Bryan Kohberger Allegedly Inspired by “Incel” Killer Elliot Rodger

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Bryan Kohberger‘s previous peers are providing insights into potential reasons behind him carrying out the gruesome killings in Idaho.

Approximately four months prior to the fatal stabbing of four students at the University of Idaho in November 2022, Bryan Kohberger had already earned a master’s degree in criminal justice from DeSales University in Pennsylvania. According to his peers, he exhibited a keen fascination with the study of mass murderer Elliot Rodger during his time there.

As a former classmate at DeSales University, I studied some individuals who became notorious serial killers, such as Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Ed Kemper, and Elliot Rodger. In the recently released Prime Video documentary titled “One Night in Idaho: The College Murders,” Josh Ferraro shared these insights. Elliot Rodger, a college student at the time, was deeply disillusioned with life due to a lack of affection from friends, family, and particularly women.

In 2014, at the University of California, Santa Barbara, a 22-year-old named Rodger tragically killed his apartment roommates and then drove to nearby sorority residences, where he fired shots at several college students.

Later on, it was found that he had driven around, fired at several other people in public areas, and ultimately took his own life inside his vehicle. However, a written statement, or manifesto, was discovered later which detailed his actions and the reasons behind them.

According to Rodger’s extensive essay, he expressed, “I will demolish all the attractive women I’ve long admired yet could never be with, as they detest and despise me.

Brian Kohberger admitted his guilt for taking the lives of Kaylee Goncalves (age 21), Madison Mogen (also 21), Xana Kernodle (aged 20), and Ethan Chapin (aged 20) in a house off-campus, around 4 a.m. on November 13, 2022. His confession led to him being given four life sentences for these gruesome killings, which he will now serve in prison.

In the documentary, it was pointed out that Kernodle and Mogen belonged to Pi Beta Phi, while Goncalves was a member of Alpha Phi – the sorority which Rodger had a particular interest in due to his belief that they were the most attractive and the kind he’d always desired but couldn’t approach. (Notably, Rodger later attacked and killed two women outside the house who belonged to another sorority, Delta Delta Delta.)

Although theories suggested a connection between Kohberger and the victims before the incident, Idaho investigators failed to find such a link or determine a reason for the killings, as stated by prosecutors. In court during his sentencing, he chose not to speak.

Brittany Slaven, a fellow student at DeSales, stated that Bryan showed keen interest in many topics we studied, however, his particular fascination leaned towards Elliot Rodger.

In fact, Slaven said Kohberger did not act fazed by Rodger’s crimes.

She mentioned that she discussed with other classmates about Elliot Rodger’s actions, which troubled us all. However, Bryan appeared unfazed or unbothered by the situation.

As reported by Brittany Slaven, a fellow student at DeSales, Bryan showed keen interest in many topics we studied, but his particular fascination leaned towards Elliot Rodger.

In fact, Slaven said Kohberger did not act fazed by Rodger’s crimes.

She mentioned that she, along with other girls in her class, were distressed by Elliot Rodger’s actions. However, Bryan appeared to be unaffected by it. (Goncalves belonged to Alpha Phi sorority, one of the sororities targeted by Rodger, while Kernodle and Mogen were part of Pi Beta Phi.)

According to his published beliefs, Rodger is associated with a group of men known colloquially as “incels” or “involuntary celibates.” These men struggle to find romantic partners due to their lack of success with the opposite sex.

Cortney Franklin, an assistant professor of criminology at the University of Idaho, stated in a documentary that “In my professional viewpoint, Incels (involuntary celibates) represent a particularly harmful form of misogyny, as these communities exist and thrive within online spaces.

According to the professor, Elliot Rodger was highly admired, honored, and even considered a hero or martyr within the online communities where people were gathering.

It’s reported by the police that Kohberger, aged 30, seemed to have previous issues involving college-going women, similar in nature.

Gary Jenkins, who serves as the police chief at Washington State University – the institution where Kohberger was pursuing his PhD – mentioned during the Amazon show that there was an incident involving Kohberger, where he is said to have followed a student to her car with the intention of flirting. This situation was reported to someone within the criminal justice department.

Investigators also discovered messages between Washington State University professors discussing a need for some form of action involving Kohberger, as one professor reportedly messaged another saying, “It seems he’s upset several of our female students.” These communications were made available by the Moscow Police Department on July 23.

