A Washington State University faculty member warned colleagues months before the Idaho murders that Bryan Kohberger would likely become a predator if given his PhD. The woman, who described herself as someone who "works with predators", urged co-workers to cut Kohberger's funding to remove him from the criminal justice programme.
"Mark my word, I work with predators, if we give him a Ph.D., that's the guy that in in that many years when he is a professor, we will hear is harassing, stalking, and sexually abusing ... his students at wherever university," she told colleagues according to police reports released last week.
Scale of ignored complaints
Washington State University received nine separate complaints from faculty members, administration staff and students about Kohberger's "rude and belittling behavior toward women" before the murders. In response, the university held mandatory training for all graduate students about behaviour expectations.
The faculty member told police that Kohberger would block doorways when female graduate students were working, physically preventing their exit. She would intervene when hearing women say "I really need to get out of here" to allow students to leave.
Academic focus and department concerns
An unnamed PhD student in Kohberger's programme told police he enjoyed conflict, was disparaging toward women and particularly liked discussing sexual burglary - his field of study. Some department members speculated he might be a future rapist or an "incel".
The faculty member believed Kohberger was stalking people, telling police that someone had reportedly broken into a female graduate student's apartment, stealing perfume and underwear. Only Daily Mail reports that Goncalves herself experienced multiple stalking incidents before the murders, including someone following her to her car and breaking into her vehicle.
The murders and conviction
Bryan Kohberger was sentenced to life in prison without parole last month for the stabbing murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. The four University of Idaho students were killed at a rental home near the Moscow, Idaho campus on November 13, 2022.
According to Daily Mail, Kohberger called out Goncalves' name during the murders, saying "It's OK Kaylee. I'm here for you" according to surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen.
Behavioural changes after murders
Fellow students noticed Kohberger's behaviour changed dramatically after the killings. He stopped bringing his mobile phone to class and appeared more disheveled in the weeks following the murders.
One student found it odd that he never participated in conversations about the Moscow deaths. About three weeks after the murders, Kohberger told a classmate that whoever committed the crimes "must have been pretty good" and described them as a "one and done type thing".
The student eventually called a police tip line to report seeing Kohberger with bloody knuckles just before the killings, saying his hand looked like he had been hitting something.
Sources used: "PA Media", "Independent", "Daily Mail" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
