MIKE DAVIS: Judge Boasberg’s hatred of Trump reaches shameful new high
Just over a year ago, Matthew Thomas Crooks nearly blew off President Trump’s head at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Only by the grace of God did Crooks’ bullets miss their target by millimeters because President Trump had turned his head ever so slightly to look at an immigration chart. Crooks did manage to murder a rallygoer and seriously wound two others before the Secret Service killed him. Just under a year ago, Ryan Wesley Routh took his shot at President Trump, establishing a sniper’s nest at the Doral golf course where he knew the president would play later that day. Routh was a hole ahead of Trump when Secret Service agents spotted him. A gun battle followed, and Routh escaped, yet he was captured 50 miles away. He now sits in jail awaiting trial before Aileen Cannon, a superb federal judge.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT JUDGE BOASBERG, THE TRUMP FOE AT CENTER OF DOJ COMPLAINT
While Cannon epitomizes the gold standard of the federal judiciary, Obama-appointed D.C. Chief District Judge Jeb Boasberg represents the garbage standard. Throughout the January 6 saga, Boasberg had no problem keeping defendants—even nonviolent ones—locked up before their trials, in part based on social media posts. He let off disgraced former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith with probation after Clinesmith had altered an email to secure a surveillance warrant against former Trump campaign official Carter Page. Boasberg claimed that Clinesmith would receive punishment from the disciplinary authorities (the D.C. Bar) in the form of possible disbarment; yet, Clinesmith kept his license. Then, Boasberg made clear early in the second Trump administration that he was itching for a fight, expressing his baseless concern to Chief Justice John Roberts that President Trump and his subordinates would violate court orders.
This March, Boasberg instigated the fight he had longed for when he illegally ordered planes full of Tren de Aragua terrorists and vicious MS-13 gang members to turn around after they had departed for Honduras and El Salvador. This was an ongoing military operation. The planes would have been in danger trying to fly back over the Gulf of America with minimal fuel. Additionally, there were not the appropriate security resources in place in the United States to deal with the return of hundreds of foreign terrorists and violent gang members, unlike the situation in El Salvador and Honduras where the proper resources were in place. The planes did not turn around, and Boasberg “found” probable cause to hold administration officials in contempt. A D.C. Circuit panel reversed; yet, Boasberg, undaunted by the smackdown he had received, mused at a hearing about disciplinary proceedings against Trump Justice Department lawyers before the jurisdictions in which they hold law licenses.
This past week, Boasberg has outdone himself. Nathalie Rose Jones is a nutcase from Indiana who is staying in New York City. She thinks that President Trump is a Nazi and a terrorist, and she blames him for the deaths caused by the coronavirus. Earlier this month, Jones posted on Facebook that “I am willing to sacrificially kill this POTUS by disemboweling him and cutting out his trachea with [former] U.S. Representative] Liz Cheney and all the affirmation present.” Jones then told the Secret Service that she would kill President Trump at “the compound” (presumably the White House) if she had to and that she had a bladed object to accomplish her ghastly goal. The next day, law enforcement arrested Jones at a protest that had begun at Dupont Circle and wound up near the White House.
A magistrate judge correctly ordered Jones detained without bail. It is hard to imagine a clearer case of someone who poses a danger, but Jones found an ally: Boasberg. He decided to send Jones back to New York with an ankle bracelet, and he ordered her to see a shrink. Boasberg found the case hard because Jones had not brought a gun. Never mind that Jones had referred to a bladed object that she had somewhere ready to kill President Trump. Never mind that guns are easy to procure, even for convicted felons who are prohibited from possessing them by federal law. Never mind that Jones could have returned to the White House at any time after the day that she showed up without a gun. Francisco Martin Duran, a former Army sergeant, gave no warnings before he showed up at the White House early in President Clinton’s first term and fired off dozens of shots outside the gate. These maniacs often strike without warning, as Crooks and Routh also did. Jones has telegraphed what she wants to do to President Trump, and still it is not enough for Boasberg.
