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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
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Charlie Jones

University of Idaho murder suspect's parents break silence following arrest

The family of the man charged with the murder of four University of Idaho students have broken their silence following the arrest.

In a statement released through family's lawyer, the family committed to "love and support our son and brother" Bryan Kohberger while letting the "legal process unfold".

Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, was arrested in the early hours of Friday morning at his parents' home in Monroe County, Pennsylvania where he was spending the Christmas holidays.

He has been charged with four counts of first degree murder and felony burglary.

This is the first arrest in connection to the brutal slaying of Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20 and Ethan Chapin, 20, whose bodies were found in an off-campus student house on November 13 in Moscow, Idaho, US.

The four students were found stabbed to death in their beds. Kaylee Goncalves (second from left, bottom) and Madison Mogen (second from left, top), Ethan Chapin (center) and Xana Kernodle (second from right) (ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)

The statement from the family firstly expressed condolences to the families of the victims.

It read: "First and foremost we care deeply for the four families who have lost their precious children. There are no words that can adequately express the sadness we feel, and we pray each day for them."

They gave no indication whether they believed the suspect was guilty or innocent but instead committed to support him as the legal process ran its course.

It continued: "We will continue to let the legal process unfold and as a family we will love and support our son and brother.

Kohberger's arrest mug shot (Monroe County PA Correctional Fa/ZUMA Press Wire Service/REX/Shutterstock)

"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.

"We respect privacy in this matter as our family and the families suffering loss can move forward through the legal process."

It was signed by Jason Allen LaBar, the Chief Public Defender for Monroe County, and counsel for suspect Bryan Kohberger.

What happened on the night

Although exactly what happened in the house on the night of the killings will only be revealed once Kohberger is extradited to Idaho and appears in court, police have released a timeline of events as they understand it.

Victims Goncalves and Mogen went out the night of the murder, first to a bar and then stopped at a food truck on the way home. They caught a lift at around 2am.

The cleaning off the house was halted following the arrest (Ted S Warren/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

Chapin and Kernodle were at the Sigma Chi house just a short walk away from the house where Kernodle lived and returned at around 1.45am, police said.

The two other housemates who lived there were also out that evening, but returned home by 1am, police said.

They were unharmed in the tragic incident and didn't wake up until later that morning.

After they woke up, they called friends to come to the house because they believed one of the victims found on the second floor had passed out and wasn't waking up.

Bryan Kohberger has been charged in connection with the killings (ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)

At 11:58 am, someone inside the home called 911, using a roommate's phone. Multiple people talked with the dispatcher before police arrived.

Two of the victims were found on the second floor of the three-story home, and two on the third floor. A dog was also at the home, unharmed.

Once the bodies were found a crime scene was established and the investigation launched.

Six weeks later, in which time the killings gained international attention, Kohberger was caught.

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