Brian Kohberger — the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022 — says he's innocent and has an alibi for the night of the brutal stabbings.
A new court filing was reviewed NBC News And CNNKohberger, 29, says he was driving in Pullman, Wash., the night of the murders.
His defense attorney says in the filing that he was driving late at night “like he often hikes and runs and/or looks at the moon and stars,” CNN reports.
NBC News also reports that during the trial — a date yet to be set — Kohberger's defense attorneys plan to call an expert witness to the stand to try to corroborate Kohberger's alibi using cellphone data from the night of the murders. .
Kohberger — a former Ph.D criminology student — is accused of killing Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, around 4 a.m. at an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho. November 13. Goncalves, Mohan and Kernodle are roommates and Chapin Kernodle is dating. Two additional roommates were in the home at the time of the attack, but were not injured and were ruled out as suspects.
Kohberger was a student at Washington State University and lived in Pullman, eight miles from the crime scene, at the time of the murders. He is innocent.
Courtesy of the Chapin family; Maddie Mogen/Instagram; Kaylee Goncalves/Instagram; Xana Kernodle/Instagram
Almost seven weeks later, Kohberger was arrested in connection with the murders while in Pennsylvania visiting family for the holidays. According to a probable cause affidavit previously reviewed by PEOPLE, investigators allege Mohan and Goncalves used DNA evidence found on a knife sheath found on the bed where they were found to be dead to link him to the murder.
While investigating Kohberger's previous cell phone pings, authorities also learned that prior to November 13, 2022, a cell phone pinged him to the area of the 1122 King Road home where the murders occurred at least twelve times.
Angela Palermo/Idaho Statesman via Zuma Press
The motive for the murder has not yet been revealed. Limited information about the case is being shared because of a broad gag order barring attorneys from speaking to the public or the media for officials involved in the case or victims' families.
If convicted, Kohberger faces the death penalty.
In December 2023, the three-storey house where the four were massacred was demolished.
“This is a healing step and removes the physical structure of the crime that has rocked our society,” the former said A report from the University of Idaho is reading
“Sometimes it's hard to look beyond this tragedy,” Scott, president of the University of Idaho, added in a later statement. “But the selfless acts, deep commitment and loving support of our entire Wandel family remind me that there is so much good in the world. We will never forget Chana, Ethan, Madison and Kaylee, and I will do everything I can to protect their dignity and honor their memory.”