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Boasberg has established a pattern of utterly horrific judgment. After his illegal order in March, Congressman Brandon Gill of Texas filed an article of impeachment. It is time to move forward with that article—and add to it based on the Jones farce, as well as the revelation of Boasberg’s grossly improper comments to Chief Justice Roberts. President Trump is only alive thanks to divine intervention; a millimeter and a millisecond could have changed the course of history.
Reckless robed partisans like Boasberg, however, do not appear to care about the danger the president faces.
Trump-deranged judge refuse to accept that he won the election, and they have put up roadblock after roadblock in an appalling effort to overturn the will of American voters. The disgrace of the Jones case is just the latest example. The time has come for the House to exercise its core Article I power and use a legal tool to curtail these judges: impeachment.
California high school athletes refuse to compete alongside transgender teammate
EXCLUSIVE: Two high school girls’ volleyball players in California are refusing to participate on their team as long as it rosters a biological male trans athlete.
Alyssa McPherson and Hadeel Hazameh of Jurupa Valley High School in Riverside County, California told Fox News Digital they will not play or use the locker room alongside the trans athlete. Both players sat out of the team’s Thursday night game against Chaffey High School.
“Deciding to sit out was a difficult decision to make because I love this sport and I love to compete, but this current situation with a biological male on the team is very unsafe and unfair not only for me, but all female athletes,” McPherson said.
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Hazameh said she hopes her decision not to play will “encourage” others.
“Although sitting out was a very difficult decision for me because of how much I love this sport, I don’t feel comfortable sharing the locker room nor the court with a biological male because I chose to play on a girls volleyball team, and it’s just unfair and unsafe to everyone being affected by this situation. I was scared to stand up before, but I realized someone must make the initiative to stand for what’s right, so I hope my actions encourage others to use their voice as well,” Hazameh said.
At least four confirmed opposing teams have forfeited games to Jurupa Valley this season. Thursday’s game against Chaffey was added to Jurupa Valley’s schedule in response to the recent forfeits.
TRANS VOLLEYBALL PLAYER INCIDENT UNLEASHES PARADE OF ANGRY PARENTS ON ILLINOIS SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
The school has been under national scrutiny dating back to last spring’s track and field season as the very same trans athlete, AB Hernandez, made a run to girls’ state championships in high jump and triple jump. President Donald Trump magnified the attention when he sent a warning to California in the days leading up to the state championship in May.
Now, Hernandez, in the midst of the senior’s final volleyball season, is being protested not just by opposing teams, but also by longtime teammates.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Jurupa Unified School District in response to McPherson and Hazameh’s statements.
The school district previously provided a statement exclusively to Fox News Digital, suggesting blame for the ongoing controversy involving Hernandez should be directed toward government officials and lawmakers.
“School districts do not write laws for the state of California, nor do they have the power to ignore them or change them. However, as primarily state-funded agencies, they are required to follow them. As these issues play out in our courts and the media, any advocacy on these matters should be directed at state and federal officials elected to make laws and policies that affect public education,” the statement read.
“We empathize with all students who are impacted by issues beyond their control. JUSD is committed to upholding the law, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of, among other characteristics, gender, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation in any program or activity, ensuring that all pupils feel safe, supported, and affirmed for who they are at school.”
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California law has enabled biological males to compete in girls’ high school sports dating back to 2013.
After Trump signed the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order on Feb. 5, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) was one of the first state high school sports leagues to announce it would defy the order.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the CIF and California Department of Education (CDE) in July for defying Trump’s mandate to keep biological males out of girls’ sports. The lawsuit came in the aftermath of Hernandez’s state championships.
Now, as the trans teen embarks on one more high school volleyball season, two teammates will be absent.
