Latest news with #murdercase
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
'Hair on the back of my neck stood up': Police break silence in Idaho murders
Police are breaking their silence in the University of Idaho murder case hours after Judge Steven Hippler lifted the nondissemination order, revealing information about the status of the investigation and interactions with admitted killer Bryan Kohberger. The order, also known as a gag order, banned police and prosecutors from speaking about the high-profile case that gripped the nation. "We've been focused on the victims and bringing justice for the victims," Moscow Police Chief Anthony Dahlinger told ABC News. "That was our focus ... that was our mission ... so that mission was accomplished." MORE: New book on University of Idaho murders sheds light on Bryan Kohberger's potential motive Asked if police were able to find a clear motive, Dahlinger said he could not answer. All documents in the case that have been sealed will remain sealed for now. Moscow police said they are preparing to release a large amount of information later on. "We're committed to being transparent when we can be," Dahlinger said. Looking ahead to Kohberger's sentencing next week, Dahlinger said, "Our hope is that not only the families, but the friends, even the Moscow community and all the communities that were affected by this, can start to heal and bring some sort of closure to this horrendous act." MORE: Idaho college murders: As Kohberger admits to the brutal crime, here's the full timeline of events Hippler's decision to end the gag order on Thursday came six days before Kohberger's sentencing. Kohberger, who pleaded guilty to all counts at a July 2 change of plea hearing, will return to court for his sentencing on July 23. As a part of the plea deal, Kohberger will be sentenced to four consecutive life sentences on the four first-degree murder counts and the maximum penalty of 10 years on the burglary count. At the July 2 hearing, Hippler asked Kohberger how he pleaded for each count of murder and named the four students: roommates Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle, and Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin. Kohberger quickly said "guilty" each time. The college students were all stabbed to death at the girls' off-campus house in the early hours of Nov. 13, 2022. Kohberger was arrested nearly seven weeks later. MORE: Idaho college victim's siblings remember arriving at crime scene: 'Not on this earth anymore' Gary Jenkins, the former Pullman, Washington, police chief and current Washington State University police chief, also opened up to ABC News, shedding light on his own interaction with Kohberger, who was a criminology Ph.D. student at WSU at the time of the murders. Kohberger was one of four students Jenkins interviewed over Zoom for an intern position in April 2022, but the chief didn't select him. "This particular position, it requires someone who can develop trust and rapport with my staff, and these are police officers," Jenkins said. "In talking with [Kohberger], he didn't have a real conversational manner about him. He didn't come across as particularly personable, and I just didn't think he would be able to develop that trust and rapport." Months later, on Dec. 20, 2022, Jenkins said he got "chills" when Kohberger's name was brought up in the quadruple homicide investigation. "The hair on the back of my neck stood up," Jenkins said. MORE: Idaho college victims' friends recall moment they responded to home: 'You know something's wrong' "His name definitely rang a bell with me. And I told them that I had interviewed Bryan Kohberger. ... I had his resume and cover letter for the intern position," he said. Jenkins also said he has knowledge of issues with Kohberger's demeanor and relationships with classmates and professors. "There were a couple criminal justice professors who oversee that Ph.D. program who felt just like they were responsible because they made the decision to admit him to WSU," Jenkins said. "I'm a law enforcement professional. I interviewed him, and I couldn't tell you what was to come, and I don't know how they could either. But still, they had a very deep sense of responsibility, feeling like they should have known." Kohberger's attorneys said they will not speak out until sentencing is finished.
News24
2 days ago
- News24
Kelly Khumalo claps back at Advocate Teffo over Senzo Meyiwa case - ‘Enough is enough'
The nation still remembers the shock and grief that followed the tragic death of Bafana Bafana captain and Orlando Pirates Football Club goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa. His relationship with singer Kelly Khumalo was widely known, but the circumstances surrounding his murder continue to haunt Mzansi. Over 10 years later, the case remains a mystery, with new revelations emerging, sparking both hope and scepticism. A question remains - will these latest claims be the breakthrough the case needs, or are they just another twist in a long road to justice? Read more | EXCLUSIVE | Senzo Meyiwa's killing was a contract hit, says investigator Kelly Khumalo responded to Advocate Malesela Teffo's claims that she accidentally shot her deceased ex-boyfriend, Senzo Meyiwa, during an attempted robbery at her home in Vosloorus, Gauteng, in 2014. On Thursday, July 17, 2025, Advocate Teffo was a guest on Podcast & Chill with MacG. There, he made allegations about singer Kelly Khumalo in connection with the Senzo Meyiwa case. According to Teffo, an eyewitness will testify that Kelly Khumalo pulled the trigger, resulting in Meyiwa's death. He further alleged that Longwe Twala—who was romantically involved with Kelly's sister, Zandile Khumalo —caused Senzo Meyiwa's death. Teffo claimed that Longwe brought a gun over to Kelly's place, where Kelly, Zandile, Senzo, and two of Senzo's friends were relaxing together following his unanswered calls by Zandile, which angered him, resulting in him suspecting that Senzo was trying to connect one of his friends with Zandile. Teffo further alleged that Longwe went over to Kelly's house carrying his father's unlicensed 38 revolver firearm to intimidate them, but amidst everything, the firearm ended up in Kelly's hands, resulting in her allegedly accidentally shooting Meyiwa in his chest. Kelly Khumalo took to her Instagram account to respond to the allegations. 'Enough is enough, it stops here, and it stops today. I am not going to be diplomatic about this; I'm not going to release press statements, I'm not going to waste my money hiring lawyers to speak on my behalf, udoti nje udoti (rubbish is rubbish). If you strongly believe that I am capable of what you're accusing me of, very simple; come and get me, it's that simple. 'I'm not above the law, but I think I'm at a point where I've had enough of you people dragging my name through the mud; it stops now. Your stupid humiliation ritual that you have been performing about me over the years, enough. If you feel that I'm the woman that you're coming after, simple, come and get me. Akekho umuntu engimesabayo (I'm not afraid of no one), till then; back off,' she said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Voice Of Africa (@kellykhumaloza) Senzo Meyiwa's murder trial with the five accused resumes on July 21, 2025.
