Idaho murders – update: Bryan Kohberger rumours denied by Moscow restaurant where victims worked

They were killed in a drug deal gone wrong.

It was revenge for bullying another student found dead months earlier.

A disgruntled student blamed them for him being kicked out of a fraternity.

A gang of frat boys decided to carry on a fight that broke out at a party earlier that night.

The restaurant where Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle worked has responded to claims that Bryan Kohberger ate their twice in the weeks before the Idaho murders.

In a strongly-worded Facebook post on Friday, the restaurant called a People magazine report citing an anonymous worker who said Mr Kohberber visited twice “completely fabricated information”.

“The news/media should really do their due diligence before running a story with completely fabricated information. This will be my only response to this story from People… It is not true,” the post signed by Jackie Fischer read.

“This person who wants their 5 minutes of fame has now caused a whole bunch of extra work for myself and the investigators.

“I also have not forbidden employees from speaking to reporters. We all decided collectively to support the families and not share anything that could potentially harm the investigation or cause the families more stress.

“To all media/reporters/internet sleuths, etc.. please allow us to grieve the loss of our friends and co workers. This has been incredibly hard on us. With our phones ringing off the hook, reporters banging on my door at my private residence and ‘hunting’ down employees as well as showing up constantly at the restaurant, we have not been afforded the time to grieve.

“Please stop calling, messaging, knocking and showing up. I personally will not be doing any interviews or entertaining wild accusations at this time. My employees also feel the same!

“To all others, please don’t believe everything you read. If it’s not coming from the courts or the police, wait until it does or doesn’t before judging.

“To everyone who has supported myself, my family and my employees, thank you. Your kind words and support help us get through each day while we navigate these unknown times.”

Rachel Sharp explains why that was.

Rachel Sharp reports.

The devastated father of slain University of Idaho student Madison Mogen has revealed that he just “broke down and cried” when he learned that his daughter’s accused killer had been taken into custody by police.

Finally, seven weeks on from the 13 November slayings, an investigator broke the news to him that a suspect – Bryan Kohberger – had finally been arrested and charged with their murders.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Alanna Zabel explains why she is so adamant about supporting the surviving housemates.

Police investigating the murder of four Idaho students seized a string of items from suspect Bryan Kohberger’s apartment, including possible hair strands, a disposable glove, items with red and brown stains and a computer, according to a newly unsealed search warrant.

According to the search warrant unsealed on Wednesday, these are the items seized from his apartment:

• One nitrite type black glove
• 1 Walmart receipt with one Dickiestag
• 2 Marshalls receipts
• Dust container from Bissell PowerForce” vacuum
• 8 possible hair strands
• FireTV stick with cord/plug
• 1 possible animal hair strand
• 1 possible hair
• 1 possible hair
• 1 possible hair
• 1 possible hair strand
• 1 computer tower
• 1 collection of dark red spot (collected without testing)
• 2 cuttings from uncased pillow of reddish/brown stain (larger stain tested)
• 2 top and bottom mattress covers packaged separately with multiple stains(one tested)

A report by the New York Times last week offered insight into the alleged murderer’s troubled teenage years and his struggle to feel emotion from a young age.

The Tapatalk profile behind the chilling posts from 2011 was linked to the Washington State University PhD criminology student with the help of recollections from former friends of Mr Kohberger, and a username match with an email account used by him, according to the Times.

Mr Kohberger had previously been described by high school friends as an intellectually gifted teen who often struggled to socialise and fit in. Some close to Mr Kohberger have also come forward saying he went from being awkward and bullied to developing an addiction to heroin and becoming a “bully” during his junior year of high school, according to a CBS News report.

But the posts from the online discussion forum, purportedly made when he was 16 years old, appear to reveal Mr Kohberger’s concerns about his suicidal ideation, challenges with a disorder he described as “visual snow” — a disorder that causes people to see static, and inability to connect with his relatives.

“I feel like an organic sack of meat with no self worth,” one post reads. “As I hug my family, I look into their faces, I see nothing, it is like I am looking at a video game, but less.”

In another post, the author explored feelings of self-loathing, regretting that he was no longer the “healthy blonde-haired boy with blue eyes, and in a few years, [he then had] darker hair and darker eyes, half the body weight”.

He then proceeded to say he felt “unintelligent” and as though he was experiencing “depersonalization” and felt “little to no remorse.’

“I often find myself making simple human interactions, but it is as if I am playing a role-playing game such as oblivion; I can see what is going on, I am slightly into it, but I can pause the game and focus on my real life,” the post states.

It continues: “I view everything as I would if I was playing oblivion, pointless and full of nothing, out of reality. I am moving out of my house, my last holidays were already lived, but where was I? As my family group hugs and celebrates, I am stuck in this void of nothing, feeling completely no emotion, feeling nothing.”

“I feel dirty, like there is dirt inside of my head, my mind, I am always dizzy and confused.”

Suspected quadruple killer Bryan Kohberger appeared in court last week to waive his right to a speedy trial on charges of murdering four Idaho students.

Mr Kohberger spoke only to answer “yes” when asked if he understood his rights to a speedy preliminary hearing within the next 14 days and if he agreed to waive those rights. His public defender Anne Taylor then requested that his next court date be pushed back until June.

The entire week has been set aside for the hearing – when evidence of the case against Mr Kohberger will be laid out for the first time in court and he is likely to enter a plea on the charges.

His request for a delay before the next court appearance came after the defence asked the prosecution to hand over all discovery in the case in the next 14 days – including witness statements, digital media and police reports.

Ms Taylor told the judge that waiving the 14-day deadline would give the defence more time to review all the evidence in the case.

Now, the families of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin will have to wait six more months to face their childrens’ accused killer in the court.

Until then, Mr Kohberger will be held behind bars at Latah County Jail after he was ordered to be held on no bail for a second time.

If convicted of the four murders, Mr Kohberger faces the possibility of lethal injection, should the prosecution seek the death penalty.

In the state of Idaho, the maximum sentence for first-degree murder is death and the suspect is facing four counts of this charge.

While the Latah County prosecutor has not yet confirmed whether or not he plans to seek the death penalty in the case and he is unlikely to show his hand over the coming weeks due to the gag order now in place.

Goncalves’ parents have already said that they want their daughter’s killer to be sentenced to death saying he “has to pay” for what he has done.

“If you want to play god’s role, you’re gonna have to go answer to him,” Steve told NewsNation in early-January.

According to Mr Levin, in a death penalty case, the only possible plea deal would be for the suspect to be given life in prison instead.

However, he said it is “too early” to tell whether this is likely in this case.

“At this point, it is too early for the two sides to have a discussion about a plea deal,” he said.

“On a death penalty case, the only plea on the table is life in prison but both sides have too much investigating ahead of them to discuss that at this time.”