Father forced to surrender son’s prized catch after heated ballpark confrontation
A young Philadelphia Phillies fan got the chance to meet center fielder Harrison Bader after Friday night’s win over the Miami Marlins – a consolation for having to give up Bader’s home run ball following a heated dispute with a woman in the stands.
The incident, which went viral on social media, happened in the fourth inning when Bader hit a solo home run into the left-field stands. Fans scrambled for the ball, including the young boy’s father, who walked away victorious.
But moments later, a woman, also in Phillies clothing, approached the father and son.
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Several videos posted to social media appeared to show the woman shouting at the man, claiming, “You took it from me.”
“That was in my hands,” the woman could be heard repeating.
The father then appeared to take the ball out of his son’s glove and hand it over to the woman, adding, “Bye” before she stormed off.
UMPIRES CONFISCATE ASTROS OUTFIELDER TAYLOR TRAMMELL’S BAT IN STRANGE SCENE AFTER DOUBLE
But later in the game, the young fan was approached by a Marlins staffer at loanDepot Park, who handed him a gift bag.
“This is for you, I’m so sorry,” the staffer could be heard saying in a video shared on social media.
In the end, the young fan walked away with a souvenir of his own.
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The Phillies shared photos to their social media of Bader meeting with the fan and handing him a signed bat.
“Going home with a signed bat from Bader,” the post read.
Beloved actor reveals fans have been saying his last name wrong for decades
Steve Buscemi explains that everyone has been pronouncing his name wrong, but that even he isn’t quite sure how to say it.
During a recent interview, the 67-year-old actor discussed the many ways he has heard his last name pronounced, joking he’s even confused about the correct way to say it.
“Growing up, we said ‘Bue-semi,’ which I can’t even do that anymore,” he explained.
DENZEL WASHINGTON SAYS WE’VE BEEN PRONOUNCING HIS NAME WRONG FOR DECADES
The discussion surrounding the pronunciation of his last name comes after his guest appearance on the hit Apple TV+ comedy series, “The Studio.” In the cameo, the actor played himself and a running joke throughout the episode was that everyone was unsure how to say his last name.
Jimmy Fallon, who interviewed Buscemi on “The Tonight Show,” said that “At one point, they said ‘Brusch-kemi,’ like bruschetta.”
Buscemi replied, “I don’t like that one. ‘Boo-shemi,’ I like that … That is the Italian way to say it, but I just didn’t grow up that way.”
He now pronounces his name “Boo-Semi,” saying, “I sort of take a little bit from each pronunciation.”
“I don’t know how to say my own name,” he joked.
Similarly, actor Denzel Washington recently surprised fans by sharing they have been pronouncing his first name incorrectly his whole career, blaming the confusion on his mother.
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While audiences have referred to the Academy Award-winning actor as “DEN-ZEL” for the duration of his career, he announced on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” this week, it’s pronounced “DEN-zel,” with a clipped “e” vowel in the second syllable.
“I’m Denzel Jr. My father’s Denzel Hayes Washington Sr. I’m Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. My mother would say Denzel, and we’d both show up. So she said, ‘From now on, you’re Den-ZELL.'” he recalled.
Known for his iconic roles in “Fargo” and “Reservoir Dogs,” Buscemi is currently starring in the second season of the Netflix series “Wednesday,” as the new principal of Nevermore Academy, Principal Barry Dort.
“It’s nice and exciting to be in a show that people actually know about,” he told The New York Times in August. “As soon as I mention ‘Wednesday,’ it’s like, ‘Ohhh, yes, my kids love that!’”
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Late-night host Bill Maher reveals what ‘pains’ him to say about ‘nutty’ RFK Jr
“Real Time” host Bill Maher called Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “nutty” on Thursday following the Trump Cabinet member’s fiery Senate hearing.
“I personally find this very disappointing because I am the person who was sympathetic to what [Kennedy] was trying to do,” Maher said to his panel. “I said, ‘Finally, we have a guy in there who cares about this stuff.’ But he’s also just nutty.”