Brian Kohberger admitted guilt for taking the lives of Kaylee Goncalves (age 21), Madison Mogen (also 21), Xana Kernodle (20), and Ethan Chapin (20) at an off-campus residence on November 13, 2022, approximately 4 a.m. His confession resulted in four consecutive life sentences behind bars following the brutal murders he committed.

During their time, Kernodle and Mogen belonged to Pi Beta Phi sorority, whereas Goncalves was a member of Alpha Phi – the sorority that Rodger had a particular interest in due to his belief that they were the most attractive (referred to as “the hottest”) and were the kind of women he had always desired but never managed to approach. As reported by BBC, this was one of the reasons why Rodger targeted Alpha Phi, unfortunately resulting in him killing two women from another sorority, Delta Delta Delta, outside the house.

In my expertise as a lifestyle guide, I must clarify that although various theories were circulating, the investigators in Idaho failed to establish any prior connection between the suspect and the victims before the tragic incident occurred. Moreover, they could not discover a plausible motive for the heinous murders, according to the prosecutors. Remarkably, during his sentencing, he chose to remain silent.

Read on for more details on the chilling case.

The following individuals – Kaylee Goncalves (aged 21), Madison Mogen (also 21), Xana Kernodle (age 20), and Ethan Chapin (also 20) – were students at the University of Idaho, residing in an apartment off campus.

On November 12, 2022, Goncalves and Mogen visited a sports bar nearby, while Kernodle and Chapin attended Chapin’s fraternity party. By 2 a.m. on November 13, all four roommates and Chapin had returned to their three-story rental house.

Goncalves, a senior studying general studies at the College of Arts and Humanities, was due to graduate in December. Afterward, she planned to move to Austin, Texas, for employment at a marketing company, as her friend Jordyn Quesnell shared with The New York Times.

Mogen, a marketing student, had been close friends with Goncalves since the 6th grade. It was revealed by family friend Jessie Frost to The Idaho Statesman that she intended to relocate to Boise following her graduation.

At one point, Kernodle was a marketing major in her junior year, as stated. She had been in a relationship with Chapin, who specialized in recreation, sport and tourism management, since the spring. This information was shared by their neighbor, Ellie McKnight, to NBC News.

Two housemates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, were at home when the murders occurred. Text messages, unsealed on March 6, 2025, suggest that Mortensen and Funke attempted to reach their roommates following an incident on Nov. 13, after Mortensen spotted a masked individual moving around in their shared residence, as indicated by documents obtained by TopMob News.

“No one is answering,” Mortensen texted Funke at 4:22 a.m. “I’m rlly confused rn.”

She persistently contacted her roommates, encouraging them to reply. At 4:32 a.m., she messaged Goncalves, “Pls answer,” and repeated the request at 10:23 a.m., asking, “Are you awake?

At 11:58 a.m., a 911 call was made following the discovery of an unresponsive individual named Kernodle. This information was supplemented by a motion obtained by TopMob News. In the call transcript, a woman identified as A1 detailed the current circumstances to the operator.

She mentioned on the phone, “One of our flatmates is unconscious due to being heavily intoxicated the previous night and hasn’t regained consciousness yet.” Additionally, they reported seeing an unknown man inside their residence last night.

Bryan Kohberger, accused of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary, was a Ph.D. student at Washington State University. Exactly one month after the bodies of Gonclaves, Mogen, Kernodle, and Chapin were found, Kohberger was arrested in Monroe County, Pennsylvania on December 30th. He was transported to Idaho on January 4th, 2023.

It was through DNA evidence found on a knife sheath abandoned at the crime scene that authorities linked him to the murders, according to court documents unveiled by NBC News in June 2023.

When DNA found at the crime scene didn’t have a match in the FBI database, authorities decided to cross-check it against public genealogy websites to generate a pool of possible suspects, as stated in the documents. Subsequently, they discovered that Kohberger had visited his parents’ residence in Monroe County, leading local investigators to search through their trash where they found DNA traces that linked him to the one found on the sheath.

Currently, no specific reason for the attack has been disclosed, and due to a court order, those closely related to the case are prohibited from making public statements. Nevertheless, certain unsealed records offer a glimpse into their original defense strategies.

Lawyers for Kohberger, in a motion they obtained from TopMob News, are asking for the death penalty to be discarded. This is because if found guilty on all charges, Kohberger could initially face capital punishment. However, they argue that Kohberger has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). They believe that carrying out the death penalty in this case would contravene the Eighth Amendment’s ban on “cruel and unusual punishment.

