Idaho police have seized several items, including a pillow with a “reddish/brown stain” and a number of hair samples, from the home of quadruple-murder suspect Bryan Kohberger.
Last month, Kohberger was arrested and charged with the brutal stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho college students in November. News of the killings sent shockwaves through the small college town of Moscow, Idaho and beyond, triggering intense international attention on the case.
Police unsealed the search warrant for Kohberger’s residence in Pullman, Wash., on Wednesday. The warrant is dated Dec. 30, the day Kohberger, a 28-year-old criminal justice doctoral student at nearby Washington State University (WSU), was arrested.
Among the items seized were a stained mattress cover, a disposable black glove, receipts from Walmart and Marshalls, a computer tower, a vacuum dust container, a Fire TV stick and several hair samples, including one “possible animal hair strand.”
It is unclear if the hair samples collected have been tested, though the warrant did not specifically mention if any of the strands were human.
The warrant claims police also searched Kohberger’s office at WSU, where he was a teaching assistant, though nothing was seized.
Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were all fatally stabbed in an off-campus apartment on Nov. 13.
Earlier this month, police released a probable cause affidavit that outlined how officials identified Kohberger using a knife sheath found at the scene of the crime.
The sheath, which was left on the bed of one of the victims, was swabbed for DNA that was matched to Kohberger after taking samples recovered from the trash at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania. Lab analysis was able to determine that the DNA from the trash was the father of the person who left DNA on the knife sheath.
The murder weapon, which police believe to be a large fixed-blade knife, still has not been recovered.
Kohberger is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and felony burglary. The charges could mean a sentence of life in prison, and possibly the death penalty. He has not yet entered a plea.
His lawyer said his client was eager to be exonerated and described him as “an ordinary guy.”
Kohberger will appear in court for a probable cause hearing on June 26.
— With files from Global News’ Kathryn Mannie
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