Idaho murder suspect's phone was near the house for months before murders took place, court docs say

Court documents show that Bryan Kohberber's phone was near the house of the four university students a dozen times in the months leading up to their murder.

Ahead of a probable cause hearing, which was held in Moscow, Idaho, today (5 January), prosecutors released an affidavit, written by police officer Brett Payne, laying out aspects of the investigation into the 28-year-old.

Kohberger was arrested on 30 December in connection with the murders of University of Idaho students Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin.

It's alleged that he went to their home on 13 November and stabbed the group to death, in a crime that the coroner branded as 'personal'.

ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy

Court documents now claim that Kohberger's mobile phone was near their home 12 times in the months before their deaths.

It says: "On December 23, 2022 pursuant to that search warrant, I received historical records for the 8458 Phone from AT&T from the time the account was opened in June 2022.

"After consulting with CAST SA, I was able to determine estimated locations for the 8458 Phone from June 2022 to present, the time period authorized by the court.

"The records for the 8458 Phone show the 8458 Phone utilizing cellular resources that provide coverage to the area of 1122 King Road on at least twelve occasions prior to November 13, 2022.

Alamy / CBS

"All of these occasions, except for one, occurred in the late evening and early morning hours of their respective days."

While the authorities are yet to release the exact dates his device was spotted near the property, they revealed that Kohberger was pulled over on 21 August last year, having just left the area.

During the traffic stop, which happened at 11.37pm, Kohberger provided police with his phone number, and it was noted that he was driving a white Hyundai Elantra.

As a result of this, police were last month able to link both the cell phone number and the car to him, leading to him being stopped on 30 December.

On the night of the murders, the affidavit states, Kohberger's phone was located near his home in Washington.

At 2.47am, it's then tracked heading south before it disappears, which the FBI believe is because it was either turned off or put on airplane mode.

Moscow Police Department

The phone is then picked up once again at 4.48am, just south of Moscow.

Officer Payne said he believes that the evidence gathered is consistent with someone trying to conceal their whereabouts.

He said: "Based on my training, experience and facts of the investigation thus far, I believe that Kohberger was likely the driver of the white Elantra that is observed departing Pullman, WA and that this vehicle is likely Suspect vehicle 1.

"Additionally, the route of travel of the phone during the early morning hours of November 13 and the lack of phone reporting to the tower between 2.47am and 4.48am is consistent with Kohberger attempting to conceal his location during the quadruple homicide that occurred at the King Road Residences."