Experts are shedding light on the background and personal details of Bryan Kohberger prior to his brutal murders.
Following the conviction of a past criminology student to life imprisonment for the tragic murders of four University of Idaho students – Kaylee Goncalves (aged 21), Madison Mogen (also 21), Xana Kernodle (20), and Ethan Chapin (20) in 2022, authorities shared details about what was saved on his phone during the hours preceding his heinous actions.
As a devoted adherent recounting the tale, I might say: Though I took extensive measures to erase my browsing history on my device, it was disclosed that I failed to delete any photographs. The majority of these images depicted me bare-chested and surrounded by unidentified women in diverse stages of undress.
During an interview with People, published on August 15, Hannah Barnhart, the investigator, described some images he had taken as follows: “He often appears in these pictures, semi-clothed, striking various poses in front of a mirror, showing off his physique by flexing.
Instead, Barnhart mentioned that the women in the saved photos were frequently depicted wearing bikinis or were completely unclothed.
She added, “These were all cache files saved to his device.”
Moreover, she mentioned that Kohberger took a few self-portraits of his vehicle – which happened to be a 2016 white Hyundai Elantra, the same one he used during the night of the killings.
In essence, Barnhart posits that these images offer a peek into Kohberger’s activities prior to the murders. However, it’s important to note that the photos he kept were never dispatched or divulged to anyone else.
The investigator concluded that Kohberger, who admitted to all four murders during a plea deal before his sentencing on July 23, seemed to lead a solitary life and possess an inflated sense of self-importance. This is reminiscent of the serial killer character played by Christian Bale in the 2000 film “American Psycho,” according to her.
“Very vain,” she said of his phone’s camera roll, “like American Psycho.“
In Kohberger’s case, it’s not the initial photos that have been discovered; rather, during the trial, additional images emerged. Specifically, one selfie was presented which was taken by Kohberger at age 32 in his apartment bathroom on the Washington State University campus, following his drive back from the murder scene in Moscow, Idaho on November 13, 2022. The image shows him flashing a thumbs up.
Additionally, the Moscow Police Department has publicly released images from the crime scenes attributed to Kohberger. These include a picture of a bed stained with blood and another showing the shattered sliding glass door, which they suspect he used to gain entry into the house on King Road that has since been demolished.
Even though the images eventually became public, Steve Goncalves (Kaylee Goncalves’ father) had previously expressed his desire to keep such photos private.
During his interview on NewsNation’s Banfield on August 6, he expressed that, “Those children are ours, and we’re not tolerating such behavior.” He further added, “I wish for them to maintain their dignity and avoid such situations.
For a deeper dive into the Idaho murders, keep reading.
The individuals in question – Kaylee Goncalves (age 21), Madison Mogen (also 21), Xana Kernodle (aged 20), and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin (also 20) – were students at the University of Idaho, residing in an apartment off-campus.
On November 12, 2022, Goncalves and Mogen spent their evening at a sports bar nearby, while Kernodle and Chapin attended a party at Chapin’s fraternity. Fast forward to 2 a.m. on November 13, all four roommates, including Chapin, returned to their three-story rental house.
As an ardent admirer putting words to the tale, let me share that I, myself, was a seasoned student majoring in general studies at the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences. With December quickly approaching, it was anticipated that I would be donning my cap and gown for graduation before jetting off to Austin, Texas, to take up a position at a marketing firm – as Jordyn Quesnell shared with The New York Times.
Mogen, a marketing student, has been close friends with Goncalves since the 6th grade. According to family friend Jessie Frost, Mogen intends to relocate to Boise following graduation.
At that time, Kernodle was a junior studying marketing, as stated by the university. Kernodle and Chapin, who majored in recreation, sport, and tourism management, had been together since the spring, according to their neighbor, Ellie McKnight, as reported by NBC News.
Two individuals, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, who were housemates, were at home when the murders occurred. Text messages that were made public on March 6, 2025, revealed that following a sighting of a masked man moving about their house by Mortensen, they both attempted to reach out to their roommates on November 13th, as documented by TopMob News.
“No one is answering,” Mortensen texted Funke at 4:22 a.m. “I’m rlly confused rn.”
She persistently contacted their roommates, encouraging them to get back to her. At 4:32 a.m. and then again at 10:23 a.m., she sent texts to Goncalves, saying “Please reply” and “Are you awake?” respectively.
Around 11:58 a.m., a 911 call was made following the discovery of Kernodle being unconscious. An additional motion, reported by TopMob News, revealed this information. In the transcript, a woman identified as A1 detailed the current state of affairs to the operator.
She mentioned on the phone that one of the roommates who had too much to drink last night hasn’t woken up yet, and they noticed a stranger in their home last night.
Bryan Kohberger, the individual facing charges for four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary, was a doctoral student at Washington State University. Approximately a month following the discovery of the bodies belonging to Gonclaves, Mogen, Kernodle, and Chapin, on December 30th, he was arrested in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. He was transported to Idaho on January 4th, 2023.
In June of 2023, I discovered that my DNA was matched to a knife sheath left at the crime scene, as stated in court documents disclosed by NBC News. This connection, unfortunately, implicated me in the killings according to the authorities.
