Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger was pulled over twice within a short time frame while driving through Indiana last month — a ploy done at the behest of the FBI to build its case against him.
The federal law enforcement agency wanted to get images of Mr. Kohberger as well as of his hands, an unnamed FBI source told Fox News Digital.
Law enforcement also sought out the interactions so they could develop a better genealogical profile of Mr. Kohberger.
The traffic stops — one by a member of Hancock County Police Department and the other by an Indiana State Police trooper — were done on Interstate 70 on Dec. 15, just east of Indianapolis.
Mr. Kohberger, 28, was driving from Washington state to Pennsylvania with his father when they were pulled over for tailgating on two separate occasions. Both officers let them off with a warning.
Mr. Kohberger’s father told police during both traffic stops about a deadly police standoff that took place that same morning at Washington State University, where the murder suspect is currently studying for a doctorate in criminology.
Licensing documents in Washington showed that Mr. Kohberger changed his license plates just days after the murders of four University of Idaho students, according to The New York Times.
His 2015 white Hyundai Elantra was registered in Washington on Nov. 18 after it had previously been registered in Pennsylvania. Police in Moscow, Idaho, pegged a white Hyundai Elantra as a vehicle of interest early in the investigation.
Mr. Kohberger was arrested in Pennsylvania on Dec. 30 and accused of murdering Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, inside the off-campus house where the three women lived.
The suspect signed an extradition document in court Tuesday and waived his right to challenge his arrest in Pennsylvania.
A Pennsylvania State Police plane transported Mr. Kohberger to the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport Wednesday evening, where he was then booked into the Latah County Jail in Moscow.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
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