LATAH COUNTY, Idaho — Lawyers for Bryan Kohberger, the suspected killer in the Idaho college murders, filed documents outlining his alibi. They claim he was driving in a remote area on the night of the murders and say cell phone data backs up his story.
Koherberger is a former PhD student who is accused of stabbing four University of Idaho students to death in November 2022.
His lawyers say they plan to use analysis of cell tower data to show Kohberger was not near the crime scene at the time of the murders.
Last August, Kohberger’s lawyers claimed in a court filing the suspected murderer was instead driving around alone as he often did when the murders were committed.
The judge requested Kohberger’s lawyers provide specific details, like names and addresses about his alibi that could be corroborated.
The new filing claims he was driving in the opposite direction of the King Road home to hike and run and/or see the moon and stars. It’s something they say he has done on several occasions. They also say his phone contained numerous photographs taken on several different late evenings and early mornings, including in November, depicting the night sky.
Authorities say Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin were killed between 4 and 4:20 a.m. on November 13, 2022, in their off-campus home.
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Experts say that while cellphone records can estimate where a person is, it is difficult to pinpoint someone’s exact location – especially in rural or remote areas.
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“I can tell you with scientific certainty from his cell phone records if he was connected to the Moscow cell tower for the Pullman cell tower. But I can’t pinpoint him,” said Ben Levitan, engineer and telecom expert.
Authorities also say for a two-hour period between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., Koberger’s phone stopped reporting the network entirely, which is consistent with the phone being out of service or in airplane mode.
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