FOLLOW US

A suspect in the murders of 4 students at the University of Idaho has been identified through DNA genealogy technology.

Bryan Kohberger, 28, was taken into custody by the FBI with the support of local police in the Poconos. He faces charges of four counts of murder and burglary in the deaths of Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21.

Attorney Jason LaBar claims “Mr. Kohberger is eager to be exonerated of these charges and looks forward to resolving these matters as promptly as possible.” 

Kohberger is set to remain in custody in Pennsylvania’s Monroe County Jail until his upcoming extradition hearing on Tuesday, January 3 – at which point authorities will begin the process to have the 28-year-old suspect, who is charged with four counts of first-degree murder, transported back to Idaho to face trial.

DNA Genealogy technology 

The Combined DNA Index System aka CODIS is a massive database containing all the DNA profiles contributed by federal, state, and local participating forensic laboratories. The FBI maintains it. And is a valuable tool in solving crime. 

Whenever DNA evidence is collected at a crime scene it is compared in CODIS with DNA samples from convicted offenders. 

 Police reportedly found unknown DNA at the off-campus house where the Idaho students were killed. Then it was run through the CODIS DNA database. And there was no match.

The unknown DNA was then run through public databases like 23andMe and AncestryDNA which identified relatives of the suspect.

Then utilizing genealogical tracking and "subsequent investigative work" police found graduate student Bryan Kohberger.

Hundreds of decades-old cold cases have been solved, in the last few years, with the advances in DNA tech.

California investigators used DNA genealogy data to solve the Golden State Killer. And identified former police officer Joseph DeAngelo, as the prime suspect.

DNA has also implicated a man who was found not guilty. It has resulted in the identification of bodies.  And help put away serial rapists and serial killers.

The process is getting much less time intensive. 

It is such a powerful tool that police departments nationwide are opening cold cases that just a few years ago would have been impossible to solve. 

And with the arrest of Kohberger, it's possible that these techniques will be vital in solving more recent crimes.