When the DNA didn’t find a match in the FBI database, authorities decided to search public ancestry websites for possible suspects, as stated in the documents. Once they discovered Kohberger had visited his parents’ home in Monroe County, local officials proceeded to examine their trash and found DNA that linked him to the DNA on the sheath.
Currently, no specific reason behind the attack has been disclosed, as a court order prohibits most parties connected to the case from making public statements. Nevertheless, unveiled records offer some understanding of their initial defense strategies.
As a dedicated follower, I find myself compelled to share a perspective on a recent court case: the attorneys for Brian Kohberger have filed a motion requesting to dismiss the death penalty. Originally charged with capital offenses if found guilty across all counts, it’s been disclosed that Mr. Kohberger may be diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). They argue that carrying out the death sentence in this case would contravene the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on inflicting “cruel and unusual punishment.
As an ardent admirer, I’d say it like this: I’ve noticed that Kohbereger tends to think in a very structured manner, often getting stuck on particular topics. His approach to information can be fragmented, making it difficult for him to plan ahead effectively. Moreover, he seems to lack self-awareness regarding his own actions and feelings, which is quite intriguing to me as a fan.
Because of Asperger’s Syndrome, Mr. Kohberger struggles to conform to societal standards of typical behavior. This unfortunate condition raises a grave concern that he may face execution not for his actions but due to his disability.
Initially, during his May 2023 arraignment, a judge entered a ‘not guilty’ plea on behalf of Kohberger for the first-degree murder charges as he chose to remain silent. Despite his trial being scheduled for October 2, 2023, Kohberger voluntarily renounced his right to a swift trial in August 2023.
The start of his trial, initially planned for Ada County over 300 miles away from Latah County where the crimes occurred, was scheduled for August 11, 2025.
Previously, Judge John Judge, from Latah County, granted a transfer request submitted by Brian Kohberger’s legal team in September 2024, citing potential bias in the local community as the reason for moving the trial to another jurisdiction due to “presumed prejudice.
The Ada County judge, Steven Hippler, rejected the defense’s plea to exclude crucial DNA evidence, cell phone and email records, security camera footage, purchase history from Amazon, and DNA evidence during the trial.
The trial for Kohberger’s murder charges was unexpectedly halted on June 30, 2025, as he opted for a plea bargain offered by the prosecution. In exchange, he admitted guilt for four counts of murder and one count of burglary, relinquished his right to appeal, and requested a less severe prison term.
On July 2, 2025, he admitted his guilt in court when asked by the judge if he intentionally, illegally, and with premeditation caused harm to all four victims, answering “yes” to confirm this.
On March 2025, a selfie taken by Kohberger the day after the murders was presented. In this picture, he stands before a shower with a thumbs up, and his bushy eyebrows align with the description given by witness “D.M.” in court documents.
In response to the interview on Fox and Friends, Steve Goncalves, who is Kaylee’s father, subsequently referred to the image as a “trophy.
According to Gonclaves, he was well-aware of the sequence of events. It appears that the individual had recently revisited the crime scene, and upon his return, he noticed something striking – no one had dialed 911 for help.
He explained it this way: “That’s his small victory symbol, a way for him to feel like, ‘I’ve escaped unnoticed.’
In a 2025 Dateline documentary on the murders, a former classmate of Kohberger’s shared details about an unusual text she got from him following their encounter at a party.
As an ardent fan, I found myself almost compelled to engage with him, given that he appeared a tad uncomfortable. It struck me as typical for a doctoral student who was probably new to the gathering and was perhaps making an effort to step out of his shell and socialize, hoping to make some connections.
The following day, Holly said she received a text from him, which she described as overly formal.
Hey, I think we talked about going hiking yesterday, right? I love that activity, so let me know if we’re doing it soon. Cheers!
In a different part of the Dateline documentary, it was discovered that Kohberger’s online browsing contained queries about Ted Bundy, Britney Spears’ song “Criminal,” and the phrase “Murders at University of Idaho.
After reaching an agreement that would avoid the death penalty for him, Brian Kohberger pleaded guilty on July 2, 2025, during a court hearing in Idaho, admitting to the murders of Goncalves, Mogen, Kernodle, and Chapin, along with one charge of burglary.
As a devoted follower of the proceedings, I can rephrase that statement as follows: When Judge Hippler asked me, Kohberger, whether I had intentionally, unlawfully, deliberately, and with premeditation and malice, taken the lives of each victim, I answered affirmatively for every inquiry, responding firmly with a “Yes” each time.
By accepting the plea deal, Kohberger relinquished the opportunity to challenge the verdict or request a less severe prison term, as stated by Hippler.
Despite the disagreement from both the Goncalves and Kernodle families over the plea bargain that removed the possibility of capital punishment, Thomas Kohberger was formally sentenced to life imprisonment on July 23, 2025.
The judge handed down a sentence to Kohberger, dictating that he serve four life terms in prison without the option of parole for each charge of first-degree murder. For each murder charge, he was also fined $50,000. In addition, he was ordered to pay a $5,000 civil penalty to every family of the victims. The judge also included a 10-year sentence and imposed a fine of $50,000 for the burglary count.
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2025-08-16 01:17