A knife sheath with DNA on it that was found at the apartment house where four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death in 2022 could have been planted by the actual killer, defense lawyers for suspect Bryan Kohberger may argue at his trial.
The claim was made in a motion filed this week by Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson, who wrote that a defense expert’s disclosure revealed that Kohberger’s lawyers won’t challenge that the DNA found on the sheath belongs to the suspect.
Instead, “the defense plans to argue the DNA on the knife sheath does not prove Defendant was ever at the crime scene and the knife sheath itself could have been planted by the real perpetrator,” Thompson wrote.
A gag order prevents those involved in the case from speaking publicly, and it’s unclear how the defense may respond to the prosecution’s characterization of their defense expert. But the disclosure of a potential defense strategy comes as court documents have been unsealed in recent weeks, yielding new information about the case.
Last week, documents made public included a 911 transcript and a text exchange between two surviving roommates who were in the off-campus home in Moscow when their fellow students — Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin — were fatally stabbed on the early morning of Nov. 13, 2022.
Prosecutors have not detailed a motive for Kohberger, who was a doctoral student of criminal justice at nearby Washington State University.
The murder weapon, believed to be a large fixed-blade knife, has not been recovered, Moscow police have said.
Authorities said that male DNA discovered on a knife sheath found at the home was used to link Kohberger to the stabbings and that they had been tracking his car, a white Hyundai Elantra, and cellphone use in the area.
Kohberger’s lawyers have said in a court filing that there is “no connection” between him and the slain students and that other men’s DNA was also found at the scene.
A judge entered a plea of not guilty on Kohberger’s behalf. A trial has been set for Aug. 11.
Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty. In another motion unsealed last week, the defense indicated they would like to argue Kohberger, 30, should not be executed if found guilty because he has autism spectrum disorder and it would violate his constitutional rights.
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