LATAH COUNTY, Idaho - A new court document filed in the case against Bryan Kohberger, the suspect charged for the murders of four University of Idaho students, claims there is a statistical match between the defendant and a sample of DNA recovered from a knife sheath left at the scene.
While the sample had previously been identified as belonging to Kohberger's father with nearly 100% probability, the results of the buccal swab analysis were not previously made public. The document states genetic analysis showed the knife sheath sample was 5.37 octillion times more likely to belong to Kohberger than an unrelated person selected randomly from the general population.Â
The document is a motion for protective order filed by the prosecutor in response to a discovery request by the defense, asking the State to compel the results of an Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) profile created by the FBI to narrow down the suspect pool.
According to the document, the IGG looked at genetically similar relatives to an unknown suspect through data gathered through genealogy services after no match was found in their systems. Through this, investigators formed a family tree with close DNA relatives, all of whom were related to Kohberger. The document states this information was not used to form probable cause, but was instead used to narrow the focus of the investigation. As part of the Depart of Justice's policies regarding IGG, the FBI allegedly did not download or create copies of the data and removed the profile from the service once Kohberger was in custody.Â
In the protective order motion, the prosecution requests protection for the raw data related to the genealogy service profile, as well as information related to IGG efforts in creating a family tree with potential relatives.
The prosecution argues the information was not used as exculpatory evidence prior to Kohberger's arrest and was not submitted when formulating probable cause, nor was it submitted to the Grand Jury. The documents also state the IGG did not violate Fourth Amendment rights to privacy, as the DNA sample used to formulate the profile was abandoned at the scene, with the knife sheath found on the bed beneath the body of Maddie Mogen, and was seized with a valid search warrant.Â
Other DNA evidence is excluded from the protective order motion, including: a genotype kit report from the private lab used by Idaho State Police confirming the test was performed; the details of the DNA analysis of the knife sheath sample to Kohberger's father through a sample obtained via the parents' trash; and details of the analysis matching the knife sheath sample to the buccal swab taken following Kohberger's arrest.Â
The Court has not yet issued a decision on the discovery request or protective order.Â
