Chilling 'jigsaw puzzle' of evidence at heart of gruesome student massacre trial
The prosecution team hoping to convince a jury that Bryan Kohberger is guilty of murdering four students has a "jigsaw puzzle" of evidence and a "very strong case", a legal expert has said.
The suspect will be appear in court on Monday after being indicted by a grand jury. The 28-year-old criminology student is charged with the quadruple murders that shocked America and is expected to enter a plea.
The brutally slain bodies of Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21, Xana Kernodle and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, both 20, were found in their off-campus student house in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13 2022.
Duncan Levin, a criminal defence attorney who has represented high profile clients such as Harvey Weinstein, Anna Delvey and Clare Bronfman, has spoken with The Mirror about the coming case.
Bryan Kohberger, left, looks toward his attorney, public defender Anne Taylor (AP)He claimed to The Mirror that the prosecution has a "mountain of evidence" - but there is a line of attack the defence could use.
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Mr Levin claims: "I think this case is like a jigsaw puzzle and that the pieces fit together very neatly. The evidence just fits together so well and everything points at Bryan Kohberger as [allegedly] being the murderer."
Highlighting the cell phone location data, Kohberger's car allegedly being see in the area, DNA evidence and the eye witness testimony of one of the surviving women in the house, Mr Levin claims: "It’s not one specific piece of evidence as much as just a mountain of evidence all of which will be very difficult for the defence to overcome."
Duncan Levin has represented high profile clients such as Harvey Weinstein, Anna Delvey and Clare Bronfman (NEW YORK OCCASION PHOTO)
Kohberger has been charged with the shocking killings (ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)But the lack of a clear motive will shroud the case in mystery - and could help his defence.
Mr Levin added: "The issue of motive is so unclear here and frankly its his best line of attack (for Kohberger's team) on the case itself. There seems to be absolutely no reason for it."
He added: "The state hasn’t illustrated or demonstrated any motive at this point. Now motive is not an element of the offence, so the state does not need to prove motive.
"But jurors are humans so they might want to know why someone did what they did, particularly something so gruesome and seemingly random."
Victims 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)
Victims Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21 (ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)The defence team is also expected to bring out their own forensic experts to "debunk" the state's evidence.
Mr Levin also explained what has shocked him the most about the case.
He said: "The seeming randomness of it is the most shocking thing that resonates with most people. Because this is the kind of case you think about at night when you lock your door."
If found guilty, Kohberger could face the death penalty over the killings - but the legal expert says there is a chance he could dodge this grim fate.
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Kohberger is led into court (AP)He said: "His best shot at avoiding the death penalty might be to use the trial as an opp to personify himself. To demonstrate to the jury that he is a human being who has lived a decent life that he deserves to continue to live.
"And to make that pitch directly to the jury in the context of his criminal trial."
The victims of the families have been a continuous presence in the case.
Ahead of the alleged killer's appearance in court, Steve Goncalves, father of victim Kaylee Goncalves, warned Kohberger "he has got pit bulls after him.”
Steve Goncalves talks about his daughter, Kaylee Goncalves, one of the victims (Ted S Warren/AP/REX/Shutterstock)Mr Levin believes the families of victims in the court could play into the jurors' decision.
He said: “Jurors are humans. And they are clearly going to look out into the audience, see who is sitting there and can figure out who is who.
"So I think the presence of a victims' families can absolutely make an unspoken difference to a juror.
"So it’s definitely something that can help.
"At the end of the day its not evidence but it is something that jurors look at and consider.”
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