CNN
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The suspect in the murder of four University of Idaho college students is set to waive an extradition hearing this week, his lawyers said, adding that Jem faces four counts of first-degree murder. To expedite his return to the state, his attorney said.
Brian Christopher Koberger is “a little bit shocked,” said Jason Lover, chief public defender for Monroe County, Pennsylvania, on Saturday when 28-year-old Koberger was linked to a fatal stabbing in his home state. Cary Goncalves, 21, told CNN the day after she was arrested on suspicion of Madison Morgen, 21 years old. Zana Karnodol, 20 years old. He also faces burglary charges, according to Latter County, Idaho, prosecutor Bill Thompson.
When they spoke for about an hour on Friday evening, Rubber didn’t discuss the murder with the suspect, the attorney said, calling it “formality.”
“It’s a procedural matter, and what the federal really has to prove here is that he resembles or is the person for whom the arrest warrant is being issued, and that he was in the area at the time of the crime. It’s just that I was there,” Lavers said.
Abandoning the extradition hearing set for Tuesday was “obviously an easy decision,” LaBar said.
In a statement, LaBar stressed that clients are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Coberger is eager to be absolved of these charges and looks forward to resolving these issues as soon as possible. ”
The suspect’s arrest was confirmed by the school to be a doctoral student in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University. says.
But authorities have yet to publicly confirm the suspect’s motive, and even though he knew the victim, the death shook the university community and towns around Moscow. Moscow police chief James Fry said Friday.
It’s been weeks since the killings, but investigators have yet to provide a full account of how the night unfolded, leaving some community members frustrated. It released limited details, including the victim’s activities leading up to the incident and the people they ruled out as suspects.
Fry told reporters Friday state law limits the information officials can release before Coberger appears in court in Idaho. A probable cause affidavit detailing the factual basis for Coberger’s indictment will be sealed until the suspect physically arrives in Lata County and an Idaho arrest warrant is served, Thompson said. said Mr.
According to two law enforcement sources briefed about the investigation, investigators identified Coberger as a suspect by confirming DNA evidence and the owner of a white Hyundai Elantra seen near the crime scene. Focused. Authorities say he lived just minutes from where he was stabbed.
Law enforcement sources said he drove cross-country in a white Hyundai Elantra and arrived at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania around Christmas. began to track
An FBI surveillance team tracked him down for four days before his arrest while law enforcement worked with prosecutors to develop a probable cause sufficient to obtain a warrant, the two law enforcement agencies said. a source said.
Genetic genealogy techniques were used to link Koberger to unverified DNA evidence, another source familiar with the case told CNN. A DNA run through public databases found a potential family match, and subsequent investigative work by law enforcement identified him as a suspect, sources said.
LaBar confirmed that Kohberger was driving with his father from Idaho to Pennsylvania to celebrate the holidays with his family. A white Hyundai Elantra was spotted at his parents’ home, Lavers said.
After announcing his intention to waive extradition at a hearing on Tuesday, LaBar said he wasn’t sure how quickly his client would be returned to Idaho and that it would depend on authorities. LaBar expected Kohberger to be returned to Idaho within 72 hours of the procedure.