Kennedy is facing calls to resign from more than 1,000 current and former HHS employees. One week after he fired CDC Director Susan Monarez, the employees signed a letter Wednesday accusing Kennedy of appointing “political ideologues.”
“He’s just too nutty,” Maher repeated. “He just does not listen. I mean, he just is. And nothing ever – I call it pendulumism – nothing ever stops in the middle.”
TRUMP STANDS BY RFK JR. AFTER HEATED SENATE HEARING: ‘I LIKE THE FACT THAT HE’S DIFFERENT’
The late-night host elaborated on his charge against the politician.
He continued, “Okay, this needed a housecleaning, the CDC. But to fire all 17 of the top people? Now you don’t have that voice in there at all. You just have your voice.”
Maher concluded his criticism with one sentence, adding it “pains” him to say it because he likes Kennedy.
“It’s just – he’s got to go,” he stated.
RFK JR. INVOKES DEMOCRAT FATHER’S WORDS TO DEFEND TRUMP-BACKED CDC SHAKEUP AT SENATE HEARING
One of the panelists, CNN’s chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins, went on to describe where Kennedy “stumbled a lot” as Republicans and Democrats questioned him on Capitol Hill.
“The CDC has canceled hundreds of millions of dollars in mRNA vaccine research that they were doing,” Collins said. “And so that is what the Republicans were putting to him, saying, ‘Do you believe that Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for this? And then do you also believe that was an mRNA vaccine that saved lives?’”
REPUBLICAN DOCTORS CLASH WITH RFK JR OVER VACCINES IN TENSE SENATE SHOWDOWN
This disconnect puts Kennedy “at odds” with Trump, Collins argued.
However, she added that he is about as “safe as he can get” in his job, unless President Donald Trump has a change of heart, as many Senate Republicans voted to confirm him as HHS secretary.
Meanwhile, Collins’ fellow panelist and former Trump campaign economic advisor, Stephen Moore, defended Kennedy’s advocacy against certain FDA regulations.
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“When new drugs are being developed, we should let these drugs go to the market, especially if they’re dealing with cancer or heart disease or multiple sclerosis,” Moore argued. “The FDA holds these things up by five to 10 years, and it’s actually killing people.”
Sabrina Carpenter calls out double standard after backlash to album cover
Sabrina Carpenter blamed a generational double standard for the backlash she received over her “Man’s Best Friend” album cover.
Carpenter opened up about her new music and the controversial album cover after the Aug. 29 release. The pop star called out one generation for continuously getting offended by her, at times, overtly sexual lyrics.
“There is a generation that gets offended by some of the things I do, and it’s a generation that has either young children … or they’ve raised children, and they’re just sort of looking at it from a different point in their life – sort of scolding,” Carpenter said during an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music. “And they all had sex – many times – because they popped a lot of kids out. So, I just think about that, and I’m always just like it’s so funny. I mean we’re all, we’re just so judgmental.”
“I’m not allowed to have sex, but you are?” Carpenter questioned.
SABRINA CARPENTER SHARES NEW ALBUM COVER ‘APPROVED BY GOD’ AFTER BACKLASH OVER RACY IMAGE
Carpenter announced her album on June 11. The album cover, which was shared on Instagram, was immediately met with harsh criticism as many fans labeled the photograph of the singer on all fours with a man pulling her hair as suggestive.
“Am I the only one who thinks this is dehumanizing for women?” one user wrote. Another added, “This cover makes me uncomfortable… especially in times like these. Absolutely tone deaf.”
“This isn’t satire, this is not empowering to women. You’ve missed the mark by so much hun,” another user wrote.
SABRINA CARPENTER DEFENDS HER RACY IMAGE, TELLS CRITICS THEY ‘NEED TO GET OUT MORE’
Carpenter finally revealed the vision behind the controversial cover art after releasing the entire album on Aug. 29.
