Suspect in U of I student slayings agrees to extradition

The suspect in the Nov. 13 stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students has agreed to be extradited to Idaho.

Bryan Kohberger waived his right to an extradition hearing Tuesday.

It’s not immediately clear when Kohberger will arrive in Idaho, the Associated Press reported Tuesday. Under a court order, authorities have 10 days to extradite the suspect — and for security reasons, prisoner transport is not usually made public.

Kohberger, 28, of Albrightsville, Pa., is being held without bond in Monroe County, Pa. He was arrested early Friday morning in eastern Pennsylvania.

Kohberger, a doctoral student and teaching assistant in Washington State University’s criminal justice and criminology program, is accused of four counts of first-degree murder. The victims — Ethan Chapin, 20, a freshman from Mount Vernon, Wash.; Kaylee Goncalves, 21, a senior from Rathdrum; Xana Kernodle, 20, a junior from Post Falls; and Madison Mogen, 21, a senior from Coeur d’Alene — were found in a house near the U of I campus, dead with multiple stab wounds.

In a weekend statement to the Idaho Statesman, Monroe County chief public defender Jason LaBar said Kohberger is “eager to be exonerated” of the slayings.

Police and prosecutors have said little about the evidence against Kohberger — saying their affidavit of probable cause cannot be released until Kohberger is in Idaho and has been served with a warrant. But on Friday, Moscow Police Chief James Fry strongly suggested Kohberger was the sole attacker.

“We have an individual in custody,” Fry said. “I do believe our community is safe.”

Kevin Richert

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [email protected]

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