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Police: ‘NO EVIDENCE’ of Connection Between Dana Smithers and Bryan Kohberger
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Police investigating the disappearance and death of a 45-year-old Pennsylvania mom said Thursday there is “NO EVIDENCE that Dana Smither’s disappearance, is in ANY WAY tied to Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger.”

Media outlets, including CrimeOnline, reported that Kohberger’s parents, Michael and Maryann Kohberger, had been subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury in Monroe County, where they live — and where Smithers lived and was found dead in late April. Sources told multiple outlets, including local TV channel WBRE, that the testimony was related to the Smithers case, but because grand jury proceedings are secret, there was no official confirmation or denial.

WBRE’s source told the outlet that Kohberger, 28, has a solid alibi for the time of Smithers’ disappearance in May 2022, which was months before he left Pennsylvania to study for a PhD. in criminal justice at Washington State University.

NewsNation spoke with Smithers’ sister, who told them that an investigative grand jury had been looking into her sister’s case before Kohberger’s arrest and that they did look into any possible connections between Smithers and Kohberger after his arrest for the Idaho murders. She also said it was clear from the evidence that he wasn’t connected and was not in the area at the time of Smithers’ May 28 disappearance.

The Stroud Area Regional Police Department posted to Facebook that it was “aware of the many currently reported news articles” connecting Kohberger to the Smithers case before emphatically denying the connection.

The reports that surfaced on Wednesday said that Maryann Kohberger had already testified before the grand jury and that Michael Kohberger was to testify on Thursday and that their attorney had attempted unsuccessfully to quash the subpoena.

Posters and commenters on the Finding Dana Facebook page — including someone who posted a video from a “psychic” who said she “felt” an “online connection” between Smithers and Kohberger — began asking questions about Smithers and Kohberger shortly after his arrest at his parents’ home in December. Smithers’ sister posted on January 2 that she had “forwarded all of your suggestions on to local law enforcement.”

Kohberger was indicted by a grand jury in Latah County, Idaho, last week in the November 13 murders of University of Idaho students Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves, as CrimeOnline reported. He was arraigned on Monday, when a judge entered not guilty pleas on his behalf. The trial is scheduled to begin in October.

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[Featured image: Bryan Kohberger/Monroe County Jail and Dana Smithers/Facebook]