In an interview with NewsNation on Thursday, Steve Goncalves said that the involved officers did an “amazing job.” He added that he was “hard on them,” but now owes them “all the gratitude in the world.”
“They need more credit than they had. I mean, people think Idaho is so old-fashioned and out back. But these guys—they hit a home run, man. That affidavit is impressive,” he said.
Goncalves was referring to a probable cause affidavit in the case that was unsealed on Thursday, offering new insight on what led to the arrest of suspect Bryan Kohberger. It contained several bombshells about the case, including that one of the surviving roommates told investigators that she encountered a figure clad in black inside the residence in the early morning hours of November 13. The roommate, Dylan Mortensen, said that the masked figure walked right past her and toward a back sliding glass door, after which she locked herself in her room, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit also included several maps that estimated the suspect’s alleged movements in the time surrounding the killings.
Kohberger, a 28-year-old Ph.D. student in criminal justice and criminology at Washington State University, was arrested on December 30 at his parent’s home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, in connection with the case and charged with four counts of first-degree murder. He has maintained his innocence, with his former public defender Jason LaBar saying in a statement that Kohberger was “eager to be exonerated.” Though arrested in Pennsylvania, Kohberger agreed earlier this week to be extradited back to Idaho to face the charges.
Kaylee was one of the four students, alongside Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin, and Xana Kernodle, found dead in the off-campus residence. The Latah County Coroner later determined the cause and manner of death for each of the four victims as homicide by stabbing.
Goncalves had formerly criticized police involved in the investigation, who had previously released limited information about the case. While speaking to NewsNation on Thursday, he said that now “all is forgiven.”
“The family is relieved that the authorities arrested a suspect in this case and are hopeful that the Defendant is convicted,” Shanon Gray, a lawyer for the Goncalves family, told Newsweek in a statement on Friday. “The probable cause affidavit contained a lot of information regarding the case and it looks like there is some hard evidence against Mr. Kohberger. The family believes that there will be additional evidence that will be gathered against the Defendant after his car, residence and parents house have been processed.”
Gray added: “The family encourages the public to continue to contact the authorities to help aid the investigation to determine if there are any connections with the Defendant and any of the victims.”
