A cheek swab taken from Bryan Kohberger matches DNA found at the scene of the crime of the Idaho murders that occurred last November.
Kohberger’s, who is the main suspect, DNA was a positive match to one found on the cover of the knife, which is believed to be the murder weapon. Police were able to obtain this knife from the house, where the murders took place, which Kohberger allegedly left.
Experts performed an “STR” DNA comparison on the DNA from Kohberger and the knife. The results determined a “statistical match.”
This type of technique is a common way to profile DNA in forensic cases like this one.
Before the FBI obtained the cheek swab they used the DNA from the knife and loaded it onto a public genealogy site. This allowed them to create a family tree that consists of people who could be related to the owner of the DNA. This family tree led experts to Kohberger.
When Kohberger became a possible match to this DNA the FBI sent in a tip. This tip allowed officials to look into Kohberger, but it did not “provide law enforcement with substantive evidence of guilt,” according to the court documents.
In order to obtain more evidence against Kohberger they extracted a DNA swab from him and matched it to the DNA they already had from the knife, which was a positive match.
Kohberger was indicted for one count of burglary and four counts of first-degree murder. The four students, Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, were stabbed to death in the middle of the night in their off-campus housing supposedly by Kohberger.
A DNA sample that was taken from the Kohberger house when officials first started investigating the case aided officers in identifying Kohberger as the assailant. This sample was from Kohberger’s father, Michael Kohberger, and when it was matched with the evidence from the crime they discovered that Michael was definitely the father of the suspect.
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Officials used this DNA match and Kohberger’s phone pings, which connected him to the scene crime, to arrest him.
Kohberger has pleaded not guilty to all four murders. The court has enforced a gag order, which prohibits anyone involved in the case from releasing information that is not in the public record.
Kohberger currently is in Latah County, Idaho Jail where he is awaiting trial without bail. His trial has been set for October 2.
