A “possible animal hair” was among the evidence seized from the home of Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger - sparking speculation that it could belong to victim Kaylee Goncalves’ dog.
Records of evidence recovered from Mr Kohberger’s home were unsealed on Wednesday, nearly three weeks after his arrest for the 13 November stabbings of University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.
Included on the list of seizures was a “possible animal hair strand”. While Mr Kohberger is not believed to have a pet, one of the victims he is accused of killing, Goncalves, had a dog who was at home at the time of the murders.
The dog called Murphy became the target of substantial attention in the case after investigators revealed that the pet was found unscathed in the room where Goncalves and Mogen were stabbed to death in the former student’s bed.
An affidavit in support of Mr Kohberger’s arrest revealed that one of the victims’ two surviving roommates, Dylan Mortensen, had heard the dog making noise in Goncalves’ room around the time of the killings.
The affidavit also stated that a security camera near the home heard the dog barking at 4.17am - just three minutes before Mr Kohberger is alleged to have fled the scene.
The same detailed document was used to support an application for a search warrant at Mr Kohberger’s home. The records unsealed Wednesday revealed that the warrant resulted in the seizure of a computer, a disposable glove and items stained with dark red and brown.
In addition to the potential animal hair, investigators seized several hairs believed to have come from humans.
The unsealed search warrant documents mark the first major development in the case since the affidavit in support of Mr Kohberger’s arrest was released on 5 January.
The affidavit revealed for the first time that Ms Mortensen actually came face to face with the masked killer inside the home - after police initially said she and the second surviving roommate slept through the attack.
Ms Mortensen, identified only as D.M. in the documents, told investigators she was actually in her bedroom on the second floor of the home – the same floor where Kernodle and Chapin were killed – and was stood in the doorway as the killer walked right past her.
According to Ms Mortensen’s terrifying account, she had gone to sleep in her bedroom on the second floor of the three-floor home and was woken by what sounded like Goncalves playing with her dog in one of the third-floor bedrooms.
A short time later, Ms Mortensen said that she heard someone believed to be either Goncalves or Kernodle saying “there’s someone here”.
Minutes later, Ms Mortensen said that she looked out of her bedroom for the first time but did not see anything. She then opened her door for a second time when she heard what she thought was crying coming from Kernodle’s room, the documents state.
At that point, she said she heard a man’s voice saying “it’s ok, I’m going to help you”.
When she opened her door for a third time minutes later, she said she saw “a figure clad in black clothing and a mask that covered the person’s mouth and nose walking towards her”.
As she stood in a “frozen shock phase,” she said the man – who she did not recognise – walked past her and headed toward the back sliding glass door of the home. She then locked herself in her room.
Despite the close encounter, a 911 call wasn’t made until 11.58am – eight hours later. The call, made from one of the surviving roommates’ cellphones – reported an “unconscious individual”.
It is not clear why Ms Mortensen waited eight hours to alert authorities to the scene after seeing an unidentified masked man inside the home and hearing concerning noises.
