By Dayo Ade Olusola| M10news |Crime News | August 3, 2025 |
The top prosecutor in Latah County, Idaho, has raised the possibility that accused killer Bryan Kohberger may have used more than one weapon during the gruesome murders of four University of Idaho students in November 2022 — and suggested the suspect may have fled the scene in panic after encountering a surviving roommate.
In a rare interview with the Idaho Statesman, Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson revealed that certain wounds on victim Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were inconsistent with a single knife, opening up the prospect that a second weapon could have been used in the attack.
“There were injuries that appeared to have been caused by something other than the knife, although it could have been the knife,” Thompson said. “I don’t think we can exclude the possibility that there was an additional weapon involved.”
The chilling crime scene inside the King Road residence in Moscow, Idaho, where Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin were killed, has been the focus of nationwide attention since Kohberger’s arrest in December 2022. Thompson’s comments add a new layer of complexity to the prosecution’s theory of events.
While court documents and eyewitness statements have detailed the brutality of the crime, the motive remains officially unknown. But one mystery that has loomed over the case — why a fifth roommate, Dylan Mortensen, survived — may now be closer to an explanation.
According to Thompson, Kohberger likely encountered Mortensen on his way out of the home but chose to leave abruptly, possibly overcome by fear and panic.
“From what Dylan described, I have a hard time imagining that the killer did not see Dylan,” the prosecutor said. “At that point, he’d been in the house probably longer than he planned, and he had killed more people than he planned. It wouldn’t surprise us that the killer was scared at that point and decided they had to leave.”
Mortensen, who told police she heard strange sounds and saw a man with “bushy eyebrows” walking through the house, has said the man claimed he was “here to help.” She later retreated into her room and locked the door.
For months, the detail sparked debate online, with critics questioning why she hadn’t called 911 immediately. But Thompson emphasised that Mortensen’s testimony is vital and adds context to the suspect’s state of mind.
The prosecutor also acknowledged the central role forensic science played in moving the case forward. Specifically, DNA recovered from a knife sheath found near the victims proved instrumental.
“From our perspective as prosecutors, the DNA was critical to the strength of the case for trial purposes,” Thompson said. “Without the DNA evidence tying the knife sheath to Kohberger, the task of securing a conviction would have been significantly more difficult.”
Kohberger, a 29-year-old criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of murder and one count of burglary. He remains in custody as legal proceedings continue.
The suggestion of a second weapon, however, raises new questions about whether additional evidence might surface and whether investigators may reexamine other aspects of the crime scene.
The Latah County Prosecutor’s Office has not commented further on the matter. Fox News Digital has also reportedly reached out to the office for an official statement.
Kohberger’s trial, which was initially delayed amid a series of legal manoeuvres by his defence team, is expected to resume later this year. Prosecutors have indicated they will seek the death penalty.
The case has become one of the most closely watched murder trials in the U.S. in recent memory, not only for its shocking nature but also for how it has unfolded in an era of digital sleuthing and widespread public speculation.
M10News will continue to follow developments in the case.
