Wow, we were just saying we’d likely only seen the tip of the iceberg when it came to the evidence against Bryan Kohberger.
Over the weekend a report came out saying the suspect charged with University of Idaho murders was “confident” he would be “exonerated” — which seemed pretty off-base to us considering how much we already know the authorities have on him. But as predicted, there’s more. And the latest leaked bit of evidence is going to be yet another extremely difficult thing for the defense to explain if they expect to get him off…
Related: Kohberger Is Getting LOVE LETTERS From A Single Mom!
A source close to the investigation told People on Wednesday that Kohberger had photos of one of the female victims on his phone! The cell phone was confiscated in the arrest, and that’s where authorities discovered the cache of pics. The insider said:
“He had more than one picture of her. It was clear that he was paying attention to her.”
Wait, he was arrested a full month and a half after the killings, but the pics were still there?? Whoa. We’d heard he was being careful with things like DNA and fingerprints right up until the arrest — but if he didn’t wipe his phone, that implies he had no idea the cops were about to raid his parents’ home in Pennsylvania. Huh.
As for which victim, the source did not make it clear. Three victims were female: 21-year-old besties Maddie Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, and their 20-year-old roommate Xana Kernodle. Kernodle’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin, who was staying over that night, was also killed.
Related: Why It Took So Long For The Roommates To Call The Police
The source also didn’t say whether these were photos Kohberger had screen grabbed from social media or — more chillingly — ones he had taken himself. Both options are a possibility. We heard previously Kohberger was following all three of the girls on Instagram — and even that he’d repeatedly sent DMs to one, presumably the one he had saved the pics of.
While it’s less likely, these photos could also have been taken in person. The probable cause affidavit revealed Kohberger’s phone was in the same places as some of the victims several times for months, implying he was following them around. He was even noticed at the restaurant where Maddie and Xana worked as servers a couple times. Could he have been snapping pics with his phone?
Either way, it’s not a smoking gun on its own — but we’d guess it’s going to help if prosecutors try to establish a pattern of stalking. But that’s a ways off… Kohberger isn’t expected back in court until June 26 for his next preliminary hearing.
What do YOU think of this new evidence, Perezcious paralegals?
[Image via Monroe County Correctional Facility/Xana Kernodle/Maddie Mogen/Kaylee Goncalves/Instagram.]
