Outline:
New Details Emerge About Bryan Kohberger’s Behavior Before the Idaho Murders
Newly released police documents have shed light on the disturbing behavior of Bryan Kohberger before he carried out the brutal killings of four Idaho college students. These details, which include unsettling interactions on dating apps and conversations with a club dancer, provide further insight into the mindset of the man now serving four life sentences for his crimes.
According to a tip received by authorities, Kohberger asked a woman on Tinder what she thought was the “worst way to die.” He then mentioned the same military knife brand he used in the murders, according to the information provided. This chilling exchange is one of many that have come to light following Kohberger’s sentencing in the case.
The Moscow Police Department released hundreds of pages of documents after Kohberger was sentenced to four consecutive life terms for the deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. The killings occurred on November 13, 2022, and have left the community in shock.
In March 2024, police followed up on a tip from a woman who claimed she had matched with Kohberger on Tinder in September or October of 2022. The woman, referred to as “C” in the report, said their conversation took an ominous turn when Kohberger asked about her views on the worst way to die. She responded that it would be a knife, and Kohberger then asked if she meant a Ka Bar, a brand of military-style knife that he had purchased months earlier.
Although the murder weapon itself has never been recovered, Kohberger left the leather sheath at the crime scene beside Madison Mogen’s body. The woman stopped communicating with Kohberger because his questions made her uncomfortable. However, there was no evidence to corroborate her account, as she no longer had access to her Tinder account and there was no record of her contacting the FBI.
Another tip came from a dancer at a club, who claimed she gave Kohberger a private dance between 2018 and 2019. She told police that Kohberger spoke about “wanting to kill people” while she performed for him. The woman, referred to as “H” in the report, said Kohberger seemed to be talking to himself during the encounter, which made her uneasy. She recalled asking him jokingly who he planned to kill, and he replied, “whoever I want.”
During the dance, Kohberger reportedly asked her to look directly into his eyes and questioned her about her car and where she lived. After the interaction, she warned the bouncers to keep an eye on him. She later recognized Kohberger from his photograph after his arrest and wanted to inform investigators, though she had no additional information to support her story.
Additional concerns about Kohberger’s behavior were raised by professors at Washington State University, where he worked as a teaching assistant. Some discussed the possibility of an intervention due to his conduct towards female students. A screenshot of text messages between professors, dated September 14, 2022, showed one professor stating, “A tells me we need to do an intervention with Kohberger. She’s going to try to gather information but apparently he’s offended several of our female students.”
Another document detailed an interview with a former teaching assistant, referred to as “L,” who shared an office with Kohberger in the fall semester of 2022. L reported that Kohberger attempted to use his position as a TA to interact inappropriately with female students. He also mentioned that they often talked about Kohberger wanting a girlfriend.
Latah County prosecutor Bill Thompson emphasized that there was “no evidence there was any sexual component or sexual assault on any of the victims” in the November 2022 killings.
At Kohberger’s sentencing in Boise, Idaho, he was confronted by the loved ones of the victims, who called him a “psychopath” and a “hollow vessel.” Kohberger only spoke to respectfully decline addressing the court. With no clear motive and no known link between the killer and the victims, the reasons behind one of the most shocking crimes in Idaho history remain a mystery.