Suspect in killings of Idaho college students arrested in Pennsylvania; authorities mum on motive

The man accused of stabbing four University of Idaho students to death last month has been arrested and will be extradited from Pennsylvania to face charges, police said.

In a news conference in Moscow, Idaho, on Friday, authorities said Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, was taken into custody late Thursday.

The unsettling late-night attack inside a rental home left college students and the community on edge for more than a month as investigators worked on the case. Authorities have not released a possible motive in the Nov. 13 stabbing deaths of Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, and Xana Kernodle.

“These murders have shaken our community, and no arrest will ever bring back these young students,” Moscow Police Chief James Fry said Friday afternoon. “We have an individual in custody who committed these horrible crimes and I do believe our community is safe.”

Fry declined to reveal additional details of the accusations against the suspect, who is being held without bond on possible first-degree murder and felony burglary charges. Prosecutors said they cannot release a probable cause arrest affidavit until the suspect is returned to Idaho, a process that could take days or up to 3 months.

Authorities said he is scheduled to be in court Tuesday to attend an extradition hearing in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, with a public defender, which could shed more light on the case and the timing of his return to the state.

“These tragic murders took four young, vibrant lives from our community. Nothing we do can bring them back,” said Idaho State Police Colonel Kedrick Wills. “The only thing that we can do in law enforcement to honor their memories, that we know of, is to bring this to a successful conclusion.”

Two other roommates inside the home slept through the attack, police said.

Goncalves’ family issued a statement through their lawyer, Shanon Gray: “The family is relieved that the authorities have someone in custody and now the journey through the criminal justice system begins.”