A defense attorney representing the 28-year-old man suspected of killing four University of Idaho students said her client currently has no evidence to present at trial.
The prosecution a week earlier provided the suspect, who will not be named per Daily Wire policy, and his attorney with more than 995 pages of documents and nearly 2,000 photos relating to the investigation, Inside Edition reported. The defense, however, responded by saying they had nothing to present at trial at this time but left the door open to bring forward evidence at a later date.
“There are no books, papers, documents, photographs, or copies, or portions thereof in the possession of the Defendant at this time, which will be submitted at the time of trial,” the suspect’s attorney, Ann Taylor, wrote to the prosecution last week. “There are no results or reports of physical or mental examinations or scientific tests which are in the possession of the Defendant at this time, which will be submitted at the time of trial.”
The defense noted that they may use evidence that has “been disclosed by the State in discovery material” during trial. In addition, the defense “may also call as a witness people that were disclosed as a potential witness by the State and any other persons who were named by the State within other discovery materials,” according to the filing.
The suspect has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary in relation to the killings of Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Ethan Chapin, 20; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Madison Mogen, 21. The suspect appeared in court and was ordered held without bail, with his next court date scheduled for June 26.
A state court in Washington in January unsealed the search warrants used to collect items from the suspect’s home and office at Washington State University’s department of criminal justice and criminology, where the suspect was pursuing his Ph.D.
Police found nothing at the suspect’s office, the filings show, but hair samples and other evidence were collected from his apartment.
The search warrants show police were looking for blood, DNA, shoes with a particular pattern on the soles, and any information pertaining to the victims who were killed in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13.
Police seized a “nitrite-type black glove,” three possible hairs, one possible animal hair strand, a computer tower, a “dark red spot,” two cuttings from an uncased pillow containing a “reddish/brown stain,” along with other items from the suspect’s apartment. While the warrant mentioned the items were removed, it did not explain the connection they may have to the murders.