Idaho murders: Police address Bryan Kohberger’s ties to woman’s death as parents testify
Bryan Kohberger’s parents were ordered to testify before a grand jury investigating the disappearance and death of Dana Smithers
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Police in Pennsylvania have spoken out about the possible connection between Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger and the death of a woman whose body was found almost a year after her disappearance.
It emerged this week that Mr Kohberger’s parents had been ordered to testify before a grand jury investigating the disappearance and death of Dana Smithers, 45.
Smithers vanished without a trace in May 2022 from Monroe County, Pennsylvania – where Mr Kohberger was living at the time. Her remains were found last month in a wooded area, her cause of death still unknown.
A source told CNN that the accused killer’s mother had already given evidence to the grand jury while his father was appearing to testify on Thursday.
Stroud Area Regional Police Department has now issued a statement insisting there is “NO EVIDENCE that Dana Smither’s disappearance, is in ANY WAY tied to Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger”.
The development comes days after Mr Kohberger was arraigned on four counts of murder and one count of burglary in Moscow, Idaho.
Mr Kohberger is accused of killing Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, on 13 November.
She vanished months before the Idaho murders. Why has her death been linked to Bryan Kohberger?
Who is Bryan Kohberger? The criminology graduate being arraigned over the Idaho college murders
Four students stabbed to death, a weeks-long manhunt and still no motive: What we know about the Idaho murders
Bryan Kohberger bought Ka-Bar knife from Amazon months before deadly stabbings of Idaho students
Bryan Kohberger bought a Ka-Bar knife and knife sheath from Amazon seven months before he allegedly stabbed four University of Idaho students to death in a brutal attack that sent shockwaves across America, it has been revealed.
NBC’s Dateline special “The Killings on King Road” reported that the 28-year-old accused killer shopped online for the military-style knife in April 2022.
At the time, he was still studying for his master’s degree in criminology at DeSales University in Pennsylvania.
Read more here:
Bryan Kohberger bought Ka-Bar knife from Amazon months before murders
Accused killer to appear in court for arraignment on four counts of first-degree murder and burglary
Kaylee Goncalves’ father shares stark warning to alleged killer: ‘He’s gonna realize’
On Friday (19 May), Steve Goncalves told ABC News: “I can’t wait to see the evidence… And then I’m gonna bring it.”
“And he’s gonna realize that this... is the family that’s gonna make sure he doesn’t get away with it,” he added.
Kaylee’s mother Kristi Goncalves said the family had given a lot of thought as to whether there was any connection between their daughter and her alleged killer.
“We’ve talked as a family, you know, we’ve done a lot of research on what’s out there... None of it makes sense,” she told ABC News.
Describing her reaction when she saw Mr Kohberger for the first time at an initial court appearance, she said: “I was completely overwhelmed. I actually almost thought I was gonna pass out.”
“My daughter saw him face-to-face and in a very different light than we saw him, sitting there, looking very meek,” she said.
Dana Smithers’ sister responds to strange link between her death and Bryan Kohberger
The sister of a mother-of-three found dead in Pennsylvania last month has spoken out about the possible connection between Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger and her sibling’s disappearance.
Dana Smithers, 45, was last seen alive on 28 May 2022 when she left her friend’s house to walk a few doors down to her own home in Monroe County, Pennsylvania.
Almost one year on, her remains were finally discovered last month, with her cause of death still a mystery.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:
Dana Smithers’ sister responds to strange link between her death and Bryan Kohberger
Dana Smithers, 45, was last seen alive on 28 May 2022 when she left her friend’s house in Monroe County, Pennsylvania
Dana Smithers’ sister speaks out about ties to Bryan Kohberger
Dana Smithers’ sister Stacey has spoken out about the potential ties between her sister’s disappearance and death and Bryan Kohberger.
When will Bryan Kohberger be back in court?
A tentative trial date has been scheduled for 2 October, although proceedings will likely not begin until net year, according to the Law&Crime network. In June, Judge John Jodege will rule on the status of the ongoing gag order and whether cameras will be allowed during trial.
WATCH: Bryan Kohberger refuses to enter plea during arraignment
She vanished months before the Idaho murders. Why has her death been linked to Bryan Kohberger?
Dana Smithers was last seen alive in May 2022. Her remains were found in a wooded area last month. Now, Bryan Kohberger’s parents are testifying in an investigation into her death.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp reports:
People called to do ‘random acts of kindness’ on Madison Mogen’s birthday
People were urged to do “random acts of kindness” on Thursday in honour of what would have been Madison Mogen’s 22nd birthday.
Idaho murders victim’s father calls for death penalty
The father of Idaho murders victim Kaylee Goncalves has called for the death penalty for her killer.
“You can’t just hunt our babies,” Steve Goncalves told NewsNation’s Banfield on Monday.
“You can’t come to our state and hurt our people. It’s unacceptable.”
He added: “We’re a small state, but you’re gonna see how strong we are, and how big we are when you mess with us.”
“Here in Idaho, we can control one thing… And you just can’t hunt babies down. The line has been crossed, and we’re gonna go there.”
Mr Goncalves spoke the same day that suspect Bryan Kohberger appeared for his arraignment in Latah County Court on murder charges.
Bryan Kohberger allegedly broke into female student’s home and spied on her months before Idaho murders
Bryan Kohberger is believed to have broken into the home of a female student and then installed security cameras to spy on her in the months before he allegedly killed four other students in a horror attack in Moscow, Idaho.
The 28-year-old criminology PhD student had befriended the woman after he moved to Pullman, Washington state, to begin a graduate program in criminal justice at Washington State University (WSU), according to a source.
One day, the woman returned to her apartment and found that someone had broken in and moved items around the home – but that nothing was missing.
Since nothing was taken, the woman decided not to call the police but instead called her new friend Mr Kohberger and asked him to come over.
Mr Kohberger allegedly offered to install a video security system inside her home and the woman agreed.
Following its installation, investigators believe Mr Kohberger used the security cameras to spy on the woman as – knowing her wifi password – he was able to tap into the cameras when within close proximity to the apartment.
The bombshell allegation was revealed in an NBC Dateline episode titled “The Killings on King Road”, which reported that Mr Kohberger is now a strong suspect in the initial break-in. NewsNation originally reported the claims last month.