Case Analysis: Idaho Murders 2022

One of the most brutal yet perplexing cases over the past decade would haunt law enforcement for years to come. It occurred on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022, when four students from University of Idaho were stabbed to death in an off-campus apartment. The police found the four students slaughtered inside their home with no signs of forced entry or damage. After seven weeks of searching, on December 30, Bryan Christopher Kohberger (age 28) was arrested in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. Even though Bryan Kohberger has not yet been convicted, this case not only revealed many eerie similarities with other cases but also an important piece of technology known as genetic genealogy testing. To this day, it is unclear what the motive was for this senseless act.

In contrast to typical murderers in rural America, Kohberger portrayed a detail oriented, calculating, deeply motivated killer with a strange passion for criminology. Investigators were confused on how a killer was able to murder 4 individuals in a home without leaving any notable evidence. Additionally, the 2 other roommates in the victims’ shared home were mysteriously left unscathed. Due to the lack of information and mystery behind the case, many followers on social media (Tiktok) began to speculate and conjure conspiracies. One theory was the 2 surviving roommates, Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen, killed the 4 students or worked together with the killer to help mask the truth. However, following Kohberger’s arrest, everyone was appalled as he was found in Pennsylvania with no prior criminal record. Kohberger has led law enforcement to believe that he utilized his PhD in Criminology to escape punishment. Despite the unknown motive, police have drawn similarities with numerous other stabbing cases in recent years.

Two other knife attacks within neighboring states suggest eerie similarities. In August of 2021, Travis and Jaimlyn Juetten were viciously attacked in their homes in Salem Oregon. They were attacked at around 3am and were stabbed 19 times. Travis was killed but Jaimlyn survived. Both the Juetten and Idaho stabbings took place between 3-4:30am and resulted in at least one surviving victim. Similarly, in 2020, Sandra Ladd was brutally attacked and murdered in her Washington home. Both of these cases remain unsolved. Jadd, the Juettens, and the four college students were all murdered in their sleep involving knife attacks on the 13th day of their respective month. Even despite these eerie similarities, police have concluded that there is no evidence to support that these cases are related (Inside Edition). What makes the Idaho case unique, however, lies in the FBI tactics employed to capture the accused suspect.

(The home of the murdered students in Idaho)

Bryan Kohberger’s DNA on a knife sheath aided the investigators of Moscow but the situation posed a hidden complexity. At first, they ran the DNA through the FBI database CODIS (Combined DNA Index System), which operates national databases of DNA profiles from convicted offenders and missing persons (Bureau of Justice Statistics). Unfortunately, investigators were unable to find a match. As a result, they turned to genetic genealogy, a DNA based test utilized to find or verify ancestral genealogical relationships. Law enforcement obtained the DNA from Kohberger’s father and later linked it to a cheek swab from Kohberger himself (NBC News).

The “statistical match” illustrated that it was 5.37 octillion times more likely that the DNA found on the knife sheath directly corresponded with Kohberger than a random individual (NBC news). Interestingly, the FBI uploaded the DNA profile onto genetic genealogy sites and services all available to the public. Additionally, less than 10 cases in recent years have involved the use of Genetic Genealogy. Other famous cases involving Genetic Genealogy include the Golden State Killer and the Phoenix Canal Killings. This piece of technology has played a crucial role in Kohberger’s arrest.

The Idaho Murders of 2022 questions our sense of security: Could these types of murders happen to anyone, if so can we even protect ourselves from it? Even though we cannot control the future, we can still take adequate precautions making us difficult targets.

For example, in this particular case, the main entry door to the home of the students remained unlocked according to many friends of the victims. Even if our homes are in rural areas, we must always ensure that our doors and windows are securely locked to prevent intruders. Additionally, according to the affidavit, one of the surviving victims saw a dark figure approaching them in the middle of the night. Instead of calling the police, the student locked herself in her room for the rest of the night. If the student called the police immediately, they perhaps could have caught the killer leaving the house or saved the remaining victims.

Ultimately, the tragic case of the Idaho murders would be one we wish to forget, but if we learn from the students’ mistakes by better equipping ourselves with appropriate measures, we will become less susceptible to violence or harm in the future.

Sources: Creitz, Charles. “University of Idaho Victim’s Friend Says Dorm Door-Lock Code Wasn’t Usually Activated.” Fox News, 19 Nov. 2022, www.foxnews.com/media/university-idaho-victims-friend-dorm-door-lock-code-wasnt-activated. McShane, Julianne. “Genetic Genealogy Was Used to Link Bryan Kohberger, Suspect in Idaho Slayings, to Crime Scene, Prosecutors Say.” NBCNews.Com, 21 June 2023, www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/genetic-genealogy-used-link-bryan-kohberger-suspect-idaho-slayings-cri-rcna90344. Staff, CNN. “Read the Affidavit on How Investigators Identified the Idaho Killings Suspect.” CNN, 5 Jan. 2023, www.cnn.com/2023/01/05/us/read-the-idaho-affidavit/index.html.