Latest news with #criminology
Fox News
2 days ago
- Fox News
Bryan Kohberger questioned: Inside his first interview with police after Idaho student murders
Bryan Kohberger, the killer of four University of Idaho students, remained calm during his first police interview, speaking at length about his Ph.D. program before abruptly shifting focus to his parents, his dog, and his constitutional right to an attorney. According to a newly released police summary from the Moscow Police Department, Kohberger, 30, acknowledged receiving a crime alert from Washington State University (WSU) and admitted, "of course" he knew about the killings but invoked his Fifth Amendment rights when pressed for details. Moscow Police Cpl. Brett Payne and Idaho State Police Det. Darren Gilberton spoke to Kohberger at the Pennsylvania State Police barracks in Stroudsburg. When Payne introduced himself, Kohberger said, "you do look familiar," according to a 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. In Kohberger's first interview with police following the murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, and Xana Kernodle, the students' killer openly talked about his decision to pursue a Ph.D. in criminology. "Knowledge was far more important to him than money," police said, adding that Kohberger said he "loved being in college." He described applying only to WSU and UC Irvine because they didn't require the GRE, and said he had recently returned home to Pennsylvania after driving across the country with his father. Kohberger added WSU had a good program to study under and then said "you guys know all about this more than likely," police documents said. The conversation shifted from small talk, including talking about WSU football and sports, to Kohberger saying he "would appreciate it if we [police] would explain to him what he was doing there," according to the report. Kohberger deflected when asked why he thought the police were there, telling Gilbertson he'd rather have them tell him. "Det. Gilbertson said we were there because of what occurred in Moscow but did not provide any further detail," the report said. Gilbertson asked Kohberger if he watched the news. Kohberger said, "I watch the news." Kohberger then asked where his parents were and where his dog was. READ THE POLICE INTERVIEW WITH KOHBERGER – APP USERS, CLICK HERE The interview, which took place around 2 a.m., shifted to Kohberger's recent drive back to Pennsylvania. Kohberger said he drove across the country and wanted the challenge of that and experience it with his father. He shared that he took a different route back home with his father for Christmas Break to avoid snow. 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. 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."
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Bryan Kohberger transferred to maximum security state prison
Bryan Kohberger will spend the rest of his life in prison, but the details about how and where he'll be kept are still emerging. The 30-year-old former criminologist received four consecutive life sentences plus another 10 years for the murders of University of Idaho students Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. A source with knowledge of the case told Fox News Digital Kohberger was already in custody at the state prison in Kuna, about 16 miles from the Ada County courthouse, by Wednesday afternoon. Kohberger's sentence amounts to "life and death in prison," as Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson put it during a rare news briefing after the hearing. Idaho Victims' Families To Address Killer Directly At Kohberger Sentencing The Idaho Department of Correction declined to give specific details about the transfer process. Read On The Fox News App "Once in IDOC custody, the person goes through a Reception and Diagnostic Unit (RDU) process to evaluate their needs and determine appropriate housing placement; this process takes 7-14 days," a spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "We wait until a person completes RDU to determine their classification, housing placement, and privileges." Bryan Kohberger Traded Death Penalty For Life Sentence That Could Still End Violently Behind Bars WATCH: Sister of Kaylee Goncalves speaks out during Bryan Kohberger's sentencing hearing That evaluation will include a psyche check to determine whether Kohberger may be a threat to himself, other inmates, or prison staff, said Paul Mauro, a retired NYPD inspector and Fox News contributor who has closely followed the case. He'll probably be placed in solitary confinement, Mauro said, at least for a while. But inmates are typically not kept there indefinitely, he said, and eventually he could wind up in general population with other killers. Bryan Kohberger Pleads Guilty To Idaho Murders "In the general population, he is vulnerable, and he's notorious — and in prison, especially for lifers, your reputation as being dangerous and just your reputation in general is the currency," he said. "So there could be somebody looking to do him. On the other hand, we do want to remember Idaho is a death penalty state, and if you're in for life, and you kill somebody, well, that's going to get you to death penalty." Kohberger could try to request an out-of-state transfer, but that would be a rare move, according to Josh Ritter, a criminal defense attorney