Digital forensics analyst Sy Ray, previously hired by Bryan Kohberger’s defense team, now says Kohberger should face the death penalty. Ray claims investigators overlooked digital evidence that allegedly placed Kohberger’s phone near the victims and suggested stalking behavior before the 2022 murders. Those claims appear to conflict with Ray’s January 2025 defense report, which found no such links. Kohberger is serving four consecutive life sentences after pleading guilty, but he has petitioned to withdraw that plea and seek post-conviction relief.
| 1) | Ray’s reversal on the punishment Kohberger should face |
| 2) | Claims about phone location data and the King Road house |
| 3) | Alleged targeting of Madison Mogen and a wider pattern of life |
| 4) | Conflicting reports and questions from outside experts |
| 5) | Kohberger’s petition and the possibility of a new trial |
Ray’s reversal on the punishment Kohberger should face
Sy Ray, a former Arizona homicide investigator who works in digital forensics and geolocation, was hired by Kohberger’s defense before Kohberger entered his guilty plea. In a podcast interview, Ray said he now supports restoring the death penalty and believes Kohberger would be convicted if the case went to trial. His position is notable because his earlier work was conducted for the defense.
“Bring back the death penalty. I am all for this,” Ray said.
Kohberger pleaded guilty to killing Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin at an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, in November 2022. He received four consecutive life sentences without parole after accepting a deal that removed the possibility of execution.
Claims about phone location data and the King Road house
Ray told journalist Brian Entin that AT&T-derived location data for Kohberger’s Samsung phone placed the device near the King Road residence before the murders. He said several location points appeared to fall inside the house when mapped, while acknowledging an estimated range of about 25 meters. The phone could therefore have been elsewhere on the property or nearby.
“I 100% believe that the offender, who is Bryan Kohberger, there’s no alternative theory in my head at this point,” Ray said.
Ray also said Kohberger had been inside the home before the killings. Prosecutors have said Kohberger visited the scene before the murders and at least once the following morning, but they have not publicly presented the specific phone-to-victim links Ray described.
Alleged targeting of Madison Mogen and a wider pattern of life
Ray said he believed Madison Mogen was Kohberger’s primary target. He referred to repeated “collisions” between their phones, including around a party in Pullman, Washington, and an A&W restaurant near the King Road crime scene. Ray said the data indicated a broader pattern of activity and possible stalking involving people in the Moscow-Pullman area.
He theorized that a plan aimed at Mogen went wrong during the attack, prompting Kohberger to flee south on roads where Ray said he had not previously driven. These interpretations remain Ray’s conclusions. Investigators have said they did not know which resident, if any, was the target or what motivated the choice of the house.
Conflicting reports and questions from outside experts
Ray’s recent statements appear inconsistent with a report submitted under his name in a January 2025 defense filing. That report said the geolocation data available to him did not show an association between Kohberger and the victims or their residences. It also said Ray could not identify a period between June 23 and November 13, 2022, when Kohberger’s phone was in the same specific area as any victim’s phone.
Morgan Wright, an outside expert who follows criminal investigations, described the alleged contradiction as serious because investigators had sought records related to possible stalking and surveillance. Ray’s earlier report also stated that he found no evidence of stalking behavior or surveillance at the King Road house. Ray has not publicly provided the full basis for his newer interpretation.
Kohberger’s petition and the possibility of a new trial
Kohberger recently petitioned the court to withdraw his guilty plea and pursue post-conviction relief, alleging ineffective assistance by his defense team. If the plea were withdrawn and the case returned to trial, the death penalty could become an issue again, although the petition faces legal limits imposed by his plea agreement.
Ray said he offered to brief federal investigators after Kohberger pleaded guilty but claimed he received no response. He urged authorities to restart the investigation and said the evidence he reviewed would support a conviction. Lead investigators, including Brett Payne, have said they did not know the motive or intended target and would not speculate.
| Number | Key Point |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sy Ray now supports the death penalty despite previously working for the defense. |
| 2 | Ray claims phone data placed Kohberger near or inside the King Road residence. |
| 3 | His current claims conflict with portions of his January 2025 report. |
| 4 | Kohberger is seeking to withdraw his guilty plea and obtain post-conviction relief. |
Summary
The allegations come from a former defense expert whose public interpretation of the digital evidence differs from his earlier written analysis. Ray’s claims about phone locations, stalking and a possible target have not been publicly adopted by prosecutors and remain subject to legal and technical scrutiny. The outcome of Kohberger’s petition will determine whether the case remains resolved by his guilty plea or proceeds toward further court review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sy Ray?
Sy Ray is a former Arizona homicide investigator and a digital forensics and geolocation expert hired by Kohberger’s defense team before the guilty plea.
What evidence does Ray say investigators missed?
Ray claims investigators overlooked phone-location data that he believes placed Kohberger near the King Road home and showed possible contact patterns with victims before the murders.
Why are Ray’s claims disputed?
His recent statements appear to conflict with his January 2025 report, which found no association between Kohberger’s phone and the victims or their residences and no evidence of stalking at the house.
What is Kohberger seeking now?
Kohberger is seeking to withdraw his guilty plea and obtain post-conviction relief, a move that could lead to further proceedings and potentially a new trial.
