Latah County Prosecutor’s Office: Bryan Kohberger Registration Update
Bryan Kohberger, aged 30, made changes to his license and registration five days after the tragic incident in which he took the lives of four University of Idaho students. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson revealed in court that the new registration transformed Kohberger’s vehicle, previously sporting a single Pennsylvania plate, into one bearing two Washington plates. This alteration allowed Kohberger to avoid suspicion, as he executed the changes shortly before his Pennsylvania license and registration were set to expire.
The motive behind Kohberger’s heinous acts on the early morning of November 13, 2022, may remain undisclosed. However, there are indications that shed light on why he selected the date for his crimes. Just five days after the incident, on November 18, Kohberger officially registered his white 2015 Hyundai Elantra in the state of Washington. Prior to this, the vehicle had been registered in Pennsylvania, as demonstrated by body camera footage and court documents from two traffic stops earlier that year.
The footage from an October stop revealed that Kohberger had updated his insurance information on July 1 of that year, listing his address as his Washington State University dormitory in Pullman. Despite still holding a Pennsylvania license at the time, noted to expire on November 22, Kohberger managed to remain inconspicuous due to the timing of his registration change.
Prosecutor Thompson highlighted the significance of this registration modification during Kohberger’s court proceedings, emphasizing that Pennsylvania vehicles do not require front license plates. Hence, the absence of a front plate on Kohberger’s car avoided detection, as the vehicle’s record in the system was linked to the Pennsylvania registration, not the new one in Washington. Additionally, Kohberger acquired a brand-new license issued by the state of Washington, further aiding him in evading scrutiny.
It was only on December 7, 2022, that authorities disclosed their search for a white Elantra in connection with the case, initially specifying a model range of 2011-2013. By that point, Kohberger had already left. Opting to drive his newly registered Washington vehicle over 2,500 miles back home rather than fly, Kohberger embarked on the journey with his father.
During his return trip, Kohberger encountered police twice, and body camera footage from these stops depicted him utilizing his Washington State license. The footage also captured his car covered in dirt by the second stop, with his license plate obscured by dust.
The situation took a turn when he arrived home, as Thompson observed that Kohberger’s car was in perfect condition when the police obtained a search warrant. The police were able to apprehend him after matching the DNA from a discarded Q-tip thrown away by his father with the DNA profile found on a knife sheath left at the crime scene. Kohberger admitted to the murders in court on July 2 and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 23. Source: People article
