Judge presiding over the Bryan Kohberger murder trial responds to the defense’s request to receive DNA records

MOSCOW, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — In a late filing by Idaho’s 2nd Judicial District Judge John C. Judge on Thursday evening, regarding the release of details about the use of advanced DNA technology, known as investigative genetic genealogy, or IGG, Kohberger’s defense attorneys can claim a small victory as they will receive some of the DNA records that they’ve requested the state turn over.

The judicial order was posted Friday afternoon on the repository that contains the court records pertaining to the murder trial of the four University of Idaho students at their off-campus house in November of 2022.

Investigative genetic genealogy or IGG, involves taking DNA from a crime scene and submitting it to online genealogy services like 23andMe and Ancestry to build a family tree in order to find suspects connected to crimes.

Detectives with the Latah County Sheriff’s Office and the Moscow Police Department discovered a leather sheath for a Ka-Bar brand combat-style knife at the off-campus home on King Road where the U of I students were killed.

Investigators report they located a sole source of male touch DNA on the sheath’s button snap, which was later linked to Kohberger. But the defense attorneys for Kohberger, up until now, have not been able to analyze the evidence.

This is only a partial victory for the defense, as the judge’s order states that only “some” of the information would be delivered. Judge wrote, “The specific material to be provided is set forth in a sealed order to protect the privacy of the IGG information, including individuals on the family tree.”

Since May of 2023, Kohberger’s defense team, consisting of Anne Taylor and Jay Logsdon, have requested multiple times through a variety of motions for the prosecution to release documents and evidence related to the investigation held by the state and the FBI.

Two weeks ago, the house at the center of the trial was demolished by the University of Idaho, after it was given to the land grant college by the homeowner.

Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ house in Pennsylvania in December of 2022 and has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. If convicted, Latah County prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty. No trial date has yet been set.

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