“It’s like so funny thinking about it now, because I wanted a man playing with my hair,” the 26-year-old explained to Lowe. “I actually used maybe five different men to take that photo because none of them could play with my hair. They were all pulling it. Like they’re all like nervous to be holding my hair and so, the grip looked like they were like yanking it.”
“And the whole purpose of the photo was supposed to be cheeky and airy and playful like, you know, I got myself here. Here I am,” she continued. “Like this is someone I love but also someone that you know emotionally can be doing a lot with my heart and doing a lot with emotions.”
“There was only one shot that was shot on film that had that lighting the way that I wanted it with this facial expression where I’m clearly, you know, in control, even though I’m on all fours. And to me, it was just perfect.”
Carpenter showed her friends and family the album cover before releasing it to the world and claimed there were no wild reactions from her inner circle.
“There was no shift in the universe,” Carpenter confirmed to Lowe. “It was a very normal day. So, when it came out, that was just my initial thing was to sort of be like, ‘Well, then this is, I guess, why putting out something without having the context is always tricky.'”
SABRINA CARPENTER BLASTS CRITICS OF HER SKIMPY TOUR OUTFITS: ‘DON’T COME TO THE SHOW’
The “Manchild” singer admitted she’s been fascinated with the public reaction to the album cover – which she didn’t anticipate.
“If I’m being completely transparent, I don’t do anything anticipating what the reaction will be,” she told Interview magazine. “I only do things that speak to me, that feel right, and make sense when you hear the music. When I came up with the imaging for it, it was so clear to me what it meant. So the reaction is fascinating to me. You just watch it unravel and go, ‘Wow.’”
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The internet has also seemingly misinterpreted some of Carpenter’s lyrics on the album, which features storytelling about the singer-songwriter’s own breakup experience.
“My experience and point of view are going to be so different from how other people live their lives,” she allowed. “Sometimes I read things, and I’m like, ‘Wow, I don’t experience this that way, but if they do, then that’s real to them.’”
“But what I’m going through in this record, which is loss and heartbreak and celebration and trying to navigate my life as a young woman – it’s not so much like I’m above it all, but I’m not beneath it, either,” Carpenter added.
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Carpenter is no stranger to outrage over her lyrics. She recently opened up about the discourse over songs, which often include sexual innuendos. On tour, Carpenter performed various sex positions during her song “Juno.” The moments often went viral, prompting complaints online.
Her latest album included a few hits with similar innuendos. New songs like “House Tour” and “Tears” have caught the eye of fans.
“I mean, there’s a lot of nuance to this, and I’m not naive to that, but I felt like, ‘Why is this taboo?’ This is something that women experience in such a real way, becoming comfortable with themselves and who they are,” Carpenter told Interview about her choice to write about the touchy topic. “There’s so many reasons why I called it ‘Man’s Best Friend’ and there’s so many layers in the experiences that I was going through at the time where, emotionally, I felt like one.”
“I’m really, really grateful that there’s enough of my audience that really knows me as a person that will be able to hear these songs how they’re intended. It’s always going to be up to interpretation and I understand that. But I’m glad you like my sexual content.”
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World’s deadliest infectious disease surfaces in Maine as officials track contacts
There are three active cases of tuberculosis in Maine as of this week as TB continues to increase across the country, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported, according to the Portland Press Herald.
Lindsay Hammes, spokesperson for the agency, said it is “aware of three active TB cases with links to the Greater Portland area and is in the midst of conducting our typical response.”
She said the Maine CDC was working to reach anyone who might have come into contact with any of the infected patients so they can be tested.
Hammes added that each case appears to be contracted from a separate source.
FIVE DEATHS REPORTED AMID BACTERIAL INFECTION OUTBREAK IN MAJOR CITY
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Maine CDC for comment.
While not as contagious as the flu or COVID-19, tuberculosis is the world’s deadliest infectious disease, killing more than one million people each year, according to the World Health Organization.