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Judge lifts sweeping gag order in Idaho murders case after Bryan Kohberger pleads guilty
An Idaho judge lifted a sweeping gag order in Bryan Kohberger's quadruple murder case on Thursday. Bryan Kohberger avoided a potential death sentence by pleading guilty earlier this month to the brutal stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students at a rental home near campus in 2022. A coalition of news organizations, including CBS News and The Associated Press, had asked the court to lift the gag order since a trial is no longer planned. They renewed their request after Kohberger pleaded guilty. During a 14-minute hearing Thursday morning, 4th District Judge Steven Hippler agreed that lifting the gag order would protect the First Amendment rights of the public and press. "The primary purpose of the non-dissemination order, which is to ensure that we can seat an impartial jury, is no longer at play," Hippler said. He said he couldn't justify continuing the gag order because the public has the right to receive information about the case, and those rights are "paramount." Kohberger's defense team did not speak much during the hearing, but noted the high publicity of the case and said that lifting the non-dissemination order would be "adding fuel to the fire" ahead of Kohberger's sentencing proceedings. Kohberger is set to be sentenced on July 23. A different judge in Moscow, Idaho, originally issued the gag order early in the case, saying additional publicity could harm Kohberger's right to a fair trial. The press also filed a motion this week to unseal documents in the case. Hippler denied this motion, calling it premature. He said that after sentencing, he plans to review sealed material in the case to determine what can be unsealed. The process may take some time, Hippler warned. Lawyers for Kohberger and the state will be able to object to unsealing anything and can request retractions. "I'm unlikely to unseal much until after sentencing and after the appeals period has run," Hippler said. Kohberger waived his right to appeal as part of the plea deal, but he and his counsel can still appeal the case, Hippler said. Kohberger admitted to breaking into the rental home through a sliding door and killing the four friends, who had no connection with him. Prosecutors said he spent months carefully planning the attack, and that his studies as a criminal justice graduate student at Washington State University helped him take steps to cover up his tracks. Amanda Arden contributed to this report.
Fox News
3 days ago
- Fox News
Bryan Kohberger prosecutors announce reversal on gag order after Idaho killer's confession
Idaho prosecutors have dropped their support for the ongoing gag order in the Bryan Kohberger quadruple murder case. Latah County Prosecuting Attorney notified the court in a filing dated Monday. It was made public Wednesday, hours before Thursday's hearing on a motion from a coalition of media outlets, including FOX News, seeking to have the order lifted in the wake of Kohberger's guilty pleas to all charges. The intent of the order was to ensure Kohberger's right to a fair trial, according to court filings. Now that he has admitted to the slayings of Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20 and Ethan Chapin, 20, attorneys for the media argued that the gag is pointless. Prosecutors had requested the order remain in place until after Kohberger's sentencing is made official next week, but they reversed course "upon further reflection," according to their latest filing. "Now that the Defendant has pleaded guilty as charged to all five (5) counts of the Indictment, his right to a fair trial on the issue of guilt is no longer at issue," Thompson wrote. "Nevertheless, out of respect for the integrity of the judicial process and the privacy of the victims and their families as they consider their rights to provide victim impact statements at sentencing, the prosecution team does not intend to make any public statements about this case until after sentencing has concluded." A hearing on the motion is scheduled in Boise, Idaho, for 12:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. MT. His sentencing is set for July 23. He is expected to receive the maximum penalty under the terms of the plea deal, four consecutive terms of life in prison without parole, plus another 10 years. He also waived his right to appeal and to seek a sentence reduction. Kohberger snuck into an off-campus house at 1122 King Road around 4 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022, and killed all four students with a Ka-Bar knife, according to prosecutors. He started in an upstairs bedroom, where he killed Mogen and Goncalves. Kernodle was awake on the main floor, and he killed her on the way out. Then he turned the knife on Chapin, who was asleep in her bedroom. He walked within three feet of another roommate, whom he did not attack, and then left. Separately, a lawyer for the media coalition filed a motion asking the court to unseal nearly 250 documents in the case.
