Police searched secret storage locker belonging to suspected Idaho quadruple killer Bryan Kohberger
New court documents have revealed that police searching Bryan Kohberger’s apartment discovered a secret storage closet they say he used after the murder of four students in Idaho.
Washington State University police flooded his apartment in Pullman — a 15-minute drive from the property where the murders were committed — shortly after his arrest at his family home in Pennsylvania on Dec. 30.
Major Kohberger, 28, is charged with the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, on November 13 last year.
Documents show police swept dozens of areas in the small property and had two positive tests for traces of blood.
Officers also found a lock and key that matched a storage container and requested a search warrant to access the container.
Kohberger’s apartment was searched hours after he was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania on Dec. 30
Kohberger’s apartment in Pullman, Washington, was combed by police for evidence of the ongoing investigation
It’s not clear if anything was found in the locker, but officers say they believe Kohberger used it to stash items after the murder of the four University of Idaho students.
One of the items that tested positive for blood was a pillow, which had a large stain on one side, and was taken away for further examination.
The other was a mattress cover lying on his bed, which had multiple stains and was also taken for further testing after testing positive for blood.
It’s unclear whether the blood belonged to one of the victims or to Kohberger himself, and the items were simply collected by officers for further investigation.
An earlier affidavit confirmed the two items had stains consistent with blood, but the new documents show they tested positive for them.
Police also seized several locks of hair, including a suspected animal hair, a black glove and a computer tower.
Investigators, who raided the property in December, also recovered Walmart receipts and two Marshall’s receipts, as well as the contents of his vacuum cleaner.
Court documents show eight strands of hair were recovered from the apartment, as well as a “possible” animal hair.
It’s unclear if the blood belonged to one of the victims or to Kohberger himself, and the items were simply collected by officers for further investigation
Officers also found a lock and key that matched a storage container and requested a search warrant to access the container
Investigators believe it was likely the killer would have had traces of blood on their bodies or clothing, and hoped to find traces in Kohberger’s apartment.
During their search, they also found a Fire TV stick. All items are now stored with the Washington State University Police Department.
Authorities reportedly said they wanted to see if any hair had been “transferred” to Kohberger and then back to his apartment – including that of Kaylee Goncalves’ dog Murphy.
Murphy was found alive in Kaylee’s room by detectives called to the scene, and has now been returned to her ex-boyfriend.
It comes after one of the surviving housemates agreed to meet with lawyers for Kohberger at her Reno, Nevada, home after trying to argue that she shouldn’t have to testify at the various court hearings.
Court documents earlier this week showed that Bethany Funke’s lawyers argued she should not testify at a preliminary hearing in June, or for the duration of the trial.
In new documents filed Wednesday, both sides agreed that the defense would go to Funke for an interview in Nevada, rejecting a subpoena they issued on April 11.
Forensic teams dove on his property, less than 15 minutes from the house where the cartilaginous murders took place
Pictured: (L-R) Dylan Mortenson, Xana Kernodle, Bethany Funke, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen
Court documents filed the same day as his arrest stated that “compelling circumstances warrant the temporary sealing ordered in this case.”
Jack DuCoeur and Kaylee Goncalves, pictured, shared custody of the dog after they split
It means the surviving housemate may not be forced to appear at the preliminary hearing on June 28, depending on what information she gives to detectives.
Investigator Richard Bitonti, who works for Kohberger’s defense team, subpoenaed Fukne because she may have “exculpatory” information.
They claimed the information she has is “material and necessary” to the alleged killer’s defense — though it’s unclear exactly what that is.
Bitonti wrote in an affidavit: “In the course of my investigation, that became known to me [she] has information material on the charges against Mr. Kohberger.’
He added that she revealed “things she had heard and things she saw” during police questioning and was present when the police were called.
However, Funke’s lawyers hit back, saying the preliminary hearing is not intended to “become a mini-trial,” and is only intended to decide probable cause.
Funke (far right) may not be forced to appear at the preliminary hearing on June 28, depending on what information she gives investigators
A new search warrant reveals police found several strands of hair, which may have included an animal hair, a black glove, a computer tower and an item that was a “collection of dark red” stains
Investigator Richard Bitonti, who works for Kohberger’s defense team, subpoenaed Fukne (left) because she may have had “exculpatory” information
A joke also remains in place, preventing anyone involved in the case from speaking publicly.
Kohberger has yet to enter a plea to the quadruple homicide and is charged with four counts of murder and one count of burglary.
It comes after it was revealed that his lawyer on his case will be paid $200 an hour – with any additional overtime.
Lead defense attorney Anne Taylor is paid by Kootenai County for her 40-hour work week, with Latah County agreeing to give the money to Kootenai for her work.
But any overtime she accrues outside of those hours is paid by Latah County directly to the attorney, with a second attorney supporting Taylor on the case paid $180 an hour.
Taylor is representing the 28-year-old criminal justice major after stepping down as attorney for Cara Northington – the mother of the slain Xana Kernodle, 20.
She was in charge of her case until January 5, the same day Kohberger was extradited to Idaho from his Pennsylvania home.
The lawyer is also charged with a second conflict of interest in the case after it was revealed that she represented Maddie Mogen’s stepmother, Korie Hatrock, in June 2022 and oversaw a case involving her father, Benjamin, in 2020.