BRYAN Kohberger’s lawyer defended his role in the case after he was linked to a victim’s family, according to newly unsealed court documents.
Kohberger, 28, is accused of killing four university students at their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho in November.
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The suspect is being represented by the public defender Anne Taylor.
However, Cara Kernodle, the mother of victim Xana Kernodle, has claimed that Taylor represented her in a previous drugs case, according to the docs seen by NewsNation’s Brian Entin.
Taylor told the court that she had never met Xana’s mother or given her any legal advice.
She revealed that she’d never had any contact with Cara.
Taylor explained that her name was on the court papers because she is the chief public defender for Kootenai County, according to the legal docs.
Kohberger was quizzed on whether he wanted Taylor to continue representing him and he agreed, the papers said.
Taylor told the judge that Kohberger was the only person whom “she owes a duty of advocacy and loyalty.”
Kohberger is currently in jail awaiting trial while maintaining that he had no involvement in the killings.
Victims Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, and Xana, 20, along with her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, 20 were killed on November 13.
Xana was allegedly the last of the four students killed in the rampage.
A source close to the probe told NewsNation: “Xana Kernodle put up a fierce fight when the attacker set upon her, repeatedly grabbing the attacker’s knife.”
Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania in December.
Cops found four medical-style gloves, a black Champion sweatshirt, and size 13 Nike shoes, according to a recently unsealed arrest warrant.
Cops also found a silver flashlight and a buccal swab – a tool used to collect check cells from inside a person’s mouth.
Investigators were able to track down Kohberger from a Ka-Bar knife sheath that was left at the murder scene near Mogen’s and Goncalves’ bodies.
DNA recovered from the sheath was a familial match to another sample taken from the trash at Kohberger’s parents’ house on December 27.
Police tailed Kohberger’s car, which was allegedly spotted at the home of the college students.
The suspect’s car arrived at his parents’ house on December 16.
Kohberger was seen walking around outside on December 27, the cops said.
Cops saw Kohberger traveling around Monroe County the next day, which is about 40 minutes from his parents’ home.
Authorities combed Kohberger’s parents’ home, an attached garage, a shed, and his car after he was arrested.
Last week, it was reported that the home where the students were butchered was set to be demolished.
The owner of the property has handed it over to the University of Idaho.
University President Scott Green said: “The house will be demolished.
“This is a healing step and removes the physical structure where the crime that shook our community was committed.”
The university said it plans to demolish the property this semester, NewsNation reported.
Kohberger, a graduate student, has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary.
His preliminary hearing has been scheduled for June.
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