In the video, Kohberger told a DMV worker he needed to get his license plate changed. He obtained two Washington plates, which prosecutors said made it more difficult for police to track his white Hyundai Elantra. Prosecutors dismissed Kohberger's DMV visit, noting his Pennsylvania license was about to expire. Kohberger was pulled over by police on December 15, 2022, and was seen with Washington plates on his vehicle.
Kohberger was arrested on December 30, 2022, after DNA on a knife sheath clasp led police to him. He pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary last year. A cheek swab taken during Kohberger's jail exam matched DNA on a knife sheath left at the crime scene. Cellphone data placed Kohberger near the crime scene at least 23 times, mostly at night, between July 2022 and the murders on November 13, 2022, though it remains unknown if he entered the victims' home prior to that night.
New photos show Bryan Kohberger in Latah County Jail on January 5, 2023, with bruises and discolored hands. Retired FBI agent Jen Coffindaffer said the injuries in the photos may reflect self-inflicted harm during the attack or signs his victims struggled. Coffindaffer argued that at least one victim, Xana Kernodle, likely fought back, based on crime scene signs and her injuries. Other observers have questioned whether bruising could persist for nearly two months after the attack, and it is unclear whether the bruises and discoloration are definitively linked to the murders or have another cause. The full extent and cause of unsettling incidents reported by surviving roommates and friends before the murders also remain unknown.