The mother of Xana Kernodle, one of the four victims in the University of Idaho killings, said that she feels “betrayed” by her former attorney who reportedly dropped her to represent Bryan Kohberger, the man suspected of murdering her daughter.
Court-appointed attorney Anne Taylor previously represented Kernodle’s mother, Cara Northington, in an “unrelated drug case” when she suddenly withdrew her services on Jan. 5, the New York Post reported. On that day, Kohberger appeared in court for the first time since his arrest with Taylor representing him.
In an interview this week with NewsNation, Northington said she felt “heartbroken” because she trusted Taylor.
“[Taylor] pretended that she was wanting to help me,” Nottingham said. “And to find out that she’s representing him, I can’t even convey how betrayed I feel.”
NewsNation noted that Taylor’s office represented Northington in four cases since 2017. In the most recent case, drug charges were reportedly filed against Northington on Nov. 19, days after her 20-year-old daughter, her boyfriend, and two of her college roommates were found dead inside of their off-campus home near the University of Idaho.
Northington also has Taylor power of attorney over her affairs.
“I don’t understand how she could do this…I don’t understand what happens now. Does she still have power of attorney?” Northington questioned. She added that she and Taylor have not spoken since Taylor dropped her case.
Xana Kernodle’s mother Cara Northington says she feels betrayed that her public defender Anne Taylor dropped her case – and is now representing Bryan Kohberger – the man accused of killing Xana. Northington says she found out through social media. pic.twitter.com/aafWDf6Avw
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) January 26, 2023
Xana’s mother says she even gave public defender Anne Taylor power of attorney over her so she could get into rehab.
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) January 26, 2023
“I don’t understand how she could do this.” pic.twitter.com/vkyI3nFBUA
Townhall previously reported how an investigator familiar with the case told People that Kohberger messaged one of the Idaho victims “several times” in the weeks leading up to her death. Multiple outlets indicated that Kohberger followed the three female victims, Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21, on Instagram.
Townhall covered that Kohberger, 28, was arrested in Pennsylvania and extradited to Idaho after being charged with four counts of first-degree murder of the four students. The four victims were stabbed in their off-campus home on Nov. 13.
The probable cause affidavit explained that Kohberger’s cell phone was in the area of the victims’ home over 10 times between June 2022 and the night of their deaths. On the night of the murders, Kohberger’s cell phone was connected to “cellular resources” consistent with him leaving his home in Pullman, Washington, at 2:47 a.m. and then going on airplane mode or turning the phone off. The next time the phone was connected to the cellular network was after 4 a.m. near Moscow, Idaho on a route leading back to Pullman. DNA found on a knife sheath at the crime scene, as well as Kohberger’s car on security footage, also connected him to the murder.