One of the coeds who were tragically murdered at the University of Idaho in 2022 had DNA from three different people under her fingernails, according to recently unsealed court documents. The victim, 23-year-old Madison Mogen, had traces of DNA that did not match murder suspect Bryan Kohberger. The defense argued that the inconclusive results from the DNA test should exclude the evidence from his trial.
The discovery of the DNA samples under Mogen’s fingernails adds another layer of complexity to the quadruple murder case that shook the small town of Moscow, Idaho. It is unclear how the DNA evidence ended up under her nails or to whom it belongs. In cases where a victim fights back and scratches an attacker, skin samples may be left behind.
Bryan Kohberger, a Ph.D. student at Washington State University, is accused of killing Mogen and her three housemates, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. While DNA evidence found on a knife sheath at the crime scene initially implicated Kohberger, his defense team is now contesting the validity of the tests performed on the evidence.
Defense attorney Bicka Barlow argued that the testing method failed to conclusively link Kohberger to the crime scene. A second lab test, conducted on behalf of the defense, reportedly ruled out that the DNA under Mogen’s fingernails belonged to Kohberger. The defense is also challenging other pieces of evidence, including surveillance footage of a car similar to Kohberger’s leaving the scene and cell phone records placing him near the victims’ house.
Witness testimonies from one of the surviving housemates described a man in a black mask with “bushy eyebrows” leaving through the back door after a struggle was heard. The defense is seeking to have most of the evidence against Kohberger suppressed, citing concerns about the reliability of DNA testing, the legality of obtaining surveillance footage, and the breadth of search warrants issued for his personal property.
As the trial approaches, Kohberger’s defense team is working to ensure that the jury is not prejudiced against their client. They are requesting that certain phrases like “murder,” “murder weapon,” “psychopath,” and even “bushy eyebrows” be banned from the courtroom to maintain a fair trial. The case continues to unfold as both the prosecution and defense prepare for what promises to be a high-profile trial in the community.
