Who is Cara Kernodle?
Cara Kernodle, also known as Cara Northington, is the mother of Xana Kernodle, one of the four University of Idaho students who were brutally killed in November 2023. Xana and her friends, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, and Ethan Chapin, were found stabbed to death in a rental home in Moscow, Idaho. The suspect, Bryan Kohberger, a former doctoral candidate in criminology at Washington State University, was arrested in Pennsylvania and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary.
Why was Cara Kernodle arrested?
Less than a week after the Idaho murders, Cara Kernodle was arrested in Kootenai County, Idaho, on drug charges. She was charged with two felony counts for possession of a controlled substance and was listed as a wanted person by the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office. According to Newsweek, she was also represented by Anne Taylor, the chief public defender of Kootenai County, in a misdemeanor case from August 2017.
On January 31, 2023, Cara Kernodle was arrested again in Spokane County, Washington, on a charge of first-degree criminal trespassing. According to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, a caller reported a green sedan with a non-responsive male in the driver’s seat in a parking lot near Rimrock Drive and Greenwood Road. A deputy arrived and found Cara Kernodle in the car, along with felony warrants from Idaho and a misdemeanor warrant from Washington. She was booked into the Spokane County Jail and faced a hearing regarding extradition back to Idaho.
How did Cara Kernodle react to Anne Taylor’s representation of Bryan Kohberger?
Cara Kernodle was shocked and betrayed when she learned that Anne Taylor, who had represented her in previous cases, was now defending Bryan Kohberger, the alleged killer of her daughter. She told NewsNation that Taylor withdrew from representing her on January 5, the same day that Kohberger had his first court appearance with Taylor by his side. She said she felt “heartbroken” and “betrayed” by Taylor and that she would fight her representation of Kohberger. She also said she wanted the death penalty for Kohberger, who has not entered a plea yet.
Several legal and criminal case experts questioned Taylor’s change of clients and said it likely represented a conflict of interest. They said that Taylor should have disclosed her prior relationship with Cara Kernodle and the other parents of the victims before taking Kohberger’s case. They also said that Taylor could face ethical sanctions or disqualification if a judge finds that she violated the rules of professional conduct.
What is the current status of Cara Kernodle and Bryan Kohberger?
As of February 2023, Cara Kernodle was still in custody in Spokane County, awaiting extradition to Idaho. She has not entered a plea to the drug charges or the trespassing charge. Her next court date is unknown.
Bryan Kohberger was extradited from Pennsylvania to Idaho and is being held without bond in the Latah County Jail. He has not entered a plea to the murder and burglary charges. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 2023. He faces life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.