and the host of "The Courtroom Confidential" podcast. "He's not going anywhere," he told Fox News Digital. Follow The Fox True Crime Team On X During their impact statements during Kohberger's sentencing Wednesday, the victims' families delivered a range of messages, from outrage to forgiveness. "They ran the gamut, right, you have people who were willing to forgive him, and saying you know, 'If you ever want to talk, please call me I'll hear you out,' and then you had people who we're wishing death on him," Mauro told Fox News Digital. Kristi Goncalves, Kaylee's mother, invoked the words Kohberger is believed to have said to the victims, overheard by one of the surviving roommates. SIGN UP TO GET True Crime Newsletter "When those prison doors slam shut behind you, I hope that sound echoes in your heart for the rest of your meaningless days," she said. "I hope it reminds you of what we all already know. You're nothing. May you continue to live your life in misery. But it's OK because they're there 'to help you.' Hell will be waiting." Goncalves' father and sister also alluded to how he may be treated poorly by people bigger than him behind bars. "They want to be in his head. They want him living in fear. They want him thinking in terms of that not only is he a failure, which is what they were calling him, but that he is a target," Mauro said. "They want that on his mind, which is a very wearing thing." LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE True Crime Hub Kohberger's already been rubbing fellow inmates the wrong way, according to files released by the Moscow Police Department Wednesday evening. Investigators overheard a male inmate talking with a female prisoner about Kohberger during jail transport. He called Kohberger a "f---ing weirdo" and said he would've beat him up if he wasn't worried about getting punished for it. Asked if he thought Kohberger committed the crimes, he said yes. "His eyes tell a story," he said. Another inmate told investigators that Kohberger spent hours each day video chatting with his mother while in custody. According to the interview, the inmate was watching sports during one of those calls and said "you suck" at a player on TV. Kohberger, who overheard the comment, allegedly "immediately got up and put his face to the bars" and "aggressively asked if [the inmate] was talking about him or his mother." The inmate said this was the only time he witnessed Kohberger lose his article source: Bryan Kohberger transferred to maximum security state prison
CNN
23-07-2025
- CNN
Family of Univ. of Idaho murder victim dismisses Bryan Kohberger as a ‘joke' and ‘loser' in searing impact statements
The family of Kaylee Goncalves, one of the four University of Idaho students killed by Bryan Kohberger in 2022, called him a 'joke,' 'loser,' and 'as dumb as they come' in a day of searing victim impact statements. 'If you hadn't attacked them in their sleep, in the middle of the night like a pedophile, Kaylee would have kicked your f**king a**,' her sister Alivea Goncalves said to him, earning a round of applause from some of those gathered in the Boise, Idaho, courtroom. The victim impact statements Wednesday came during a hearing that represents the final opportunity for the victims' families to speak in court and reflect on their loved ones, Kohberger and the case's controversial plea deal. Kohberger, too, will have an opportunity to speak to the court and answer the question that remains frustratingly unclear: Why? Earlier this month, the former criminology graduate student admitted to fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students – Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen – in their off-campus home during the overnight hours of November 13, 2022. He pleaded guilty to burglary and four counts of first-degree murder, and in exchange, prosecutors agreed to a sentence of life in prison, taking the death penalty off the table. Speaking directly to Kohberger, Alivea Goncalves said her sister would 'call you exactly what you are: sociopath, psychopath, murderer.' She called Kohberger 'defendant' and asked a series of questions she said 'reverberate violently' in her own head. 'Sit up straight when I talk to you,' she said. 'How was your life right before you murdered my sister? Did you prepare for the crime before leaving your apartment? Please detail what you were thinking and feeling at the time.' 'If you were really smart, do you think you'd be here right now?' She dismissed him as a sociopath, a psychopath and a delusional and pathetic loser. He is 'as dumb as they come,' she said, adding that 'no one thinks that you are important.' 'The truth is, you're basic,' she said. 'Let me be very clear: Don't ever try to convince yourself you matter just because someone finally said your name out loud. I see through you,' she said. Steve Goncalves, the victim's father, turned the lectern to directly face Kohberger in his impact statement. 'The world's watching because of the kids, not because of you. Nobody cares about you. … In time, you will be nothing but two initials, forgotten to the wind,' he said. He called Kohberger a 'joke' and described how easy it was to track him down. 'Police officers tell us within minutes they had your DNA. Like a calling card. You were that careless. That foolish. That stupid. Masters degree? You're a joke. Complete joke,' he said.
