Brian Coberger admitted guilt on Wednesday regarding the premeditated killing of four University of Idaho students, though many questions remain unanswered.
Prosecutors laid out a detailed timeline of the 30-year-old’s actions before, during, and after the early morning attack in Moscow, Idaho.
But “Why?” isn’t the only question that has kept those following the case engaged for the past two and a half years.
Where is the knife?
Coberger ordered a military-style Ka-Bar knife, along with a sheath and sharpener, from Amazon in March 2022.
The knife sheath was found at the scene, containing his DNA, but the actual murder weapon was missing.
Mobile phone data tracked Coberger’s phone near a rural area outside Moscow around 4:45 AM, roughly 30 minutes after the crime, suggesting it could have been discarded in Idaho’s fields or pastures.
Did Kohberger know any of the victims, and why did he target them?
Coberger didn’t break into a random house. Phone records show he was in the victims’ neighborhood 23 times in the months leading up to the murders.
Initially, there were reports indicating that he had cyberstalked one of the victims through an Instagram message, but his lawyers later insisted there was no connection.
So, how was he aware of Kaylee Goncalves, Zana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Ethan Chapin?
The only hint given on Wednesday suggested that Coberger might not have entered the house with the intent to kill all four victims.
Whose ID did Kohberger hide in his parents’ house?
In 2023, police sources revealed to News Nation that investigators found an ID linked to one of the victims hidden in Coberger’s parents’ home.
This discovery spurred speculation that he had kept a victim’s ID as a morbid keepsake.
But that seems less likely now. The ID is crucial physical evidence and is likely to have been presented in court.
There could have been multiple IDs involved. He might have only purchased a knife with a fake ID to avoid detection, or perhaps used a gift card.
One intriguing theory suggests that Coberger might have intended this ID as a sort of calling card left at the scene.
Whatever the truth, it’s unclear if we’ll ever know.
Is Coberger a psychopath?
Coberger’s defense stated he has OCD and mild autism, but asserted these factors had no bearing on the charges against him.
During the trial, discussions could have revolved around his psychological assessments, exploring traits often described as “dark”: narcissism, sadism, and manipulative tendencies.
Has Kohberger returned to the crime scene?
Mobile tower records indicate that Coberger went back to the area of the victims’ home about five hours after the killings.
Was he attempting to retrieve evidence, even without the knife? Or was he perhaps admiring his own grim handiwork?
He definitely seemed to have a sense of pride in what he had done.
