University of Idaho stabbing suspect Bryan Kohberger indicted by grand jury

MOSCOW, Idaho (TCD) -- A grand jury has indicted Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students, canceling a preliminary hearing that was initially scheduled for next month.

The Idaho Statesman reports the charges were not made public yet, though a spokesperson for the Idaho Judicial Branch confirmed to the paper that the grand jury returned an indictment. Kohberger will now be arraigned Monday, May 22.

Kohberger is accused of stabbing and killing Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin in the early hours of Nov. 13, 2022. The four victims were found dead in the home Goncalves, Mogen, and Kernodle shared with two other roommates on King Road in Moscow.

Kohberger was arrested Dec. 30 at his parents' home in Pennsylvania on suspicion of murder and burglary. He was getting his Ph.D. from nearby Washington State University in criminology.

The preliminary hearing, which was on the docket to begin June 26 and last about a week, would have revealed information that was not necessarily known to the public beforehand. It also would have required testimony from the two surviving housemates, KCPQ-TV reports.

According to the search warrant, one of the housemates told police she woke up at approximately 4 a.m. Nov. 13 and heard someone, most likely Goncalves, playing with her dog in an upstairs bedroom. Then, someone inside said, "There’s someone here."

Police said Kernodle was awake and on TikTok at 4:12 a.m.

The housemate reportedly "heard what she thought was crying coming from Kernodle’s room" and a man’s voice saying, "It’s OK. I’m going to help you."

A security camera next door reportedly caught audio of "voices or a whimper followed by a loud thud," as well as dog barks.

The housemate opened her door again and allegedly saw a "figure clad in black clothing and a mask that covered the person’s nose walking towards her."

She described the man as 5-foot-10 and skinny with "bushy eyebrows." The man reportedly walked right by her and out of the home.

While searching the King Road home, investigators found a knife sheath with a single trace of male DNA on it with the U.S. Marine Corps logo and "Ka-Bar" written on it. At Kohberger’s parents’ home, police seized medical gloves, a black sweatshirt, black shorts, black boxers, and other personal items.

MORE:

• Bryan Kohberger secretly indicted by grand jury in Moscow stabbings case; hearing canceled - Idaho Statesman
• Grand jury indicts Idaho college murders suspect Bryan Kohberger, court date set for next week - KCPQ
• Search warrant reveals what investigators found at Bryan Kohberger’s house during arrest, 3/1/2023 - TCD
• Bryan Kohberger search warrant
• University of Idaho stabbing suspect agrees to extradition from Pennsylvania, 3/3/2023 - TCD 
• Suspect in University of Idaho killings arrested in Pennsylvania, 12/30/2022 - TCD