Bryan Kohberger Diagnosed With 4 “Mental Health Disorders”

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Bryan Kohberger is sharing new details about his mental health.

30-year-old convicted for the 2022 murders of Idaho students Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, and Ethan Chapin disclosed that in the months leading up to his confession, he had been diagnosed with four mental health conditions, as stated in a court document filed in June, made available to People magazine.

In the provided document, submitted approximately three days prior to Bryan Kohberger’s formal guilty plea for the killings and burglary charges in an Idaho court, the inmate penned down his diagnoses which included “Autism (level 1); Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD); Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)” as reported by the media outlet. Additionally, he mentioned that these diagnoses were established in February 2025.

For individuals identified as having Level 1 Autism, they exhibit the most minimal yet noticeable signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). They might experience challenges in social communication and interaction, as described by Ascend Autism.

Individuals diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) often find themselves plagued by recurring, unpleasant thoughts that trigger repetitive actions, as explained by the Cleveland Clinic. On the other hand, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects an individual’s ability to focus or regulate their attention, according to the organization.

In my understanding as a committed follower, Kohberger’s Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is characterized by a personal struggle with the quantity and variety of food consumed. As defined by the National Eating Disorders Association, this condition differs from other eating disorders in that the food selectivity stems not just from emotional or physical issues, but also factors like indifference towards food, sensitivity to taste, smell, or texture, and fear of potential consequences such as choking or vomiting.

As a committed adherent within the same documentation, I too mentioned my regular intake of levothyroxine – a widely-used drug designed to manage hypothyroidism, a condition affecting thyroid function.

Three weeks following the submission of the filing, Kohberger was handed down life sentences, in addition to a 10-year term and a $50,000 fine for burglary. He also received fines totalling $50,000 for each murder charge, as well as a $5,000 civil penalty for each family of his victims.

For more on the Idaho murders, read on.

The individuals in question, namely Kaylee Goncalves (aged 21), Madison Mogen (also 21), Xana Kernodle (at the tender age of 20), and her companion Ethan Chapin (also 20), were students at the University of Idaho. They resided in an apartment off campus.

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

Goncalves was an advanced student specializing in multidisciplinary studies at the College of Arts and Humanities. She was due to graduate in December, after which she planned to move to Austin, Texas for a marketing position, as her friend Jordyn Quesnell shared with The New York Times.

Mogen, a marketing student, has been close friends with Goncalves since the 6th grade. According to a family acquaintance, Jessie Frost, she intends to relocate to Boise following her graduation. This information was reported by The Idaho Statesman.

At that time, Kernodle was a junior studying marketing, as stated by the university. Kernodle and Chapin, who specialized in recreation, sport and tourism management, had been together since the spring, according to their neighbor, Ellie McKnight, as reported to NBC News.

As a dedicated follower of the events, I’d like to share that on the unfortunate occasion of the murders, my roommate Dylan Mortensen and I, Bethany Funke, were at home. In text messages, which were made public on March 6, 2025, we reached out to our other roommates after Dylan claimed he saw a masked individual wandering through our house on November 13th, as per the documents TopMob News obtained.

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

She persistently attempted to contact their roommates, encouraging them to get back to her. She messaged Goncalves at 4:32 a.m. and then again at 10:23 a.m., saying “Can you reply?” and “Are you awake?” respectively.

11:58 a.m. saw a 911 call made following the discovery of Kernodle’s unresponsive state, as detailed in new information procured by TopMob News. In the call transcript, a woman referred to as A1 provided details about the ongoing situation to the operator.

She mentioned that one of the roommates, likely under the influence, didn’t wake up this morning after getting drunk the previous night. They also reported seeing an unknown man in their home last night.

Bryan Kohberger, who faced charges for four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary, was pursuing his doctorate at Washington State University. Around a month following the discovery of the bodies belonging to Gonclaves, Mogen, Kernodle, and Chapin, Kohberger was apprehended on December 30 in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. He was subsequently transferred to Idaho on January 4, 2023.

In June 2023, as it was disclosed in court papers from the prosecution and reported by NBC News, authorities traced him back to the murders through DNA found on a knife sheath that was abandoned at the crime scene.

When the DNA didn’t find a match in the FBI database, law enforcement agencies ran the DNA samples through popular genealogy websites to generate a list of possible suspects, as detailed in the court documents. Upon discovering that Kohberger had visited his parents’ residence in Monroe County, local officials then searched through their trash and identified DNA links between it and the one found at the crime scene.

Currently, the reason behind the attack isn’t fully disclosed due to a court order that prohibits those closely associated with the case from discussing it publicly. Nevertheless, some details about their initial arguments have been revealed through unsealed documents, as reported by NBC News.

