MONROE COUNTY, PA – A 28-year-old man facing first-degree murder charges in the killings of four University of Idaho students in mid-November chose to not fight extradition to Moscow. A hearing took place early this afternoon in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, where he was captured at his parents’ home last week. Under Court rules, Kohberger must be sent to Moscow within 10 days.
Bryan Kohberger is a doctoral student and teaching assistant at Washington State University’s Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology. He was arrested early Friday morning on a warrant charging him with four counts of First-Degree Murder and one count of Burglary for the alleged stabbing murders of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves, and Madison Mogen in the early morning hours of November 13th at their residence in the 1100 block of King Road near the University of Idaho campus where the four were students. The Burglary charge is for entering the home, Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson says.
A Probable Cause Affidavit has been filed in Latah County Second District Court but remains sealed until Kohberger is extradited to Idaho and is physically served with the arrest warrant as according to rules of the Idaho Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, officials in Pennsylvania held a press conference shortly after today’s extradition hearing. Surveillance and investigations began a few days prior to Kohberger’s arrest, but exact details were not released.
Major Christopher Paris, Area 3 Commander for the Pennsylvania State Police, says three search warrants – including for Kohberger himself (photos, DNA, etc.), a Hyundai Elantra, and the Chestnuthill Township residence where Kohberger was residing with his parents. There was also a Fugitive From Justice warrant for Kohberger. After they were obtained, the Special Emergency Response Team was selected to serve those warrants.
Several doors and windows were damaged during the early morning arrest of Kohberger. He was arrested without incident officials say.
Mike Mancuso, First Assistant District Attorney for Monroe County, says the Probable Cause Affidavits from Latah County Second District Court remain sealed until after Kohberger is returned to the State of Idaho.
Mancuso says his office is available to Latah County investigators to conduct a complete background investigation in Kohberger’s life in Pennsylvania.
COVERAGE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJf5vUthIsQ
Photo from pool footage; WFLA
