"They're obviously shocked": Bryan Kohberger's family reportedly struggling to 'believe' he murdered University of Idaho students

Bryan Kohberger, 28, was arrested just before the new year from his family's home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania. A murder charge has been filed against him in connection with the November 13, 2022, deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin.

According to law enforcement, Kohberger's parents were present at the house during his arrest. In fact, Bryan Kohberger's father was also present with him during his cross-country journey from Washington to Pennsylvania in the sought-after white Hyundai Elantra.

According to reports, Bryan Kohberger's "shocked" family believes he is innocent and that the police arrested the wrong person. Monroe County Chief Public Defender Jason LaBar told NBC News:

"They don’t believe it to be Bryan. They can’t believe this. They’re obviously shocked. This is certainly completely out of character, the allegations, and really they’re just trying to be supportive with the understanding that these four families have suffered loss."

Bryan Kohberger's family has issued an official statement through public defender Jason LaBar where they sympathized with the families of the deceased students while vowing to support their son. The statement reads:

"First and foremost we care deeply for the four families who have lost their precious children...We will continue to let the legal process unfold and as a family we will love and support our son and brother. We have fully cooperated with law enforcement agencies in an attempt to seek the truth and promote his presumption of innocence rather than judge unknown facts and make erroneous assumptions."

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Jason LaBar said that Bryan Kohberger is confident that he will be exonerated soon

Bryan Kohberger was arrested after a month-long investigation into the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students - Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. According to law enforcement, he was arrested after DNA from the crime scene was matched with a relative of Kohberger via a genetic genealogy database.

The 28-year-old Ph.D. student, however, has denied his involvement in the Idaho murders and is hopeful that he will be exonerated soon. According to Jason LaBar, Kohberger's attorney in Pennsylvania, the alleged murderer was "very calm" during his four visits. Talking to CBS News, LaBar remarked:

"He's being very calm. He's very aware. He understands the proceedings. I did discuss with him what to expect in the upcoming days on his transport, as well as what to expect when he actually returns to Idaho and is likely in front of a magistrate or a judge there."

He added:

"It is a little out of character, he said. I mean, this is not him. He believes he's going to be exonerated, that's what he believes, those were his words. So, he's really been very easy to talk to actually, and he's in a calm demeanor like I stated."

According to a statement from Washington State University, Kohberger is a Ph.D. criminology and criminal justice student and teaching assistant at the university's Pullman campus, which is only ten miles from the scene of the quadruple murder in Moscow, Idaho.

At a news conference on Friday, Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said that Kohberger is facing four counts of first-degree murder and felony burglary. Moscow Police Chief James Fry believes that he is the sole suspect in the murder case and is presently not looking for accomplices.

While most details about Bryan Kohberger's arrest and trial remain unknown, more will be revealed once the probable cause affidavit is unsealed.