Given misconceptions around lack of blood and DNA in Kohberger's car are common, this post challenges some of these. Taking some common assumptions in turn:

​

• The perpetrator must have been drenched and dripping blood, therefore transferring significant amounts of liquid blood into his car.

This is based on unfounded assumptions about the scene, how victims may have lost blood and how much blood may have tracked back to Kohberger's car and apartment.

There was no blood visible outside the kitchen door, on the flat, light coloured patio area and no trail leading to the road or parking lot. The perimeter at the scene was surrounded by professional and amateur journalists, photographers, videographers, even drones from day 1. The perimeter was very close to the back door. Not one picture showed any drop of blood outside. The footprint outside DM's bedroom door, presumed to be from the perpetrator as he left, had such little blood on it that a protein stain was required to visualise it. The perpetrator, after walking just a few metres from the area of two stabbings, had already shed/ worn off most of the blood from his shoes.

While it seems counterintuitive, it is possible to stab someone repeatedly, to death, and not get a huge amount, or indeed even a small amount, of blood on the attacker.

[TW - knife violence, death, MVAWG] This video of 16 year old girl stabbed to death shows an attacker stabbing a victim over 20 times and then bludgeoning her with a rock - when the attacker walks away he seems to have almost no blood on his clothing, he leaves no bloody footprints and indeed the area around the victim has no blood visible on the ground.

[TW - knife violence, blood, death] This video of a man stabbed in the neck in a fight shows one spurt of blood after which, because the victim grabs his neck, the rest of the blood is contained on the victim's clothing - an attacker would have needed to be standing at a specific location relative to the victim to get any blood on him. In this case the attacker got no blood on himself despite inflicting a fatal stab wound. Notable also how quickly the victim collapses - a few seconds. Just a couple of illustrative examples, but show that quantity of blood onto an attacker during a knife attack is very random. In the case of the 4 Moscow victims it is possible the bed sheets, duvets, their prone positions and clothing may well have absorbed blood or obstructed spurting.

​

• It was very difficult to minimise DNA transfer into the car/ apartment

Without suggesting any sci-fi/ Dexter type preparations, there are quick, practical and effective steps the perpetrator could have taken to minimise or eliminate potential DNA contamination of the car and apartment. These include:

1. Water proof car seat covers: Dickies is one brand, many are are sold in Walmart, Amazon. Can be stretch fitted over seat and removed in seconds. Hunters sometimes use to prevent blood stains, builders, plumbers also. A seat cover is not conspicuous in the car. Example of Dickies Car Seat Cover linked A plastic mat or even shoe bootie covers could easily have been used on driver's side floor and pedals. Or existing floor mats could have been replaced.
2. Care with outer layer of clothing. A bulky hoodie, or overalls, could be quickly removed and bagged. Plastic shoe/ boot covers are readily available and easy/ quick to put on and remove, same for disposable gloves. Such steps may have drastically reduced transfer into the car and if all outer clothing was bagged before returning home, there may have been almost zero potential DNA contamination carried into his apartment.

While Criminology as a subject does not deal with crime scene forensics, Kohberger's course in Criminal Justice at De Sales specifically includes a "crime scene house" where criminal justice students get experience in forensics and evidence collection. DeSales University Crime Scene House link While not suggesting Kohberger is a forensics expert, it is reasonable to conclude from his study areas he likely has much more than average knowledge of crime scene physical evidence collection.

​

• It is almost impossible to clean away all forensically usable DNA from inside the car

Actually it is very simple, especially given 7 weeks and ample opportunity for repeat, detailed and thorough cleanings. Common household cleaners, like hydrogen peroxide, or products that contain peroxide or peroxy acids ("active oxygen" type cleaners, laundry stain removers etc) have been shown in many scientific studies to degrade DNA beyond forensic use in minutes. Peroxide can be used in a very dilute solution, similar to "color/ fabric safe" stain removers that do not bleach fabrics. DNA is not a magically durable, sticky substance - if the cells carrying it are washed away, or permeated with peroxide, the DNA is gone, in terms of forensic use. There are even surface cleaning solutions, based on peroxide, sold for use in laboratories where zero DNA contamination is critical - these also work in minutes and are claimed to be more effective at eliminating DNA than even autoclaving (high temperature sterilisation, as used for surgical instruments)

Study showing blood and usable DNA removed in minutes by household cleaners with peroxide

Example of a laboratory DNA cleaning solution product

Hydrogen peroxide decomposes quite quickly on surfaces into only oxygen and water - and is not then analytically detectable. So it is very possible to degrade all DNA in a car without leaving stains, bleached fabric spots or any detectable trace of peroxide. Any surface or crevice that can be swabbed for DNA can be sprayed or swabbed with a peroxide solution. Any crack into which liquid blood could flow, liquid peroxide could also flow. These cleaners can also render blood non-reactive to forensic reagents like luminol.

One interesting case as a comparison - that of Robert Wone, a 32 year old man stabbed to death inside a Washington DC house. Although the coroner estimated he lost two thirds of his blood volume at the scene and despite police sealing the house within 40 minutes of the crime, no blood or DNA from the victim, other than a small spot on the bed he was on (thought by police to be staged) was ever found. The 3 male residents of the house appeared to be freshly showered when EMT and police arrived - they were later charged with conspiracy to obstruct and tampering with the scene. If all blood and DNA can be cleaned from inside a house where someone was stabbed to death, in 40 minutes, why can all blood and DNA not be removed over 7 weeks from inside a car where no one was stabbed? Robert Wone stabbing case link

TL/ DR: even in gruesome, fatal stabbings a knife wielding perpetrator may get little or no blood on himself; simple and discrete preparations like seat covers and handling of overalls could have reduced potential DNA transfer into the car; common household cleaning solutions are very effective and fast at degrading DNA so it is feasible to clean away all traces.

https://preview.redd.it/lk08jfupq3cb1.jpg?width=348&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3ada2f23a33210c5f1385450f80d0897a4981e66