Bryan Kohberger’s Mom Texted Him About Idaho Murders Before His Arrest

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Maryann Kohberger had a peculiar message exchange with her son.

Four days following the murder of four University of Idaho students by Bryan Kohberger in November 2022 (for which he’s now serving four consecutive life sentences), information about one of the victims, Xana Kernodle, was shared by Kohberger’s mother, as claimed by a forensic expert who inspected his phone and computer.

On the September 2nd episode of Banfield on NewsNation, Jared Barnhart, who worked alongside Heather Barnhart on the forensic team, pointed out an unusual occurrence regarding November 17th. Jared shared that on this specific day, the individual in question had unusually extensive communication with their mother compared to usual, spending several hours on the phone with her.

That evening, he got an email containing a news article link from his mother. The article detailed Xana’s physical injuries and her fierce struggle, but there was no subsequent reply or message.

It was disclosed that upon examining their communication history, Bryan, who had been taken into custody in December 2022 for the murders of Xana (age 20), Kaylee Goncalves (age 21), Madison Mogen (age 21), and Ethan Chapin (age 20) on November 13th, was also found to have been conversing over the phone with Maryann.

On that particular night, the discussion centered around the Idaho murders. However, the following day, there seemed to be a noticeable absence of further information or updates.

Following the conversations, the mother and son pair chose not to delve deeper into the case. Interestingly, Jared pointed out that Maryann had messaged Bryan regarding an apparently unconnected event – about a girl who was particularly kind to elderly women at a local coffee shop, whom she described as “exceptionally courteous towards older female customers.

To tell you the truth, I’m utterly baffled about this mysterious subject. It’s as if someone dropped a cosmic puzzle piece right in our conversation – one moment we were discussing last night’s horrific crimes, and the next, here was this unrelated thing cropping up.

The tech expert then laid out a possible explanation for the disjointed message exchange.

During the conversation, he mentioned another challenge: they seem to be constantly on the phone. This could mean the situation might be simply a phone call without any recorded dialogue. (He said this to host Ashleigh Banfield.)

Even though Maryann hasn’t publicly commented since her son’s conviction, she attended the sentencing hearing on July 23rd, following Bryan’s guilty plea which spared him from receiving a death sentence as an option. As Ben Mogen, Maddie’s father, read his victim impact statement in court, Maryann couldn’t hold back her tears.

As Bryan continued to show no emotions, Ben expressed, “My only child, Maddie, was the one and only exceptional achievement in my life that I’m truly proud of.

He clarified, “She motivate me not only to strive my best but to continue living.” During challenging times of addiction and substance abuse, when I felt like giving up on life, her presence served as a beacon. She was someone who kept me from losing hope, knowing that she existed and was such an exceptional human being.

For a closer look at Bryan Kohberger’s sentencing, keep reading.

The group consisted of Kaylee Goncalves (age 21), Madison Mogen (also 21), Xana Kernodle (age 20), and Ethan Chapin (age 20). All of them were students at the University of Idaho, residing in an apartment off-campus.

On November 12, 2022, Goncalves, Mogen, Kernodle, and Chapin (who were roommates) spent their respective evenings: Goncalves and Mogen were at a nearby sports bar, while Kernodle was at Chapin’s fraternity party. By 2 a.m. on November 13th, they all returned to their three-story rental house.

Goncalves, a senior studying general studies, hailed from the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences. According to her friend Jordyn Quesnell, she was on track to graduate in December, after which she planned to relocate to Austin, Texas, to start a job at a marketing firm with The New York Times reporting this information.

Mogen, a marketing student, has been close friends with Goncalves since the 6th grade. It was reported by family friend Jessie Frost to The Idaho Statesman that she intends to relocate to Boise upon graduation.

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

On the day of the tragic murders, roommates Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke were both present at home. Text messages released on March 6, 2025 reveal that Mortensen and Funke attempted to reach their fellow roommates on November 13, after Mortensen spotted a masked individual wandering through their residence, as detailed in documents acquired 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., she sent Goncalves a text saying, “Please reply,” and later on, at 10:23 a.m., she inquired, “Are you awake?

Around 11:58 a.m., a 911 call was made following the discovery of Kernodle being unresponsive. This information was subsequently obtained by TopMob News, and the call transcript identified a woman as A1 who provided details about the ongoing situation to the operator.

She mentioned over the phone, “One of our flatmates is still asleep from being intoxicated last night and won’t wake up. They spotted a stranger in their home last evening.

Bryan Kohberger, the individual charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary, was pursuing a doctoral degree at Washington State University. Approximately 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 transported to Idaho on January 4, 2023.

In relation to the link between him and the murders, evidence such as DNA discovered on a knife sheath abandoned at the crime site emerged in court papers presented by prosecutors in June 2023, as reported by NBC News.

