Bryan Kohberger, the suspect in the high-profile murders of four University of Idaho students, was also investigated in connection to an earlier home invasion near Moscow, Idaho. This earlier case involved a masked man breaking into a woman’s home in Pullman, Washington—just a few miles from Moscow—months before the tragic murders in November 2022.
The woman reported the intruder entered her home with a knife around 3:30 AM, but she managed to fight back, kicking him in the stomach, which caused him to flee. Despite her bravery, police were unable to gather evidence or identify a suspect at the time. Interestingly, the intruder was described as being about 5’5”, much shorter than Kohberger, who stands at 6 feet tall. Furthermore, Kohberger wasn’t even living in the area yet, as he only moved to Pullman in 2023 to attend Washington State University.
While Kohberger was eventually cleared of any involvement in the earlier home invasion, legal experts suggest that his defense team could still use the similarities between the two cases to argue for reasonable doubt during his trial for the student murders. Whether this earlier incident will be allowed as evidence, however, is up to the judge.
Kohberger’s connection to the University of Idaho murders is largely based on physical evidence and surveillance footage. Investigators found his DNA on a knife sheath left at the crime scene and matched a description from a surviving roommate of the suspect. Security cameras also captured a car similar to Kohberger’s in the area at the time of the murders. Prosecutors allege he even turned off his phone to avoid being tracked.
Critics of the case argue there are significant gaps in the evidence against Kohberger. Some online commenters note that there’s no murder weapon, no DNA in his car or on his clothing, and no concrete proof he was at the scene when the killings occurred. Additionally, there’s no known motive or connection between Kohberger and the victims, which raises further questions.
Kohberger, for his part, denies the charges. His defense has claimed that he was simply out driving around on the night of the murders, a habit of his for stargazing and hiking. Prosecutors, however, believe his movements in rural areas that night, detailed in court documents, paint a more suspicious picture.
Although Kohberger has not entered a plea himself, the court has recorded a not-guilty plea on his behalf. His trial, which is expected to draw significant attention, is set to begin in August 2025 in Boise, Idaho.
As for the earlier Pullman home invasion, it remains unsolved. But some on social media are pointing to it as a potential indicator that Kohberger may not be the right suspect for the University of Idaho case, with one commenter suggesting, “It makes me question if they’ve got the wrong guy.” Regardless, Kohberger is the only named suspect in the Moscow murders, and the case continues to unfold.