A chilling new detail has emerged in the case of Bryan Kohberger, the suspect accused of the brutal murders of four college students in Moscow, Idaho. It turns out Kohberger was once investigated for a frightening home invasion in Pullman, Washington—a revelation that adds another layer of mystery to this already infamous case.
The Pullman incident happened in October 2021, just 10 miles from Moscow, where, a little over a year later, four students were tragically stabbed to death in their off-campus home. Kohberger was briefly investigated for the Pullman break-in but was never charged.
Recently, body camera footage obtained by media has revealed more about the Pullman home invasion. In the footage, a terrified young woman recounts a horrifying encounter. “I heard my door open, and someone wearing a ski mask and holding a knife came in,” she said, her voice shaking. Acting quickly, she fought back, kicking the intruder in the stomach and screaming loudly. The masked figure stumbled into her closet before fleeing. Despite her roommate calling 911 immediately, police found no trace of the suspect.
Fast forward to November 13, 2022, when Moscow, Idaho, was shaken by the gruesome murders of Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21, their housemate Xana Kernodle, 20, and Xana’s boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, also 20. Survivors in the home later described seeing a masked man with bushy eyebrows fleeing after hearing cries and the sounds of a struggle. The similarities between the Pullman break-in and the Moscow murders were unsettling—both involved a masked intruder with a knife entering homes in the dead of night.
In the Pullman case, Kohberger became a person of interest just 13 days after the Moscow murders. But there were key differences. The victim of the Pullman break-in described her attacker as being 5’3″ to 5’5″, while Kohberger is six feet tall. Additionally, Kohberger wasn’t a student at Washington State University when the 2021 break-in happened. Pullman police eventually ruled him out as a suspect, and the case remains unsolved.
Meanwhile, Kohberger, now 28, was arrested weeks after the Idaho murders at his parents’ home in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. He faces four first-degree murder charges and a felony burglary charge. Prosecutors believe Kohberger meticulously planned the attack, stalking the victims’ off-campus rental home beforehand.
Adding to the intrigue is Kohberger’s background as a PhD criminology student at Washington State University, just a short drive from Moscow. This detail has fueled speculation about whether his studies influenced the alleged crimes. Kohberger has denied the charges and claimed his alibi was “late-night drives.” However, prosecutors have pointed to DNA evidence found on a knife sheath left at the crime scene, as well as surveillance and cell phone data placing Kohberger near the victims’ home.
Kohberger has challenged the search warrants used during his arrest, arguing there were procedural errors and privacy violations. Prosecutors have stood firm, dismissing his attempts to suppress evidence.
The trial is set to begin in Ada County, Boise, on July 30, 2025, with jury selection. The location change aims to ensure a fair trial, given the intense publicity surrounding the case. While no murder weapon has been recovered, prosecutors are confident in their evidence, which paints a chilling picture of the events leading up to that tragic night in Moscow.
For now, Kohberger remains in custody, maintaining his innocence as the community waits for answers in one of the most haunting cases in recent memory.