When the DNA didn’t correspond with anyone in the FBI database, authorities decided to search public ancestry websites to generate a list of possible suspects (as indicated in the documents). Upon discovering that Kohberger had visited his parents’ residence in Monroe County, local officials proceeded to examine their trash and identified DNA links between it and the one found on the sheath.

Currently, no specific reason behind the attack has been disclosed, and a court order prohibits most parties associated with the case from making public statements. Nonetheless, recently unveiled records offer some understanding of their initial defense strategies.

Lawyers for Kohberger, in a motion obtained by TopMob News, are advocating to dismiss the death penalty due to his diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). They argue that imposing the death penalty on him would contradict the Eighth Amendment’s protection against “cruel and unusual punishment.

His defense contends that Kohbereger exhibits an exceptionally inflexible thought process, repeatedly focuses on certain subjects, approaches information in bits and pieces, finds it challenging to think ahead, and shows minimal self-awareness regarding his actions and feelings.

Mr. Kohberger, being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), finds it challenging to conform to common societal norms as expected. This situation raises an alarming concern that he might face capital punishment not due to his wrongdoings, but because of his disability.

At first, Judge Kohberger’s plea was entered as ‘not guilty’ on his behalf due to his silence during the May 2023 arraignment. Despite his trial being scheduled for October 2, 2023, Kohberger chose to relinquish his right to a swift trial in August 2023.

The commencement of his trial, originally planned in Ada County over 300 miles away from Latah County, the location of the murders, was arranged for August 11, 2025.

Previously, Judge John Judge from Latah County decided to grant the defense’s motion for a change of venue, citing potential bias or prejudice as the primary reason, if the trial was to continue in Latah County.

In the upcoming trial, 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, previous Amazon transactions, and DNA findings.

The trial for Kohberger’s murder case was unexpectedly halted on June 30, 2025, when he accepted a plea agreement proposed by prosecutors. As part of this agreement, Kohberger admitted guilt for four counts of murder and one count of burglary. Furthermore, he waived his right to appeal and requested a less severe prison sentence.

On July 2, 2025, he admitted his guilt by pleading responsible in court, affirming with a “yes” when asked whether he intentionally, illegally, deliberately, and with premeditated malice caused the deaths of all four victims.

On March 2025, a selfie taken by Kohberger the day after the murders was presented. In this image, he stands before a shower with a thumbs-up gesture, and his bushy eyebrows resemble the description provided by witness D.M., who reported that the suspect had such facial features in court filings.

As an over-the-moon admirer putting words into Steve Goncalves’s mouth, I’d say: “Upon seeing that photo, I couldn’t help but be enraged. To label it as a ‘trophy’ in the interview with Fox and Friends was more than just an expression of dismay; it was a cry for justice for my beloved daughter Kaylee.

Speaking here as a lifestyle expert, let me clarify the situation from my perspective. The individual in question was aware of the chronology of events; he had revisited the crime scene and found himself back at the location again. Upon his return, it became clear to him that no one had contacted emergency services by dialing 911.

In a nutshell, he was saying that for him, that small item served as a token to remind him of escaping unnoticed, like ‘Ah, I pulled this off without getting caught.’

In a 2025 Dateline documentary on the murders, a previous classmate of Kohberger’s shared an account of an “unusual” message she received from him following their encounter at a party.

Holly expressed that she felt slightly obliged to converse with him, as he appeared a bit uncomfortable to her. This was similar to how you might perceive a PhD student who wasn’t familiar with anyone at the party, possibly making an effort to socialize and connect with others.

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. Since I love this activity, could you please fill me in on the details? Many thanks!”

This version maintains the original meaning and also makes it sound more friendly and conversational.

In the same Dateline documentary, it was discovered that Kohberger’s online history contained inquiries about Ted Bundy, Britney Spears’ song “Criminal,” and the phrase “Murders at University of Idaho.

Following a plea agreement that would instead sentence him to life imprisonment rather than the death penalty, Brian Kohberger confessed his guilt for the murders of Goncalves, Mogen, Kernodle, and Chapin, as well as one count of burglary, during a court hearing in Idaho on July 2, 2025.

Judge Hippler asked Kohberger if he intentionally, illegally, deliberately, and with premeditation and malice in mind, murdered each victim. For every question, Kohberger responded confidently with a simple “Yes.

Through accepting the plea deal, Kohberger relinquished his ability to challenge the verdict or request a less severe prison term, as stated by Hippler.

Despite both the Goncalves and Kernodle families expressing strong opposition towards the arrangement that prevented the imposition of the death penalty, Knabberger was formally sentenced to spend his life behind bars on July 23, 2025.

Judge Hippler handed down four life sentences for Brian Kohberger, all to be served one after another, with no chance of parole for each murder charge. Additionally, he was fined $50,000 for each of the four murder counts and an extra $5,000 to be paid to the families of each victim. For the burglary count, Kohberger received a 10-year sentence and a fine of $50,000.

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2025-09-03 22:19