U.S. President Donald Trump has shielded the crown prince from his blame over the incident, including from punishing sanctions imposed this week on 17 Saudi officials.
Earlier reports also claimed Trump-supporting conservatives were heading a whisper smear campaign against Khashoggi to downplay the significance of his murder.
Khashoggi's body has yet to be returned to his family amid reports that it was chemically dissolved.
On Friday, funeral prayers in absentia were held for Khashoggi in Istanbul, Medina, Mecca and other cities across the world.
In Istanbul, mourners raised their hands in prayer outside Fatih Mosque. An imam recited verses from the Quran under a tent set up to protect against the rain, and Khashoggi's friends eulogized him.
Yasin Aktay, adviser to President Erdoğan, called for Prince Mohammed to distance himself from the legal proceedings.
"There is no chance to have a court proceeding that is independent from the crown prince in Saudi Arabia," said Aktay.
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