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
Fitness tracker provides alibi for Wisconsin man in girlfriend's death
Millions of people wear a Fitbit or some kind of physical tracking device to log their exercise and sleep habits, but when a Wisconsin man began wearing one in 2016, he never guessed that it would provide an alibi and save him from murder charges in the brutal death of his girlfriend. The case, that went on trial in February 2018 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, is one of the first of many to come where high tech devices will not only provide crucial evidence in criminal trials, but may prevent wrongful convictions. On May 21, 2016, Doug Detrie's girlfriend and mother of his infant son, 31-year-old Nicole Vander Heyden, was found beaten and strangled to death in a field a little over three miles from the home they shared. Detrie, 35 at the time, had been with her just hours earlier. They had attended a Steel Panther concert, followed by drinking and dancing. When the couple became separated, Vander Heyden went on to a local bar called the Sardine Can, expecting Detrie to follow. When Detrie failed to show, Vander Heyden began sending angry texts accusing him of flirting with other women. At around 12:30 a.m., Vander Heyden, now drunk and angry, walked out of the bar and was never seen alive by her friends again. Detrie and a friend drove around searching for Vander Heyden, then went home, smoked some marijuana and, as he later told police, went to sleep. He waited until 4:30 that afternoon to report her missing, hours after her body had been found in that field. Brown County Sheriff's detectives interviewed Detrie and later obtained a search warrant for the couple's home. Blood was found on the garage floor and in Vander Heyden's car, leaving investigators wondering if the missing woman had actually come home and had been killed by Detrie, who then used her car to transport the body to the field. Suspicions deepened a day later when a neighbor across the street found a pool of blood and a cord that investigators believed may have been used to strangle the victim. Lead detective Sergeant Brian Slinger wondered if "there was some sort of argument between her and Doug, maybe, when she got home and that…somehow ended up out in the street." At that point, Detrie was the logical suspect, although he denied killing Vander Heyden. He was arrested and jailed, but investigators wanted to wait on the results of lab tests before charging him with murder. Those charges never came. Less than three weeks later, Detrie was released from jail after test results showed the blood in the car wasn't the victim's, the blood on the floor wasn't human and a partial DNA of an unidentified man was found on her clothes and the cord. What's more, Detrie appeared to have an unconventional alibi "witness": the Fitbit he was wearing when Vander Heyden went missing. Slinger said that he and others had noticed that Detrie had been wearing the personal tracking device on his left wrist when first questioned by police at home. When the data on that device was downloaded and examined, it seemed to clear Detrie. "He had a few footsteps throughout the night," said Slinger, "… getting up to go to the bathroom, check on the baby, whatever. His story that he told us was absolutely, 100 percent true." There was yet another device that seemed to support Detrie's innocence as well: an insurance company tracking device known as Snapshot that was installed on Vander Heyden's car. The information downloaded from Snapshot indicated that her car had not been driven that night. But if Detrie didn't kill Vander Heyden, who did? Whose DNA was left on her clothing and the cord used to kill her? As it turns out, 21st century technology would help answer those questions as well. In August 2016, investigators were able to recover enough of the unidentified male DNA from one of the victim's socks to send to the national database and soon they had a name: George Steven Burch. And as Brown County sheriff investigators would soon discover, in the early morning hours that Nicole Vander Heyden was murdered, Burch had been carrying a phone with him that contained a treasure trove of incriminating information. On his phone is a program known as Google Dashboard. The Dashboard collects, not just cell phone tower data, but also tracks every Wi-Fi hotspot the phone encounters, as well as GPS coordinates. The information on Burch's phone showed that on May 21, 2016, he was everywhere or very close to where Vander Heyden had been. He started the night at a bar a half mile from where she was last seen. He was at her home eight miles away for an hour, he was then at the field where her body was found and even at a location on the highway where some of her possessions had been discarded. Slinger was sure he had his man, and in September 2016, George Burch was charged with the intentional homicide of Nicole Vander Heyden. It would still be a long, winding road to justice. At his February trial, Burch and his attorneys raised serious questions about the reliability of the Fitbit and the other devices, arguing that prosecutors were relying too much on untested technology. What's more, while Burch admits these devices might show that he was with Vander Heyden, they don't show who actually killed her. And he says the killer is Doug Detrie, the same man police initially suspected. With all the new technology used in this case, justice for Nicole Vander Heyden would still be determined the old-fashioned way, by a jury.
