The Moscow Police Chief said investigators are still looking for knife used in the November murder of four University of Idaho students at a press conference Friday afternoon.
Appearing at 1 p.m. local time, Chief James Fry confirmed authorities have arrested Bryan Christopher Kohberger in Pennsylvania in connection with the killings.
However, Fry added: “We are still looking for the weapon,” referring to the long-blade knife previously identified as the murder weapon.
Fry added investigators had located a white Hyundai Elantra matching the description of the model seen near the scene of the crime at Kohberger’s residence and seized it
He also said the planned cleaning of the houe where the murders took place had been postponed based on a court request.
Citing Idaho state law, Fry declined to comment on most other aspects of the case, including a possible motive and what evidence linked Kohberger, a graduate student in criminal justice at the nearby Washington State University at Pullman, to the murders.
“There’s a pending case now in court and I … live with the restrictions that our Supreme Court places on pretrial publicity,” Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson explained.
Thompson confirmed the charges against Kohberger include four counts of murder and one count of felony burglary, which he incurred by entering the students’ residence at 1122 King Road.
Here’s the latest coverage on the brutal killings of four college friends:
The probable cause affidavit that preceded Kohberger’s shock arrest will remain sealed until he is extradited to Idaho. Thompson also verified earlier reports that Kohberger, 28, was being held without bond in Monroe County, Pa.. He is due at a hearing on his extradition on Jan. 3.
Kohberger’s arrest marked the first major turning point in the nearly seven-week investigation, which paralyzed the university town and garnered national attention as law enforcement appeared to be struggling to find a suspect or leads in the case.
When asked about the criticism his department faced in recent weeks, Chief Fry insisted that he stood by their response “100 percent.” He defended investigators’ decision to released little information to the public, stating that more publicity “might have alerted the suspect of our progress.”
CNN previouslty reported a local FBI team in Pennsylvania had been shadowing the suspect over the last four days before making an arrest.
Meanwhile, he reassured the public that the investigation into the events of Nov. 13 was still a priority.
“The work is not done,” he insisted. “In fact, it just started.”
Fry and Thompson were also joined by University of Idaho President Scott Green, who called the arrest “a relief” to the community.
Towards the end of the press conference, Fry confirmed that heightened law enforcement presence would continue in Moscow for the foreseeable future.