Idaho prosecutors have unveiled a university essay from pupil murders suspect Bryan Kohberger that exhibits he is aware of his manner round a criminal offense scene, new court docket filings reveal.
Within the missive, written in 2020 throughout finals for a 300-level legal justice course, Kohberger described how crime scene investigators use “fiber-free” overalls, gloves and booties to keep away from contaminating the situation with their very own DNA and fingerprints.
At 1122 King Street, the place he allegedly killed 4 College of Idaho undergrads in November 2022, police have revealed little proof except for a Ka-Bar knife sheath discovered beneath one of many victims that allegedly had Kohberger’s DNA on the snap.
Earlier than the FBI recognized him as an individual of curiosity by investigative genetic family tree, his identify was unknown to detectives.
He went into different facets of a criminal offense scene investigation, however repeatedly referenced measures police ought to take to guard the situation, shared his ideas about circumstantial proof, recognized home companions as potential suspects and warned that crime scenes could possibly be staged.
“Prosecutors are going to talk about this when they bring up the lack of forensic evidence left by the killer,” stated Joseph Giacalone, a former NYPD chilly case investigator and a legal justice professor at Penn State-Lehigh Valley.
“They’re going to say, ‘Look how much he knew about this. He talks about fiber-free clothing.’”
Kohberger talked about fiber-free overalls, shoe covers, gloves, hair nets and extra when speaking about protecting gear an investigator ought to put on to keep away from contaminating a scene.
“This is not helpful for him,” Giacalone stated.
“The same way he talks about this fictitious cop about not leaving evidence behind…we might have a little insight into how, or at least an answer about, the lack of forensic evidence was left behind,” Giacalone instructed Fox Information Digital. “He doesn’t mention it by name, but Locard’s Exchange Principle, the theory of transfer between all evidence, he does talk about transfer of evidence a number of times throughout this.”
However Kohberger additionally made some errors within the piece, Giacalone stated.
“He said staging is common,” Giacalone instructed Fox Information Digital. “It’s not common. You know, most of the things that happen at crime scenes are mistakes or just panic mode.”
He additionally doesn’t consider that Kohberger, if he dedicated the crimes as alleged, would have had time to stage the scene after killing 4 individuals in roughly quarter-hour, then operating into an eyewitness on the way in which out, who he didn’t assault.
“I think there’s no way that he didn’t see her,” he stated. “So the staging part of this, I don’t find it plausible for him in that scenario.”
Kohberger, who, by his attorneys, has argued there was blood and DNA proof on the victims’ residence that might level to potential alternate perpetrators, wrote in his essay that crime scene investigators don’t have the duty of vetting doubtlessly planted proof.
“Even if there was an item introduced to the scene by an offender to throw off investigators, it is not the job of the criminal investigator processing the crime scene to jump to conclusion,” Kohberger wrote.
Giacalone stated if Kohberger turned within the paper for one in every of his lessons, he’d most likely give it a B.
“He knows a lot, but you can get this out of any academic book,” Giacalone stated. “You can learn about this, but putting it into practice and doing it are two other things.”
Kohberger graduated from DeSales College with a grasp’s diploma after which went on to Washington State College to pursue a Ph.D. in criminology.
The college is simply 10 miles away from the College of Idaho, the place he’s accused of getting into a home at 4 a.m. and killing 4 of the six college students inside on Nov. 13, 2022.
The victims have been Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20.
The three younger ladies have been all roommates. Chapin lived close by and was courting Kernodle.
Kohberger’s trial on 4 expenses of first-degree homicide and one other of housebreaking is about to start on Aug. 11. Jury choice is scheduled for July 30.
A earlier choose entered not-guilty pleas on Kohberger’s behalf at an arraignment in Might 2023.
He might face the demise penalty if convicted.
