Car similar to Bryan Kohberger's seen near victims' home multiple times just before alleged killings: Report
A car that looks like Bryan Kohberger's was seen several times near the Moscow, Idaho, home on the morning when four college students were found dead, according to a new "Dateline" report.
Kohberger is charged with first-degree murder in the Nov. 13, 2022 deaths of University of Idaho students Xana Kernodle, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, and Ethan Chapin, 20. The former Washington State University student was also charged with one felony count of burglary.
FBI cellphone tower data obtained by NBC's "Dateline" allegedly showed that Kohberger's cellphone pinged nearly a dozen times to a tower that provides coverage to an area within 100 feet of 1122 King Road, where the four University of Idaho students were killed. The late-night drives all allegedly happened starting in July 2022 and continued through mid-August 2022.
According to the report, the late-night drives in the area of the King Road house began following a Moscow pool party that Kohberger had been invited to.
BRYAN KOHBERGER ALLEGEDLY SEARCHED PICTURES OF FEMALE STUDENTS, SOME WERE CLOSE TO ALLEGED VICTIMS
In the first two weeks of October 2022, around a month before the killings, records show that Kohberger allegedly visited an area near the same cellphone tower three more times.
Gary Brucato, a forensic psychologist, said while it is impossible to know what was in Kohberger's mind while driving in the area, it could indicate that he was "building up" nerve while making those late-night trips.
It is also unclear if Kohberger stopped during any of these drives, according to the report.
In total, FBI cellphone records indicated that Kohberger was within 100 meters of the King Road house on 23 occasions, including one time on Nov. 7. All the trips were after dark.
At 3:30 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022, the night when Kernodle, Goncalves, Mogen and Chapin were killed, a white Hyundai Elantra resembling Kohberger's was seen turning onto King Road, according to security video.
Just three minutes later, the car was seen leaving King Road and turning right. Five minutes later, at 3:38 a.m., the car was back on King Road and exited at 3:40 a.m.
At 3:56 a.m., the car was again seen turning onto King Road, and left at 3:58 a.m. At 4:06 a.m., the Elantra was seen doing a U-turn and going back onto King Road. At 4:20 a.m., after Kohberger allegedly killed the four college students, the car was seen speeding away from the King Road house.
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Cellphone records obtained by "Dateline" also showed Kohberger allegedly placed a call at 6:17 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022 to his father, Michael Kohberger, that lasted for 36 minutes. He made two more calls to his father that morning.
According to the cellphone records, Kohberger allegedly went back to the King Road area at 9:12 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022. He was allegedly in the area for nine minutes, then went back to his apartment in Pullman, Washington.
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At 10:31 a.m., Kohberger's phone pinged to a tower that served the towns of Clarkston, Washington, and Lewiston, Idaho. According to the "Dateline" report, law enforcement officials believe Kohberger could have been disposing of evidence such as a knife or clothing.
"There was no prior interaction between Bryan Kohberger and any of the victims. They don't have any records of conversations with them that they've found," said investigative journalist Howard Blume.
Notably, on Aug. 16, 2022, Kohberger allegedly made an online search for Ted Bundy, according to investigative records obtained by "Dateline," then continued to read a research paper about the serial killer.
Fox News Digital reached out to Kohberger's attorney for comment.