MOSCOW, Idaho – The city of Moscow released over 300 documents related to the Bryan Kohberger investigation and are in the process of redacting more, in what Police Chief Anthony Dahlinger says is an attempt to provide transparency.
“We thought it was important for the public to start getting that information – the real story, the good work that was done during this investigation,” Dahlinger said.
The documents are now available for public review via a website operated by the Moscow police.
Prior to Kohberger’s sentencing, a court appointed gag order was in place.
“We kept our our cards very close to our chest. And that was in the sense of protecting the investigation and getting honestly to the point we are today where we have the individual who’s responsible for these crimes behind bars forever,” Dahlinger said.
Now that gag order has been lifted, and records are available. This includes autopsies on the victims, eyewitness accounts and other pieces of investigative record.
Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson explained that the public release of records was also the first time family members of the victims have been able to access the investigation’s records.
On Friday, the Goncalves family gave a statement via social media, stating that they deserved to know the details in the investigation before the public.
Thompson said that the victim’s families will have resources to discuss the information revealed in the documents.
“We have offered to all the families to meet with them, not just leave them with the reports, but to meet with them with the lead investigators and answer their questions,” Thompson said.
Thompson and Dalinger are hopeful that public access to the files will clarify longstanding questions.
“There’s been so much misinformation and nonsense that’s been spread around for two and a half years, and we just simply couldn’t address it without risking tampering with our jury pool and putting the case itself at risk,” Thompson said. “But now there’s a chance for people to see what really happened and what didn’t happen and hopefully put some of that nonsense to rest.”
Moscow Police hopes that the documents will put to rest some of the rumors.
“What’s in those documents is the truth that is the real thing,” Dahlinger said.
Though the case may be concluded, its impact on the Moscow community continues.
“It’ll never be over for us,” Thompson said. “And for those of us who were at the crime scene, that’s a vision that can never be erased, that nobody should ever have to have experienced.”
Dahlinger also said that the community must try to heal.
“We must move on,” Dahlinger said. “We must try to heal the best we can. But this will never go away. This is a part of us. This is a part of this community forever. It’s our history. I don’t think it will define us by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a part of our history.”
Thompson noted that it will take time to redact and prepare all documents for release, especially sealed court documents.
