The small college community of Moscow, Idaho was left in shock and mourning after a heinous crime occurred last month , with four University of Idaho students found brutally stabbed to death in a nearby residence. Despite an intense investigation, authorities could not determine a clear motive for the killings. However, last Friday, a 28-year-old criminology student was apprehended and charged with the murders.
The Danger Was Lurking Very Close
Bryan C. Kohberger, the suspected perpetrator of the recent murders of four University of Idaho students, was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania.
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According to Assistant District Attorney Michael Mancuso, Kohberger had been staying at the residence in Effort, PA in the days leading up to the arrest. Kohberger, who is currently enrolled in a Ph.D. in criminal justice and criminology at Washington State University, recently graduated from DeSales University with a master’s degree in criminal justice.
The location of the murders, Moscow, Idaho, is situated roughly 10 miles from Washington State University.
Kohberger Has No Possibility of a Bail
Bryan C. Kohberger has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and is being held without bail in Pennsylvania. An extradition hearing has been arranged for Tuesday. The Moscow police chief, James Fry, spoke at a press conference, stating that the killings had shaken the community to its core and that, although no arrest can bring back the victims, justice will be served through the criminal justice system.
“These murders have shaken our community, and no arrest will ever bring back these young students. However, we do believe justice will be found through the criminal process.”
Reign of Terror
It has been roughly seven weeks since the brutal stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students sent shockwaves through the small college town of Moscow, Idaho.
The killings prompted many students to finish their classes online after Thanksgiving break, as residents grew increasingly anxious with the perpetrator still at large. As the investigation dragged on, the father of one of the victims publicly criticized the authorities handling the case.
The recent arrest of Bryan C. Kohberger has brought a measure of relief to the community, though it does not erase the trauma and grief caused by the heinous crime.
How Did Kohberger Kill His Victims?
The murders of Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, occurred as they slept in at least two separate bedrooms in a rental house, where three of the women lived.
Chapin was visiting his girlfriend, Kernodle, at the time of the attack. Two other roommates reportedly slept through the stabbings and did not wake until several hours later. In the weeks leading up to the arrest of Bryan C. Kohberger, authorities had been searching for the driver of a white Hyundai sedan seen in the vicinity of the victim’s home on the night of the murders.
Police Chief James Fry revealed at a press conference that a car matching this description had been found.
A Relief of Sigh
When the two surviving roommates woke up, they contacted friends and requested their presence at the house, believing that one of the female residents upstairs had lost consciousness.
Upon arrival, someone in the group made a 911 call just before noon, alerting the police to the gruesome scene and the victims, who were later described by the coroner as being in a state of extreme bloodshed.
The family of Ethan Chapin issued a statement following the arrest of Bryan C. Kohberger, expressing relief and acknowledging the long, arduous process of grieving that lies ahead for all of the victims’ families.
