IDaho State Police have accused NBC’s ‘Dateline’ of spreading ‘gross inaccuracies’ and ‘complete falsehoods’ in their special on Bryan Kohberger’s quadruple murder case. The episode, aired in May, included new details that were not yet public, sparking an investigation by a special prosecutor to track the leaks.
Kohberger pleaded guilty in July to the deaths of University of Idaho students Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, and Ethan Chapin. He was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without parole. Judge Steven Hippler lifted the gag order, allowing those involved to speak to media.
The ‘Dateline’ special reportedly showed FBI cellphone tower data suggesting Kohberger’s phone pinged near the King Road home of the victims. The late-night drives began after a Moscow pool party Kohberger attended, according to the report. However, Idaho State Police Lt. Darren Gilbertson, a lead investigator, disputed several claims, calling them false and fabricated. He clarified that the wounds on Chapin were not carved and that Kohberger did not sit in Kernodle’s bedroom as portrayed in the episode.
Gilbertson acknowledged that some aspects of the special were accurate, such as Kohberger’s searches for Ted Bundy and pornography. However, he emphasized that these searches did not indicate a sexual motive for the murders. A special prosecutor has been appointed to investigate the leaks, with the investigation remaining confidential. NBC has stated that it stands by its reporting.