In simpler terms, the defense contends that Kohbereger tends to think in a very inflexible manner, often fixates on certain subjects, breaks down information into smaller parts rather than seeing the big picture, has difficulties anticipating events, and shows limited understanding of his own actions and feelings.

Because of Asperger’s Syndrome, Mr. Kohberger struggles to behave in ways society considers typical. This raises significant concerns that he may face the death penalty not for his actions, but due to his disability.

Initially, Judge entered a not-guilty plea on Kohberger’s behalf as he remained silent during the May 2023 arraignment. Despite his trial being scheduled for Oct. 2, 2023, Kohberger opted to relinquish his right to a swift trial in August 2023.

Starting August 11, 2025, I will be facing trial, which was initially planned for a court in Ada County, some 300 miles away from Latah County where the tragic incidents occurred. This change of venue is quite a distance, but it’s all part of the legal process.

In a decision made back in September 2024, Judge John Judge of Latah County granted the motion for transfer by Brian Kohberger’s legal team, citing potential bias among locals if the trial were to take place within Latah County.

In the ongoing trial, Judge Steven Hippler refused the defense’s plea to exclude crucial DNA evidence, mobile and email records, CCTV footage, previous Amazon purchases, and DNA evidence from consideration.

The trial against Kohberger for the murders he’s accused of, scheduled for June 30, 2025, was unexpectedly halted when he opted for a plea bargain proposed by prosecutors. By accepting this agreement, Kohberger consented to admit his guilt on four murder charges and one burglary count, relinquish his right to appeal, and request a less stringent prison term.

On July 2, 2025, he admitted his guilty plea in response to the judge’s question about whether he intentionally, illegally, deliberately, and with premeditated malice killed all four victims.

A selfie that Kohberger took the day after the murders occurred was presented in March 2025. This picture shows him standing in front of a shower with a thumbs up gesture, and it aligns with the description given by a witness called “D.M.”, who stated in court documents that the suspect had “fuller eyebrows”.

Steve Gonclaves, Kaylee’s father, later commented on the image, referring to it as a “trophy,” during an interview on Fox and Friends.

According to Gonclaves, he’s aware of the sequence of events. He understands that the individual in question had recently revisited the crime scene, and upon his return, it struck him that no one had dialed emergency services (911).

In a nutshell, he was saying, “For him, that’s like a small token, reminding him of ‘I managed to get away with it, no one is after me.’

In a 2025 Dateline documentary concerning the murders, a previous classmate of Kohberger’s recounted an “odd” message she got from him following their encounter at a party.

Holly shared that she felt somewhat obliged to talk with him, as he appeared a bit uncomfortable, similar to how one might guess a Ph.D. student would feel who was unfamiliar with the party attendees and was making an effort to socialize and form connections.

The following day, Holly said she received a text from him, which she described as overly formal. 

Bryan’s message from July 10, 2022, at 1:19 p.m., as reported by Dateline, said, ‘Hey, I believe we discussed hiking trips yesterday. I love that kind of activity, so do tell if you’re planning any. Thanks!’

In another part of the Dateline documentary, it was discovered that Kohberger’s online activities included looking up information about Ted Bundy, Britney Spears’ song “Criminal,” and the “University of Idaho Murders.

At a court hearing on July 2, 2025, in Idaho, Kohberger admitted his guilt for the murders of Goncalves, Mogen, Kernodle, Chapin, and one count of burglary, after previously agreeing to a plea deal that would avoid the death penalty. The agreement spared him from capital punishment.

As a steadfast observer, I recount the exchange where Judge Hippler inquired Kohberger about the nature of his actions regarding each victim: “Did you kill them willingly, unlawfully, deliberately, and with premeditation and malice aforethought?” To which Kohberger responded affirmatively for all queries, offering a resolute “Yes” on each occasion.

By accepting the plea bargain, Kohberger has relinquished his ability to challenge the verdict or request a less strict prison term, as stated by Hippler.

Despite both the Goncalves and Kernodle families objecting to the plea bargain that removed the death penalty option, Karl Kohberger was formally sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison on July 23, 2025.

Judge Hippler handed down four life sentences for each murder charge against Kohberger, all of which must be served one after another with no chance of parole. Each murder conviction also comes with a $50,000 fine and a $5,000 civil penalty to be given to the families of the victims. Additionally, he was sentenced to 10 years for burglary and fined $50,000 for that charge as well.

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2025-07-30 02:48