Idaho massacre suspect’s lawyer says DNA from two other men found at crime scene

Lawyers representing Idaho massacre suspect Bryan Kohberger claimed in documents filed on Thursday that there was "no connection" between the 28-year-old suspect and the students who were found fatally stabbed in their Moscow, Idaho home last year. 

An Objection to State’s Motion for Protective Order, viewed by the Daily Mail, stated that "there is no connection between Mr. Kohberger and the victims. There is no explanation for the total lack of DNA evidence from the victims in Mr. Kohberger’s apartment, office, home, or vehicle."

The filing stated that "by December 17, 2022, lab analysts were aware of two additional males’ DNA within the house where the deceased were located."

A second male’s DNA was found inside the home, the defense team stated, with police allegedly finding DNA from a third male on a glove found outside the home.

"To this date, the Defense is unaware of what sort of testing, if any, was conducted on these samples other than the STR DNA profiles."

The filing argued that the defense team should be given access to all investigative genetic genealogy and data that led to prosecutors stating that Kohberger’s DNA, taken by a buccal swab, was a "statistical match" to the DNA found on a Ka-Bar knife sheath seen on a bed alongside the bodies of Maddie Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves.

Earlier this month, prosecutors claimed that the DNA found on the knife sheath was a "statistical match" to that taken from Kohberger. The FBI said they used publicly held DNA databases similar to 23andMe.

Prosecutors had previously argued that Kohberger did not have the right to FBI data uncovered from the method.

"Perhaps unsurprisingly, Mr. Kohberger does not accept that his defense does not need this information," the filing states.

"The state apparently only wants to prevent Mr. Kohberger from seeing how the investigative genetic genealogy profile was created and how many other people the FBI chose to ignore during their investigation."

The defense team’s filing accused the government of failing to release the information because "somehow people will stop sharing their genetics if they were to realize the government is watching."

Prosecutors said in a filing earlier this month that a sample of DNA left on the sheath is "at least 5.37 octillion times more likely to be seen if (the) Defendant is the source than if an unrelated individual randomly selected from the general population is the source."

Kohberger chose to "stand silent" at his arraignment last month, and not-guilty pleas were entered on his behalf. He has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and burglary.