Crews demolish the site of the killings in Idaho as some families object
The news
Demolition crews have demolished a house near the University of Idaho where four students were killed last year. The removal comes despite objections from some of the victims’ relatives who believe the site should be preserved in case it is needed for a future trial.
Background: The fate of the house has been in dispute for months.
Bryan Kohberger is accused of killing four students in November 2022 and faces four murder charges. Prosecutors have said they plan to seek the death penalty.
As the case progresses, the fate of the house where the murders took place is a point of contention.
Some relatives of the victims have argued that the house should remain standing in case it is needed for the prosecution of Mr. Kohberger, a criminology student at nearby Washington State University when he was accused of killing Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin and Madison Mogen. Members of the Goncalves and Kernodle families said in a statement this week that the property could help answer questions that might arise during the prosecution, allowing jurors to understand the sights and sounds of the home.
“Please stop the demolition,” they said in a statement, calling the decision to go ahead “madness.”
Both the prosecution and defense attorneys have told university officials they agree to the demolition. Prosecutors said a visit by jurors would be inappropriate because the property has been altered and subject to extensive chemical applications.
The university decided to go ahead and scheduled the demolition for the time when many students would be away for winter break. University President C. Scott Green said in a statement that the house was a stark reminder of what happened there.
“While we appreciate the emotional connection that some of the victims’ family members have to this home, it is time to remove it and allow the collective healing of our community to continue,” he said.
Why it matters: Jurors have sometimes visited infamous crime scenes.
The locations of heinous crimes are sometimes made available for jurors to view in person.
Last year, jurors in Parkland, Florida, visited the high school building where seventeen students and staff were murdered in 2018. This year, jurors visited the South Carolina estate of attorney Alex Murdaugh during a trial in which he was convicted of murder. his wife and son.
Other locations have been demolished or renovated, including the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, where a mass shooting took place in 2012. That building was renovated and reopened within six months, long before the shooter went to trial.
What happens next: Families await a trial date in the case.
Mr. Kohberger continues to dispute the merits of his charges, and no trial date has been set, although prosecutors have suggested the trial would take place this summer. The Goncalves and Kernodle families expressed frustration that the case has been delayed for so long.
Prosecutors have said Mr. Kohberger is linked to the stabbing by DNA evidence found on a knife sheath next to one of the victims, along with images of a white vehicle similar to his nearby. His cell phone was disconnected from the cell network during the killings, and his lawyers say he was out for an early morning drive around the time of the attack.
Mr. Kohberger has said through a lawyer that he looks forward to being acquitted.