CNN
23-07-2025
- CNN
Family of Univ. of Idaho murder victim dismisses Bryan Kohberger as a ‘joke' and ‘loser' in searing impact statements
The family of Kaylee Goncalves, one of the four University of Idaho students killed by Bryan Kohberger in 2022, called him a 'joke,' 'loser,' and 'as dumb as they come' in a day of searing victim impact statements. 'If you hadn't attacked them in their sleep, in the middle of the night like a pedophile, Kaylee would have kicked your f**king a**,' her sister Alivea Goncalves said to him, earning a round of applause from some of those gathered in the Boise, Idaho, courtroom. The victim impact statements Wednesday came during a hearing that represents the final opportunity for the victims' families to speak in court and reflect on their loved ones, Kohberger and the case's controversial plea deal. Kohberger, too, will have an opportunity to speak to the court and answer the question that remains frustratingly unclear: Why? Earlier this month, the former criminology graduate student admitted to fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students – Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen – in their off-campus home during the overnight hours of November 13, 2022. He pleaded guilty to burglary and four counts of first-degree murder, and in exchange, prosecutors agreed to a sentence of life in prison, taking the death penalty off the table. Speaking directly to Kohberger, Alivea Goncalves said her sister would 'call you exactly what you are: sociopath, psychopath, murderer.' She called Kohberger 'defendant' and asked a series of questions she said 'reverberate violently' in her own head. 'Sit up straight when I talk to you,' she said. 'How was your life right before you murdered my sister? Did you prepare for the crime before leaving your apartment? Please detail what you were thinking and feeling at the time.' 'If you were really smart, do you think you'd be here right now?' She dismissed him as a sociopath, a psychopath and a delusional and pathetic loser. He is 'as dumb as they come,' she said, adding that 'no one thinks that you are important.' 'The truth is, you're basic,' she said. 'Let me be very clear: Don't ever try to convince yourself you matter just because someone finally said your name out loud. I see through you,' she said. Steve Goncalves, the victim's father, turned the lectern to directly face Kohberger in his impact statement. 'The world's watching because of the kids, not because of you. Nobody cares about you. … In time, you will be nothing but two initials, forgotten to the wind,' he said. He called Kohberger a 'joke' and described how easy it was to track him down. 'Police officers tell us within minutes they had your DNA. Like a calling card. You were that careless. That foolish. That stupid. Masters degree? You're a joke. Complete joke,' he said.
CNN
23-07-2025
- CNN
Family of Univ. of Idaho murder victim dismisses Bryan Kohberger as a ‘joke' and ‘loser' in searing impact statements
The family of Kaylee Goncalves, one of the four University of Idaho students killed by Bryan Kohberger in 2022, called him a 'joke,' 'loser,' and 'as dumb as they come' in a day of searing victim impact statements. 'If you hadn't attacked them in their sleep, in the middle of the night like a pedophile, Kaylee would have kicked your f**king a**,' her sister Alivea Goncalves said to him, earning a round of applause from some of those gathered in the Boise, Idaho, courtroom. The victim impact statements Wednesday came during a hearing that represents the final opportunity for the victims' families to speak in court and reflect on their loved ones, Kohberger and the case's controversial plea deal. Kohberger, too, will have an opportunity to speak to the court and answer the question that remains frustratingly unclear: Why? Earlier this month, the former criminology graduate student admitted to fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students – Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen – in their off-campus home during the overnight hours of November 13, 2022. He pleaded guilty to burglary and four counts of first-degree murder, and in exchange, prosecutors agreed to a sentence of life in prison, taking the death penalty off the table. Speaking directly to Kohberger, Alivea Goncalves said her sister would 'call you exactly what you are: sociopath, psychopath, murderer.' She called Kohberger 'defendant' and asked a series of questions she said 'reverberate violently' in her own head. 'Sit up straight when I talk to you,' she said. 'How was your life right before you murdered my sister? Did you prepare for the crime before leaving your apartment? Please detail what you were thinking and feeling at the time.' 'If you were really smart, do you think you'd be here right now?' She dismissed him as a sociopath, a psychopath and a delusional and pathetic loser. He is 'as dumb as they come,' she said, adding that 'no one thinks that you are important.' 'The truth is, you're basic,' she said. 'Let me be very clear: Don't ever try to convince yourself you matter just because someone finally said your name out loud. I see through you,' she said. Steve Goncalves, the victim's father, turned the lectern to directly face Kohberger in his impact statement. 'The world's watching because of the kids, not because of you. Nobody cares about you. … In time, you will be nothing but two initials, forgotten to the wind,' he said. He called Kohberger a 'joke' and described how easy it was to track him down. 'Police officers tell us within minutes they had your DNA. Like a calling card. You were that careless. That foolish. That stupid. Masters degree? You're a joke. Complete joke,' he said.
