(NewsNation) — Newly revealed emails are adding to the increasingly contentious debate over the fate of the house where four University of Idaho students were killed last fall.
Emails obtained by the New York Times indicate that both the defense attorney for accused killer Bryan Kohberger and the lead prosecutor have given their consent for the house to be demolished.
Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson wrote in one email that the house is in a dramatically different state today than at the time of the killings in November.
“The scene has been substantially altered from its condition at the time of the homicides including removal of relevant property and furnishings, removal of some structural items such as wallboard and flooring, and subjected to extensive chemical application creating a potential health hazard,” Thompson wrote in an email, the Times reported. “These are some of the reasons that we have concluded that a ‘jury view’ would not be appropriate.”
Kohberger is accused of killing Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves inside the off-campus rental house in the early morning hours of Nov. 13. The four were found later that day.
During the investigation, crime scene investigators could be seen removing furniture from the home, including mattresses. The victims’ personal belongings were also removed and returned to their families.
“It sounds like the prosecution has kind of come to conclusion that this is a totally different dynamic inside that house now,” Mike Baker, the New York Times reporter who obtained the emails, said Monday on “Dan Abrams Live.” “So, whatever sounds that may be happening there, you know, may not carry like they would otherwise.”
Anne Taylor, the public defender representing Kohberger, told university officials she had “no objection” to the demolition, according to one of the emails.
Some of the victims’ family members are concerned about the demolition of the house where the killings took place before Kohberger’s trial, NewsNation’s “Banfield” reported in March. They’re concerned that if the jury wanted to visit the crime scene, they’d no longer be able to do so. Kohberger’s trial is set to begin in October.
Shanon Gray, an attorney for the Goncalves family, previously told NewsNation the home has potential evidentiary value.
“I think we’ve expressed over and over again to them, that it’s important to just keep the house there just in case someone needs it, and then when the trial’s over, do whatever you want with it,” Gray said July 5. “the response has been, victims’ families, spend legal money to give us a legal argument on why we shouldn’t be able to demo the house,’ which I find is just absolutely ridiculous.”
A university spokeswoman told The New York Times the house has been a constant reminder of what happened there.
“This is another step toward healing,” Jodi Walker told the newspaper. “It’s definitely a balancing act.”
NewsNation digital producer Liz Jassin contributed to this report.