Defense digital-forensics expert urges new trial for Idaho murder case

A digital-forensics analyst who was retained by Bryan Kohberger’s lawyers says investigators failed to examine a location database that could link the former criminology graduate student to the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students. The expert, Sy Ray, a former Arizona homicide investigator, told journalist Brian Entin that the AT&T-derived latitude-longitude data from Kohberger’s phone places it within a 25-meter radius of the victims’ home and shows repeated proximity to the victims’ devices before and after the killings.

Kohberger, who is serving four consecutive life sentences after pleading guilty to avoid the death penalty, filed a petition last week to withdraw his plea and seek post-conviction relief. Ray argues that the omitted “LOCDBOR” report contains “damning” evidence of stalking and “phone collisions” that were not considered by the state’s experts.

"Bring back the death penalty," Ray said on the podcast, adding that he believes the evidence would lead to a conviction if presented at trial.

The defense’s January 2025 expert report, which relied only on the prosecution’s publicly released materials, did not include the disputed location data. Ray says he has offered to brief the FBI on his findings but received no response.

Another digital-forensics professional, Morgan Wright, expressed skepticism, stating he has not seen the LOCDBOR report and would need to review the data directly.

State investigators have previously said they do not know why the house was targeted and have not identified a specific motive. The case remains under review as Kohberger’s petition for post-conviction relief proceeds.