A high school student in Riverside County in California also tested positive for an active case of TB this week, officials said, but is receiving treatment and is excited to make a full recovery, KTLA-TV reported.
Last week, another active case was reported at a high school in Michigan, WWJ-TV reported.
RARE TICK-BORNE VIRUS CAUSING NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS DIAGNOSED IN NORTHEASTERN STATE
After decades of decline, tuberculosis cases began to tick up in 2021, following a large decline in 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2022, and the trend has continued since then.
In Maine, the state CDC reported there have been 28 cases of TB this year through the end of July, according to the Herald, but stressed there is no outbreak.
Not everyone infected with TB gets symptoms, but those with active cases can suffer from a persistent cough, including coughing up blood or sputum, chest pain, fever, and fatigue.
TB is a bacterial infection that targets the lungs, but can also infect other organs, and is spread from person to person through the air, according to Johns Hopkins.
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The disease is curable with antibiotics.
Latest ‘woke’ rebranding of city logo goes viral — for the wrong reasons
On Sept. 4, Austin officials unveiled the city’s first-ever unified brand logo as part of a $1.1 million rebranding project, but the new wavy blue and green “A” has already sparked backlash from residents and critics who compared it to a math textbook publisher’s logo.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Tex., blasted the project during an appearance on The Will Cain Show saying city leaders “want to go spend a million dollars on a rebrand, get rid of a cross and make it some sort of, you know, a woke-looking band emblem.”
He accused the Texas city officials of prioritizing symbolism over safety. “We have people in Austin who don’t get their 911 calls answered. You have people that have seen an increase in crime in Austin because they were going after, gutting and cutting the police force.”
The rebrand dates back to 2018, when the City Council voted to establish a “consistent and clear brand” across city departments. Austin currently uses more than 300 different logos, according to a City of Austin press release.
DUNKIN’ DONUTS AND DINOSAURS: THE WILDEST CROWDSOURCED IDEAS TO REPLACE MASSACHUSETTS’ STATE FLAG
City Manager T.C. Broadnax defended the initiative. “For the first time in Austin’s history, we will have a logo to represent the city services and unify us as one organization, one Austin.”
The rollout begins Oct. 1, 2025, starting with digital assets like the city’s website, social media and newsletters. Physical assets such as uniforms, vehicles and signage will transition gradually “to minimize impact on the City budget,” according to the release.
Budget documents show the total rebrand cost at $1,117,558, including $200,000 for design, $640,000 for vendors and $115,000 for public awareness campaigns, KXAN reported.
CRACKER BARREL UNVEILS NEW SIMPLIFIED LOGO: ‘OUR STORY HASN’T CHANGED’
Jessica King, Austin’s Chief Communications Director, said, “The logo itself reflects the hills, rivers, and bridges that serve to connect us to one another. The colors were inspired by our surrounding environment – violet crown skies and the green canopies of our parks and trails.”
Designer DJ Stout of Pentagram admitted the process was “the ultimate design by committee” and that “Austin is a little liberal island, politically.”
Residents blasted the redesign online. “The new logo sucks. It looks like a homeless tent,” one told KXAN. Others called it “a bad biotech’s company rebranding,” while Chron notes one Instagram user simply wrote, “Bruhhhh.”
Some defended the look as “more minimalist” and “definitely a modernization of the old one.”
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Marketing professor Chris Aarons offered perspective to KXAN. “The Coca Cola was just a script, but it’s a beautiful script. But over 120 years, they made it mean happiness. It is really what the entity makes that logo mean at the end of the day.”
The City of Austin and Pentagram Austin did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Bryan Kohberger left behind far more DNA than previously known, investigators reveal
FIRST ON FOX: DENVER — Genetic genealogists working on the University of Idaho student murders case found “hundreds of times” more DNA than a typical case as they raced to solve the quadruple stabbing, which rocked the college town of Moscow, Idaho, as well as the nation as a whole.
