Idaho police wonder if they think Bryan Kohberger had an accomplice

Moscow, Idaho, Police Chief James Fry said he was confident that Bryan Kohberger was the sole suspect in the November murder of four University of Idaho students.

Kohberger, a Ph.D. grad student in criminology at Washington State University, was arrested last Friday while at his vacation home in Chestnuthill Township, Pennsylvania. Jason LaBar, a public defender legally representing Kohberger, told CNN the suspect’s father met him in Idaho and they both drove home together in a white Hyundai Elantra that became a central part of the police investigation.

Fry, whose department has been criticized for the drawn-out investigation and delay in Kohberger’s arrest, was asked at a news conference on Friday whether Kohberger had asked if other people were in custody in connection with the murders.

This information is part of the ongoing investigation, Fry replied, saying he could not confirm that Kohberger made such a statement.

Later, when asked by Dana Griffin of NBC News if he was “100%” convinced that Kohberger was the sole suspect in the murders, Fry replied that he “without a doubt” was. He added that the public will better understand this once more details are released.

NewsNation reporter Nancy Loo asked Fry in a separate interview if Moscow police were actively investigating any clues about other potential suspects.

“We looked at everyone who we thought was involved or uninvolved in any way and who knew our victims, so we’ve been very active in that… Excluding people is as important as excluding them. keep under investigation,” he added. Friy said.

The focus is now solely on Kohberger and the events leading up to the murders, Fry added.

Moscow Police Captain Anthony Dahlinger told The Associated Press on Saturday that “we think we’ve got our man.”

On Monday, Dahlinger said Newsweek that his department believes that “the person we have in custody is responsible for these four murders”.

Moscow police also cited Idaho law when asking some questions about the investigation, including what led them and law enforcement to Kohberger, as well as investigations into the motives. possible.

“The Idaho Supreme Court dictates that probable cause affidavits remain sealed until the arrest warrant is returned to court,” the department said in a news release. “As such, the factual basis of this case will remain sealed until a first appearance is made in an Idaho court. No additional information can be provided in this case until the court records and records are not published.”

Joseph Giacalone, a retired New York Police Department sergeant and professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said Newsweek that the police often do not give all the details during an investigation for multiple reasons. They may want to put people and the affected community at ease, for example, or not “frighten” the suspect into custody.

“If you want to get an arrest warrant, you have to have probable cause,” Giacalone said. “All things that lead to an arrest, [Moscow police] seem to have it.”

He also mentioned Fry’s behavior in the days leading up to Friday’s press conference, saying he seemed more relaxed, as evidenced by his stepping back in his chair.

“He didn’t look like a worried man,” Giacalone said. “It meant to me that they were getting closer to someone.”

Moscow police said they have received more than 400 additional pieces of information since Kohberger’s arrest, some relating to his background and what he was like as a friend and classmate.

Not all tips constitute evidence, Giacalone said, but they can be used to better understand a suspect and establish a connection between an individual and an incident.

When asked if he thought Kohberger acted alone, Giacalone said he needed more information, but added that he felt comfortable with Fry’s statements.

“I’m pretty okay with that and the way this case was handled,” he said. “I give the chef credit. He’s been beaten all day, especially on social media.”

Update 2/1/23, 3:47 PM ET: This story was updated with a comment at Newsweek of Moscow Police Captain Anthony Dahlinger.