Lawyers for Kohberger submitted a request, as reported by TopMob News, to dismiss the death penalty option. This is because if found guilty on all charges, Kohberger could have faced capital punishment; however, he was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). They assert that imposing the death penalty in this case would contradict the Eighth Amendment’s ban on “inhumane and excessive punishment.

In simpler terms, the defense claimed that Kohbereger tends to think in a very fixed manner, repeatedly focuses on certain subjects, breaks down information bit by bit instead of seeing the bigger picture, finds it challenging to anticipate future events, and shows limited understanding of his actions and feelings.

In simpler terms, the document states that due to Mr. Kohberger having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it’s challenging for him to behave according to societal norms. This poses an alarming concern that he could be unfairly punished based on his disability rather than his actions.

Initially, a judge entered a ‘not guilty’ plea for Kohberger regarding first-degree murder charges, as he remained silent during his arraignment in May 2023. His trial, originally scheduled for October 2, 2023, was postponed after Kohberger chose to waive his right to a speedy trial in August 2023.

The commencement of his trial, initially planned for Ada County over 300 miles away from Latah County where the crimes occurred, has been scheduled for August 11, 2025.

Previously, Judge John Judge, of Latah County, granted a motion put forward by Kohberger’s legal team in September 2024 for a change of venue due to potential bias in Latah County. This decision was based on the assumption that local prejudice could influence the trial if it remained in Latah County.

In a recent development, Judge Steven Hippler of Ada County refused the defense’s plea to exclude crucial DNA evidence, as well as cell phone and email records, CCTV footage, purchase history from Amazon, and DNA evidence during the trial proceedings.

On June 30, 2025, the trial for Bryan Kohberger’s murder charges unexpectedly came to an end when he opted for a plea bargain proposed by the prosecution. By accepting this deal, Kohberger consented to admit his guilt across four counts of murder and one count of burglary, relinquish his right to appeal, and request a less severe prison term.

On July 2, 2025, he admitted his guilt in court, affirmatively responding “yes” when the judge inquired whether his actions towards the four victims were intentional, illegal, deliberate, premeditated, and motivated by malice.

On March 2025, a selfie taken by Kohberger the day following the murders emerged, which depicted him standing before a shower with a thumbs-up gesture. This image mirrors the physical description provided by a witness named “D.M.” in court documents, who noted that the suspect had prominent bushy eyebrows.

In a subsequent interview with Fox and Friends, Steve Gonclaves, who is Kaylee’s father, later expressed his opinion on the image, referring to it as a “keepsake” or “memento.

Gonclaves stated, “I’m aware of the sequence of events; it appears he went back to the crime scene right after his return, and this time he noticed that no one had phoned the emergency services.

He sees that as his personal memento, a symbol of having gotten away without being caught.

In a 2025 Dateline documentary about the murders, a one-time classmate of Kohberger’s spoke about an unusual text she got from him following their initial encounter at a gathering.

Holly stated, “I felt somewhat compelled to talk to him since he appeared a bit uncomfortable. After all, it’s typical for a doctoral student, who might not have known anyone at the gathering, to be 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. 

Hey there, I believe we discussed hiking trips yesterday. If my memory serves me right, you said you enjoyed that activity. Please do share more details about it if you don’t mind. Thank you!

In a different part of the “Dateline” documentary, it was discovered that Kohberger’s online browsing had contained inquiries about Ted Bundy, Britney Spears’ song titled “Criminal”, and the phrase “Idaho University Murders”.

At a court hearing on July 2, 2025 in Idaho, Brian Kohberger, who had initially agreed to a plea bargain to avoid the death penalty, admitted his guilt for the murders of Goncalves, Mogen, Kernodle, and Chapin, as well as one charge of burglary, following the acceptance of the plea deal.

In response to Judge Hippler’s inquiry about whether Kohberger had intentionally, illegally, deliberately, and with prior planning and malicious intent killed each victim, Kohberger responded affirmatively for every query.

By accepting the plea agreement, Kohberger relinquishes his option to challenge the verdict or seek a less stringent prison term, as per Hippler’s explanation.

Despite both the Goncalves and Kernodle families objecting to the plea deal that removed the possibility of capital punishment, Thomas Kohberger was formally sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison on July 23, 2025.

In simpler terms, Judge Hippler handed down four consecutive life sentences for each first-degree murder charge against Kohberger, with no chance for parole. Additionally, he fined Kohberger $50,000 for each murder count and an extra $5,000 to be given to each victim’s family. Furthermore, Kohberger received a 10-year sentence and was also fined $50,000 on the burglary charge.

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2025-09-04 04:18