Bryan Kohberger, the Idaho murder suspect, was once investigated for a disturbing home invasion that occurred just a few miles from where he is accused of killing four college students in their off-campus housing in 2022, according to a recent report. This shocking twist adds another layer of intrigue to one of the most notorious murder cases in recent history.
New details about Kohberger emerged after ABC News acquired bodycam footage showing police responding to a suspected home invasion in Pullman, Washington, in October 2021 — over a year before the fatal stabbings of the University of Idaho students. Kohberger was investigated in the earlier incident but was never formally charged.
Shocking Revelations
Recently released bodycam footage acquired by ABC News highlights the unsettling break-in that left a young woman terrified and fearing for her safety. "I heard my door open and I looked over, and someone was wearing a ski mask and had a knife," a frightened woman told police.
"I kicked the s–t out of their stomach and screamed super loud, and they like flew back into my closet and then ran out my door and up the stairs."
The reported incident, which took place just 10 miles from the horrific murders in Moscow, Idaho, unfolded at 3:30 a.m., according to the woman's statement to police. She described the intruder as masked and completely silent throughout the ordeal.
Her roommate quickly contacted the police, as reported by the outlet, but the case remained unsolved due to a lack of evidence or a suspect at the time.
The chilling event bore unsettling parallels to the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students.
Kohberger, 29, is accused of brutally murdering students Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21, around 4 a.m. on November 13, 2022, in their off-campus home.
A surviving housemate later told police she saw a masked man with "bushy eyebrows" running away from the house after hearing cries and sounds of a struggle.
Chilling Resemblance
Kohberger, a criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University, was arrested at his parents' home in Pennsylvania on December 30. He faces four charges of first-degree murder and one charge of burglary, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Thirteen days later, he was named a person of interest in the Pullman case, according to ABC, though he is no longer considered a suspect.
"We have no reason or evidence to believe he was involved in this burglary at this time," Pullman police told the outlet, citing a height difference between the alleged attackers.
Although Kohberger stands at 6 feet tall, the suspect in the Pullman incident was described as being between 5'3" and 5'5". Also, the person accused of the stabbings had not yet enrolled at Washington State University when the 2021 incident occurred, according to the outlet.
Police said that while the case is now closed, it remains unsolved. "My family and I have been frustrated that the case was not investigated more in-depth or resolved," the victim in the break-in told the outlet.
Kohberger's much-anticipated trial is set to begin in August and is expected to continue through November.
The lengthy trial, relocated to Boise, Idaho's capital, will have two phases — the first to establish his guilt or innocence, and the second, if he is found guilty, to decide whether he should face the death penalty.