“It was a catastrophic deal,” said David Mittelman, the Othram founder and CEO whose work generated leads that helped authorities track Kohberger from a DNA sample he left on a Ka-Bar knife sheath discarded at the crime scene. “That’s why the defense didn’t want to talk about it.”
Not only did police recover plenty of DNA to work with, it allowed Othram’s investigators to hone in on Kohberger’s family tree almost immediately.
BRYAN KOHBERGER PLEADED GUILTY TO IDAHO STUDENT MURDERS, BUT THESE KEY QUESTIONS REMAIN UNANSWERED
Speaking with Fox News Digital at CrimeCon’s 2025 conference in Denver, Mittelman said that while their early leads didn’t include his identity, the DNA showed that the sample came from a “multigenerational” American family mixed with Italian ancestry.
The genetic genealogy pointed to a multigenerational Pennsylvania family that intersected with Italian heritage only twice.
It was more than “trace” DNA, too.
“The DNA evidence was amazing,” David Mittleman said. “There was tons of DNA by the way…I don’t know why it’s been reported It was trace DNA. It was not. It was tons of DNA.”
IDAHO VICTIMS’ FAMILIES TO ADDRESS KILLER DIRECTLY AT KOHBERGER SENTENCING
Not only that, but it was also of high caliber, he added.
“There was certainty in the quality of the DNA, there was certainty in the analysis, and there was certainty that there was more than enough information in that [family] tree to get to a person,” he said.
Separately, police had identified a suspect vehicle — a white Hyundai Elantra just like the one Kohberger drove. He was from Pennsylvania but was attending Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, at the time of the murders. That’s just 10 miles from the crime scene.
READ BRYAN KOHBERGER’S SIGNED KILLER CONFESSION
While police did not find a murder weapon, they did find a Ka-Bar knife sheath next to Madison Mogen, 21, one of the four victims. After they identified Kohberger as a suspect, they got a search warrant for his Amazon activity and discovered that he purchased a Ka-Bar knife, with sheath and sharpening, on the shopping app.
The other victims were Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21.
They were killed on Nov. 13, 2022. Othram received the DNA sample on Thanksgiving and worked through the holiday, generating a DNA profile within 48 hours. On Dec. 19, the FBI sent Moscow police Kohberger’s name. On Dec. 30, police shocked the world when they announced an arrest in the case after a raid on Kohberger’s parents’ house in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains.
Detectives on the case told reporters after Kohberger’s guilty plea that without the DNA evidence, they believe they would have eventually found him by examining thousands of leads regarding Hyundai Elantras.
BRYAN KOHBERGER ACCEPTS PLEA DEAL IN IDAHO STUDENT MURDERS CASE
It’s unclear how long that would have taken.
Although police recovered an ample sample from the snap on the sheath, Kohberger’s DNA wasn’t in the government’s Combined DNA Index System, known as CODIS, because he hadn’t been implicated in any prior crimes.
The investigative genetic genealogy helped investigators find him with the sample anyway. And it turned out to be a key part of their case. Jeff Nye, chief of the criminal division at the Idaho Attorney General’s Office who was tasked with arguing in court against Kohberger’s attempt to have the evidence tossed, told Fox News Digital last month that “everything hinged” on his performance in court that day.
He won. After Kohberger’s defense failed to have the DNA evidence tossed, he entered a surprise guilty plea in early July in order to avoid the potential death penalty.
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Kristen Mittelman, Othram’s chief development officer, believes that the genealogy techniques should be applied to more cases.
“We are advocating with the families to change that, to make sure that people have access to this real time so that people like Kohberger are caught before they commit that next crime,” she told Fox News Digital. “I’m certain that there’s someone at Thanksgiving with their family this year, last year, they wouldn’t be if Bryan Kohberger wasn’t caught in real time.”
Kohberger is serving four consecutive life sentences, plus another 10 years. He waived his right to appeal and to seek a future sentence reduction under Idaho law.