Accused killer Bryan Kohberger purchased balaclava months before University of Idaho slayings, bombshell court filings reveal

Accused killer Bryan Kohberger purchased a black balaclava months before a key witness saw a man wearing the same type of face mask at the home where four University of Idaho students were murdered in their sleep, according to new court filings.

Prosecutors say records show Kohberger purchased a black balaclava on Jan. 10, 2022 at a Dick’s Sporting Goods in Pittsburgh — 11 months before the stabbing deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin on Nov. 13, the Moscow-Pullman Daily News reported.

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The balaclava Kohberger bought was the same type of face covering surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen a witness told police she saw a man wearing inside the King Road house the night the murders occurred, according to the outlet.

While Kohberger’s defense desperately attempted to have his purchase excluded from his upcoming trial, the new court documents revealed prosecutors insisted on using them — claiming they would be crucial to the case. 

“The relevance of this information is that Bryan Kohberger purchased a black balaclava from Dick’s Sporting Goods on January 10, 2022,” the prosecution wrote. 

“This mask is the same type of mask described by DM that she witnessed worn by a male in the residence on November 13, 2022.”

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The witness Mortensen also drew a picture of the mask, which was included in one of the court documents filed by Kohberger’s attorney, Elisa Massoth.

Prosecutors previously disclosed online shopping records of Kohberger’s that indicate he bought the murder weapon — a combat-style knife — as well as a sheath and sharpener from Amazon eight months before the killings.  A sheath with DNA linked to Kohberger was found at the crime scene.

In other court filings, prosecutors and the defense argued about Kohberger’s mental competency, with his attorney’s claiming the suspect has autism, which will make a “fair and just trial a challenge.” 

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Massoth wrote that his appearance and inability to show emotion or process what is happening in the courtroom may cause jurors to be biased against him, citing his awkward arrest at his parents’ Pennsylvania home as an example. During the arrest, Kohberger had asked an officer about his education and suggested they go out for coffee, according to Massoth. 

“He did not perceive the profoundly serious nature of the moment and exhibited no perception of what was happening,” Massoth wrote. “While competency has not been raised in this case, at this time, Mr. Kohberger’s team and assisting experts are constantly analyzing this issue.” 

Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson responded in his filing by saying that the defense has no legal authority to present evidence explaining how Kohberger may appear or behave in front of a jury, and that doing so would “more likely confuse the issues, mislead the jury and play to the jury’s sympathies.”

Jury selection for the trial is set to begin July 30.