Idaho College Murders: Bryan Kohberger Defense Attorney Claims ‘No Explanation’ For ‘Total Lack’ of DNA Evidence

An attorney for Bryan Kohberger, the suspect accused of the murders of four college students in Idaho last fall, has filed new court documents stating “there is no connection between Mr. Kohberger and the victims,” according to authorities.

In the new court filing, attorney Jay Logsdon said, "There is no explanation for the total lack of DNA evidence from the victims in Mr. Kohberger's apartment, office, home, or vehicle," KYW-TV reported.

As Front Page Detectives previously reported, 28-year-old Kohberger was studying for a Ph.D. in criminology at Washington State University when police believe he broke into a home in Moscow, Idaho, and stabbed four students to death: Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20.

On May 22, Kohberger declined to enter a plea to the charges at his arraignment, electing to “stand silent” during the first step in what promises to be a lengthy legal process, Front Page Detectives reported. The judge in the case was forced to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf.

In the new filing, Kohberger’s defense says “by December 17, 2022, lab analysts were aware of two additional males’ DNA within the house where the deceased were located,” KYW-TV reported.

The court filing also states lab analysts found DNA from another unknown man on a glove found outside the residence on November 20, 2022.

"To this date, the Defense is unaware of what sort of testing, if any, was conducted on these samples other than the STR DNA profiles," according to KYW-TV.

This new filing challenges the prosecution’s reliance on investigative genetic genealogy and opposes the government’s attempts to keep its method a secret. A recent motion by the prosecution said Kohberger’s DNA, collected by a buccal swab, was a “statistical match” to unknown DNA on the knife sheath found at the crime scene, as Front Page Detectives previously reported.

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Prosecutors argue that Kohberger and his team have no right to FBI data uncovered from this method, but his defense argues they should be entitled to all data relating to that conclusion, KYW-TV reported.

While we still wait to hear if prosecutors will seek the death penalty against Kohberger, the next hearing in Kohberger’s criminal case is scheduled for June 27.