Bryan Kohberger, arrested for the November 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, was briefly considered a person of interest in a strikingly similar unsolved home invasion case in Pullman, Washington, a year prior. The Pullman incident, which occurred in October 2021, involved a masked intruder armed with a knife entering a woman’s home in the early morning hours. The victim, however, fought back and the intruder fled. This case bore similarities to the Idaho murders in terms of the weapon used, the time of day, and the masked perpetrator’s silence, leading investigators to explore a potential connection after Kohberger’s arrest.
The similarities between the two cases intrigued law enforcement. Both involved nighttime home invasions with a knife-wielding, masked intruder. In both instances, the intruder remained silent. However, significant discrepancies also existed. The Pullman victim described the suspect as considerably shorter than Kohberger’s six-foot frame. Additionally, Kohberger was not yet a student at Washington State University, located near Pullman, at the time of the 2021 incident. He enrolled at the university in August 2022, months before the Idaho murders.
Following Kohberger’s arrest, Pullman police investigated the potential link between the two cases but ultimately ruled him out as a suspect. They concluded that they lacked evidence connecting him to the 2021 home invasion. While this provided some clarity for investigators in the Idaho murders, it left the Pullman case unresolved, much to the frustration of the victim and her family. The Pullman police department maintains that the case is closed, despite remaining unsolved.
The investigation into the Idaho student murders centered on Kohberger, a Ph.D. criminology student at Washington State University. He was apprehended at his parents’ Pennsylvania home in December 2022, six weeks after the brutal slayings of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. Investigators linked Kohberger to the crime scene through various pieces of evidence, including phone records, car location data, and DNA evidence recovered from the residence.
Kohberger’s trial for the quadruple homicide has been scheduled for August 11, 2025. A change of venue was granted from Latah County, where the murders occurred, to Ada County due to concerns about potential prejudice from extensive media coverage and the limited size of the Latah County courthouse. The judge determined that a fair trial would be difficult to ensure in the original location.
Kohberger pleaded not guilty to the charges, and prosecutors have indicated they will pursue the death penalty if he is convicted. The case continues to generate significant public interest and has deeply impacted the Moscow community and the families of the victims. The demolition of the off-campus house where the murders occurred, despite objections from the victims’ families, further underscores the lasting impact of this tragedy.
