The family of Idaho murder victim Kaylee Goncalves has dismissed the alibi of suspected killer Bryan Kohberger, feeling that “if it had any weight, it would have been filed months ago.”
Kohberger’s defense came under scrutiny this week after he submitted his alibi after months of delays, claiming he could not have committed the quadruple murders because he was driving “to see the moon and stars.”
Prosecutors say his phone was turned off between 2:47 a.m. and 4:48 a.m. the night of the killings of University of Idaho students Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20.
In response to the alibi request, Goncalves’ family pointed out that this means that if Kohberger disputes his cell phone records – as his file indicated – it would be “before or after the time of the murders.”
“So not much of an alibi,” they said.
Kohberger (pictured during his January 2023 extradition), a PhD candidate in criminology, has been behind bars since his arrest while pleading his innocence
Kaylee is pictured with her father before her death. The family has labeled Kohberger’s alibi as ‘no alibi’
Kaylee Goncalves’ mother and father have spoken out following the latest update in the case
The victim’s family responded: ‘We have been waiting for this information for months and it has finally happened.
“It’s so hard not knowing anything about the case and you find yourself having to stick to dates, motions and hearings to find out.
“A lot of this has been waiting for the alibi information.
‘Now that the time has come, we have even more confidence in the prosecution of the suspect. That’s the defense’s claim [Kohberger] drove late at night walking/running and stargazing.
‘We’re not sure why it’s taken over a year for this to come out, as they don’t seem to be complicated activities.
“We also believe that if this alibi had any weight, it would have been filed months ago. It is also in direct conflict with the probable cause affidavit stating that the suspect’s phone was turned off between 2:47 a.m. and 4:48 a.m.
“So if the suspect was driving around and there is cellphone information that he was in another location, it would be before or after the time of the murders. So not really an alibi.
“We continue to look for justice in this case and can now put this part of the proceedings behind us. Thank you for all your support for our family.”
Goncalves’ family has previously spoken out about their frustration over delays in the case, accusing Kohberger’s lawyers of delaying tactics that pushed back the trial date until at least the spring of 2025.
In December, after another previous postponement, the Goncalves’ mother, Kristi, said the ongoing trial was “heartbreaking.”
“Why does this have to be so drawn out?” she asked KHQ. “I can’t believe it works like that.”
Kohberger is charged with the murders of University of Idaho (L-R) students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle on November 13, 2022
The way the killer navigated the three-storey house in the early hours of a November morning to kill the four students – who slept in separate rooms and floors – has raised questions about his motives and possible knowledge of the layout.
The off-campus house where the four gruesome murders took place was demolished in December due to the delays, despite calls from the victims’ families to keep it standing
Boyfriend and girlfriend Ethan Chapin (left) and Xana Kernodle (right) were killed in bed together in the gruesome murders in November 2022
The victims’ families have shared their frustration at the endless delays, with Kaylee Goncalves’ mother (left, with Madison Mogen) saying: ‘It’s heartbreaking how slowly everything has to move. Why does this have to be brought up like this?’
On April 17, Kohberger, 28, claimed through his lawyers that he was driving the night of the quadruple murders on November 13, 2022 – as he often did to look at the night sky.
In a recently released court filing, his lawyers said his demanding class schedule at Washington State University meant he had no time for his normal hobbies of running and walking.
Instead, he claims he took up driving at night as a pastime, and phone records show he often drove through the countryside near Wawai County Park in Whitman County.
Prosecutors say they have traced Kohberger’s phone to the home where he allegedly killed the students, but his lawyers also say they plan to present an expert on cellphone information to dispute this.
Last year, Kohberger’s legal team had claimed he was driving alone on the night of the murders, but declined to provide details.
As the victim’s families spoke out about the continued delays, a judge ordered a deadline Wednesday to provide more details, after previously saying the excuse for driving alone was insufficient – calling it a “so-called alibi.”
Now, Kohberger’s attorneys say they have more details about the alibi, but claim prosecutors haven’t shared more discovery information as requested.
They argue that without the discovery evidence, the cell phone expert’s testimony “will also reveal that critical exculpatory evidence, which further corroborates Mr. Kohberger’s alibi, has not been preserved or has been withheld.”
Kohberger is scheduled to appear in court on May 14, when a judge will rule on a motion by his attorneys for a change of venue, who argue that the fervent attention surrounding his case in the area would taint the jury’s impartiality.
When Kohberger was arrested in December 2023, more than a month after the killings, police said a key piece of evidence was a white Hyundai seen on surveillance footage driving to and from the scene of the killings that matched the car of Kohberger.
However, Kohberger’s alibi application claims that cell phone expert Sy Ray will provide testimony showing that his cell phone did not travel to the home and “thus cannot be the vehicle captured on video.”
Along with the surveillance footage, another key piece of evidence brought forward by prosecutors is Kohberger’s DNA reportedly found on a knife sheath left at the massacre.
Kohberger’s legal team has come under fire from the families of his alleged victims amid claims they are using delaying tactics to boost his chances of a trial, which remains in the preliminary stages more than a year and a half after the murders .
Although he was initially scheduled to stand trial in the spring of 2024, repeated delays caused a judge in February to push back the court date to at least the spring of 2025.
