Father Of Idaho Murder Victim Says He Hopes Police 'Picked The Right Guy'

Following the arrest of suspect Bryan Kohberger in the murders of four University of Idaho students in Moscow, Idaho, investigators are combing through every aspect of his life. A possible motive has not been publicly shared yet. 

Tuesday, January 3rd 2023, 1:17 pm

By: CBS News


Following the arrest of suspect Bryan Kohberger in the murders of four University of Idaho students in Moscow, Idaho, investigators are combing through every aspect of his life. A possible motive has not been publicly shared yet. 

"We're trying to build this picture now of him, who he is, his history, how we got to this event," Anthony Dahlinger, a captain at the Moscow Police Department, told CBS News.

Law enforcement sources say FBI agents tracked the 28-year-old's movements days leading up to his arrest at his parents' home in eastern Pennsylvania. It's located more than 2,500 miles from the house in Moscow, Idaho, where Kohberger is accused of fatally stabbing Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin while they were sleeping on November 13.

Goncalves' father, Steve Goncalves, says the arrest brings some relief.

"This is the first bit of joy that we've had in close to seven weeks," he said. "We hope they picked the right guy and that gives us hope, and we haven't had hope for a long time."

Kohberger is a PhD criminology student at Washington State University and lived in Pullman, Washington, about a 15-minute drive from the victims' house.

Police haven't said if Kohberger knew the students. Law enforcement sources say forensic analysis allegedly linked him to the murders.

Jason LaBar, the public defender representing Kohberger in the extradition, said that about a month after the murders, his client went on a road trip home to Pennsylvania with his father that was planned at the beginning of the semester. They were in a white Hyundai Elantra, the same make and model of the vehicle spotted near the scene of the murders.

"The police department believes that the person we have in custody, which would be Kohberger, is the one who is responsible for these crimes," Dahlinger said.

In a statement released by LaBar on Sunday, Kohberger's family said they "have fully cooperated with law enforcement agencies in an attempt to seek the truth and promote his presumption of innocence." 

First published on January 2, 2023 / 11:02 AM

© 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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