Genetic Genealogy Links Kohberger to Murders: Should Genealogy Details be Released?
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline
4.2 • 8.1K Ratings
🗓️ 25 June 2023
⏱️ 45 minutes
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Summary
One of the bombshell pieces of evidence in the Bryan Kohberger murder case is the fact that Kohberger's DNA is a "statistical match" to DNA found on a knife sheath at the scene. Investigators found the Ka-Bar knife sheath "face down and partially under both Madison's body and the comforter on the bed."
A probable cause affidavit unsealed in January stated that the DNA found had been matched to Kohberger’s father. The elder Kohberger's DNA was recovered from trash outside the family home. A short tandem repeat (STR) analysis was performed to develop a profile. That profile was compared against material from Kohberger’s cheek swab. The result of the comparison is a statistical match—meaning the profile is at least 5.37 octillion times more likely to be from Kohberger rather than an unrelated random person.
The prosecutors have argued for sealing information related to the use of investigative genetic genealogy. Court documents state that is needed to protect from disclosure "the names and personal information of the hundreds of innocent relatives on the family tree, the names of the publicly available genetic genealogy services used, and certain other information."
Hear the arguments made by both legal teams.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Crime stories with Nancy Grace |
| 0:07.0 | A lot happening in the Brian Koeberger case, motions being filed left and right, the judge |
| 0:19.9 | weighing them very carefully and usually not only ruling, but ruling along with a written |
| 0:26.7 | memoranda. We have the motions at Crime Stories and Crime Online. Let's hear key motions |
| 0:36.3 | and rulings critical to the prosecution of quadruple murder suspect Brian Koeberger. |
| 0:46.0 | In the district court of the second judicial district of the state of Idaho and in four |
| 0:49.8 | the county of Layton, state of Idaho plaintiff versus Brian C. Koeberger defendant, case |
| 0:54.4 | number CR29-22-2805, motion for protective order. Comes now the state of Idaho by and |
| 1:01.4 | through the Layton County prosecuting attorney and respectfully moves the court for a protective |
| 1:06.2 | order pursuant to ICR 161 for information related to investigative genetic genealogy. |
| 1:13.3 | This case arises from a quadruple homicide. Law enforcement found the DNA of a potential |
| 1:17.8 | suspect at the crime scene and the FBI submitted the DNA to one or more publicly available |
| 1:23.2 | genetic genealogy services to determine potential relatives of the suspect. The FBI then |
| 1:28.6 | used common genealogical techniques to develop a family tree leading to defendant. The state |
| 1:33.6 | seeks to protect from disclosure the names and personal information of the hundreds of |
| 1:37.6 | innocent relatives on the family tree, the names of the publicly available genetic genealogy |
| 1:42.2 | services used, and certain, page two, other information described below. |
| 1:47.2 | The disclosure of this information is not required by Rule 16 of the Idaho Criminal Rules and |
| 1:51.9 | should be protected from disclosure for the good cause described below, including the |
| 1:56.2 | state's privilege to protect the identity of informers as described in Idaho Rule |
| 2:00.3 | Evidence 509. |
| 2:02.6 | Factual background |
... |
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