Inside Edition Digital obtained records which show that the 2015 white Hyundai Elantra that Bryan Kohberger is seen driving in body cam footage from a traffic stop in Indiana was registered in the state of Washington on Nov. 19.
The man accused of massacring the four college students at the University of Idaho changed his car registration just days after the murders, records obtained by Inside Edition Digital show.
Inside Edition Digital obtained records that show that the 2015 white Hyundai Elantra that Bryan Kohberger is seen driving in body cam footage from a traffic stop in Indiana on Dec. 15. was registered in the state of Washington just a month prior.
But Kohberger had Pennsylvania license plates on a 2015 white Hyundai Elantra he was driving when he was stopped on Aug. 21 for failing to wear a seatbelt while at the intersection of W Pullman and Farm roads in Moscow, Idaho, a citation filed by the Latah County Sheriff's office shows.
That intersection is 1.7 miles from the home on King Road where Madison Mogen, 21; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20, were found dead on Nov. 13.
Six days after the killings, Kohberger registered a car of the same make, model and color in the state of Washington.
A Washington statute requires individuals to obtain a license before registering a vehicle in the state. It is unclear when Kohberger obtained such a license
The August citation, which shows Moscow Police had a record of Kohberger owning a white Hyundai Elantra prior to the November killings, noted that Kohberger’s car was still registered in Pennsylvania at that time and had a Pennsylvania license plate. Records connected to this case also show that Kohberger did not show on the date of his court-mandated appearance, resulting in a default judgment.
Kohberger then paid the fine issued by the court, according to Idaho state records.
On Dec. 7, about three weeks after the Idaho college murders, notice went out that police were searching for a white Elantra in connection with the case. A week later, on Dec. 13, Kohberger opted to drive the car he just registered in the state of Washington more than 2,500 miles home rather than fly.
A flight from Pullman, Wash., to Philadelphia would have cost $300, and if he drove the five hours to Seattle less than $200.
Instead, Kohberger’s father flew into Seattle and then transferred to Spokane before driving down to Pullman so he and his son could take a planned road trip home, according to Jason LaBar, the Pennsylvania public defender representing Kohberger.
The PhD student would have then had to drive the 2,500 miles back to school for the Spring semester, unless he planned on leaving his car in Pennsylvania.
It is still unclear if Kohberger had been on the radar of the Moscow Police Department when he began his drive home.
The Pennsylvania native appeared in a Monroe County courtroom on Tuesday, where he waived his right to extradition.
On Wednesday morning, Kohberger was extradited back to Idaho.
He appeared stoic and remained largely silent in court but did mouth "I love you" to his mother and two sisters in the courtroom as guards escorted him back to the Monroe County Detention Center after the hearing.
Little information is known about the attacks or Kohberger’s alleged motive for carrying out the murders at this time, as Idaho law dictates a criminal complaint cannot be unsealed until the defendant is back in the state
Upon Kohberger’s return to Idaho, he will be served with an arrest warrant for four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. Only then will the probable cause affidavit be unsealed to the public.
The Moscow Police Department also announced on Tuesday that they would no longer be sharing details about the investigation with the media or public.
“On January 3, 2023, Latah County Magistrate Judge Megan Marshall issued a non-dissemination order in regard to the murder case against Bryan C. Kohberger. The order prohibits any communication by investigators, law enforcement personnel, attorneys, and agents of the prosecuting attorney or defense attorney concerning this case,” read a press release obtained by Inside Edition Digital. “Due to this court order, the Moscow Police Department will no longer be communicating with the public or the media regarding this case.”
Kohberger maintains he is innocent of these crimes.
“Mr. Kohberger is eager to be exonerated of these charges and looks forward to resolving these matters as promptly as possible,” said LaBar in a statement obtained by Inside Edition Digital.
“Mr. Kohberger has been accused of very serious crimes, but the American justice system cloaks him in a veil of innocence. He should be presumed innocent until proven otherwise— not tried in the court of public opinion."
Kohberger’s family is also voicing their support for him, releasing a statement that reads: “We have fully cooperated with law enforcement agencies in an attempt to seek the truth and promote his presumption of innocence rather than judge unknown facts and make erroneous assumptions.”
