On Wednesday, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students objected to provide an alibi for the time of the murders.
Bryan Kohberger, a University of Washington-Pullman graduate student, was arrested in December on charges of first-degree murder for the deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle, all University of Idaho students.
Police say the murders occurred in the early morning of Nov. 13 at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho.
Kohberger claimed in a court filing Wednesday that he was out for a drive the night and morning of Nov. 12 and Nov. 13.
“Mr. Kohberger has long had a habit of going for drives alone. Often he would go for drives at night,” his attorneys wrote in the document.
The statement came as part of an objection to the state’s motion to compel Kohberger to offer an alibi. His attorneys said they could not currently provide a complete alibi because they had no specific witnesses to corroborate the defendant’s exact locations around the time of the murders. They asked the court to exempt Kohberger from offering an alibi at this time.
However, the defense said they anticipate corroborating evidence that Kohberger was not present at 1122 King Road will come through their own expert witnesses and cross-examination of the state’s witnesses.
The defense criticized the state’s motion as an attempt to “peek inside” the defense’s work product files and to force Kohberger to waive his right to a speedy trial.
Kohberger’s attorneys said their own investigation has been hampered by the state’s delays in providing information.
According to police, Kohberger’s vehicle was seen on surveillance video passing by the King Road residence four times between 3:29 a.m. and 4:20 a.m. on Nov. 13 — the murders are believed to have occurred shortly after 4 a.m.
His cell phone data indicate that he left his Pullman, Washington residence at 2:47 a.m. that day. No data was picked up again until 4:48 a.m. when his phone was traveling south from Moscow toward Pullman.
In June, the Latah County Prosecuting Attorney announced his intent to seek the death penalty for Kohberger.
His trial is set for Oct. 2.
