Idaho Murders Update: FBI Denies Report Bryan Kohberger 'Vanished' While Under Surveillance

Bryan Kohberger leaves after an extradition hearing at the Monroe County Courthouse in Stroudsburg — Reuters

Following reports that the FBI lost track of the University of Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger while he was under surveillance, the agency denied the allegations.

On Thursday, a spokesperson for the FBI dismissed recent reports suggesting the agency lost visuals of Kohberger for 14 hours during a cross-country road trip, a month after the fatal stabbings of four Idaho college students.

"The FBI is aware of reports detailing alleged FBI surveillance on Idaho murder subject Brian Kohberger," the FBI spokesman said. "There are anonymous sources providing false information to the media."

The rep added, "Publishing of false information attributable to anonymous sources is not helpful to the case against Kohberger or to the American public."

The statement comes after Howard Blum, who served as a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, claimed sources close to the investigation said the FBI made an embarrassing mistake on Dec. 13 when Kohberger was considered a person of interest in the homicide case.

The insider claimed agents couldn't find Kohberger's White Hyundai Elantra shortly after he pulled out of the parking lot at his Pullman, Washington apartment to make the drive to his family's home in Pennsylvania.

During the trip, Kohberger reportedly made a route detour that added hours to his drive to avoid a winter storm. Instead of taking Interstate 90, Kohberger allegedly "button hooked south, toward Colorado, where he'd pick up I-70."

"A southern route would put a traveler closer to the system's warm zone and further away from the effects of wintry impacts," noted meteorologist Andrew Wulfeck.

Two weeks after the trip on Dec. 30, 2022, Kohberger was arrested for the murders of four University of Idaho students, Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Ethan Chapin, 20; and Xana Kernodle, 20.

He faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. Kohberger is due back in court on June 26 for a preliminary probable cause hearing.