Bryan Kohberger, responsible for the deaths of four University of Idaho students, maintained a composed demeanor during his initial police interview. He discussed his Ph.D. program in detail before suddenly transitioning the conversation to topics like his parents, his dog, and his right to legal counsel.
A newly released summary from the Moscow Police Department reveals that Kohberger, aged 30, admitted to receiving a crime alert from Washington State University (WSU). While he acknowledged being aware of the murders, he exercised his Fifth Amendment rights when asked for more information.
Moscow Police Corporal Brett Payne and Idaho State Police Detective Darren Gilberton interviewed Kohberger at the Pennsylvania State Police barracks in Stroudsburg. Upon being introduced by Payne, Kohberger remarked, “you do look familiar,” as noted in the report from Moscow police.
Kohberger said “the only thing he heard of from Moscow was an alert that came to his phone,” according to that report.
Police said that he began to speak about the beauty of the environment and its relationship to God and a higher power.
“We spoke about this for some time and Kohberger said he was raised Christian but was always a skeptic except when confronted with the beauty of the natural world,” the police document said.
Bryan Kohberger was stopped by Indiana police on Dec. 15, 2022 before he was identified as a suspect in the murder of four University of Idaho students. (Hancock County Police Department)
Bryan Kohberger’s white Hyundai Elantra is seen during a traffic stop. (Hancock County Sheriff’s Department)
When asked if his father and he had made any stops on their lengthy road trip back to Pennsylvania, Kohberger said that their “main goal was just [to] drive.”
“Kohberger then told a story about seeing an unmarked police car near Kansas City speed up behind him, catch up to another vehicle, turn on its emergency lights, then drive away.
“Kohberger thought this was strange and was unsure why it occurred,” the document said.
When the police told Kohberger that the attack on the Idaho students was why they were there and asked him if he wanted to talk about that, Kohberger replied: “I think I would need a lawyer.”
