just him saying ‘Hey, how are you?’ But he did it again and again.”
Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20 were found stabbed to death in their off-campus home near the University of Idaho on Nov. 13. Two roommates who were in the house at the time of the murders survived.
Over a month later, authorities arrested Kohberger at his parent’s home in Pennsylvania. He was charged with four counts of murder. In January, he returned to Idaho to face the charges.
In the unsealed probable cause affidavit, which Townhall covered, it revealed that Kohberger’s cell phone was detected in the area of the victims’ home over 10 times between June 2022 and the night of the murders. On the night of the murders, his phone was pinged near Washington State University, where he was pursuing his Ph.D. in criminology. Shortly after, his phone went on airplane mode or was turned off. Over an hour later, his phone was detected near Moscow, Idaho, near the victims’ home, on a route driving back to WSU. Kohberger’s white vehicle, which was caught on security cameras, as well as DNA found on a knife sheath at the victims’ home, also connected him to the crime.
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One of the surviving roommates, "D.M.," told authorities that “she was awoken at approximately 4:00 a.m. by what sounded like Goncalves playing with her dog in one of the upstairs bedrooms.” Shortly after, D.M. told authorities, “she heard who she thought was Goncalves say something to the effect of ‘there’s someone here.’”
According to the affidavit, D.M. heard noises that sounded like crying coming from Kernodle’s bedroom. D.M. opened her bedroom door multiple times. On the third time, D.M. opened her door and “saw a figure clad in black clothing and a mask that covered the person’s mouth and nose walking towards her.” The person walked past her towards sliding glass doors in the house, where investigators believe the murderer left the scene.
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