A chilling revelation has emerged in the case of convicted murderer Bryan Kohberger, as police documents show authorities investigated his possible connection to an earlier home invasion involving a masked man with a knife.

According to People, Pullman, Washington police identified Bryan Kohberger as a potential suspect in a reported home invasion on October 10, 2021, involving a masked, knife-wielding intruder who entered a residence shared by four female college students. The suspect allegedly stood over one of the women while she was in bed. She responded by kicking him in the stomach, after which he fled the scene.

The incident occurred at approximately 3:30 a.m. Investigators launched the inquiry shortly after Kohberger was taken into custody for the November 2022 homicides of four University of Idaho students. Authorities noted similarities between the two cases.

Striking Similarities Prompt Police Investigation

The Pullman Police Department launched their investigation into Kohberger as a potential suspect on January 10, 2023, less than two weeks after his arrest for the Idaho murders. Documents obtained by People reveal that authorities noted multiple similarities between the cases.

Both incidents involved a masked intruder with a knife targeting college-aged women living together in off-campus housing. The 20-year-old sorority member who encountered the masked man in 2021 reported waking up to find him entering her bedroom in the middle of the night.

The attacker in both cases wore similar clothing and accessed the homes through unlocked back doors. These parallels prompted investigators to examine whether Kohberger could have been involved in both crimes.

Timeline Raises Questions About Kohberger's Movements

The thwarted attack in Pullman occurred eight months before Kohberger officially moved to Washington State University to begin his doctoral studies in criminology. However, the incident coincided with a weekend when the university's Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology was hosting an event for prospective students.

Police investigated whether Kohberger, who was enrolled at DeSales University in Pennsylvania at the time, might have attended this campus event. The investigation was closed nine days later when a Graduate Program Coordinator informed Sergeant Christopher Engle that there was no record of Kohberger attending any campus events that weekend.

Investigators did not appear to pursue whether Kohberger might have made an unofficial visit to the area. By July 2022, Kohberger had relocated to Pullman, approximately 10 miles from Moscow, Idaho, where he would later commit the quadruple homicide.

Pattern of Predatory Behavior Emerges

The 2021 incident shares disturbing tactical similarities with the murders of Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. In both cases, the perpetrator targeted sleeping victims in the early morning hours.

Dylan Mortensen, one of two surviving roommates from the Moscow attack, told police that Kohberger was "clad in black clothing and a mask" when he murdered her four friends. The masked intruder in the 2021 case similarly wore dark clothing and a ski mask.

Both incidents involved homes where multiple young women lived together, and in both cases, the assailant entered through unlocked back doors. These similarities suggest a pattern of predatory behavior that may have escalated over time.