A recently disclosed court filing has revealed that a selfie allegedly taken by the defendant, Bryan Kohberger, just hours after the fatal stabbings of four University of Idaho students is expected to be presented as evidence by prosecutors.
The image, reportedly retrieved from Kohberger’s phone on the morning of November 13, 2022, is said to show him smiling and giving a thumbs-up gesture while wearing a button-down shirt and Bluetooth earbuds. Prosecutors intend to link this photo to the timeline of the homicides, which occurred in the early morning hours at an off-campus residence in Moscow.
The filing indicates the photo’s relevance is tied to the statement of a surviving roommate, identified in documents as D.M. This witness reported encountering a masked male intruder in the home on the night of the killings, noting that only his nose and eyes were visible. The witness specifically recalled the individual’s “bushy eyebrows.”
In addition to the photograph, the state plans to submit Kohberger’s driver’s license, which lists his height as six feet, for comparison with the witness’s description of a male approximately “a few inches taller” than 5’10”. The legal document notes that the determination of whether Kohberger matches the description, including the detail about his eyebrows, will be a factual matter for a jury to decide.
Kohberger, a former criminology graduate student, faces four counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. He has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors have stated they will seek the death penalty if a conviction is secured.
The defendant’s arrest in Pennsylvania weeks after the crimes followed an investigative path that included DNA analysis. According to the filings, after a sample from a knife sheath found at the scene did not match any profiles in law enforcement databases, authorities utilized public genetic genealogy websites. This led investigators to Kohberger, and a subsequent DNA sample obtained from his family’s trash allegedly provided a match to the sheath.
The case continues as both the prosecution and defense prepare for trial.
