Approximately two weeks before four University of Idaho students were discovered stabbed to death in a residence close to campus, Bryan Kohberger was attending a criminology class at a nearby college.
During the class, he actively participated in discussions about forensic science, DNA, and the types of evidence used to secure convictions.
The 28-year-old graduate student, who had a keen interest in criminal psychology, was noted for his engagement in the subject.
Kohberger, who had previously studied under a well-known professor specializing in serial killers in Pennsylvania and was working toward a Ph.D. in criminology at Washington State University—located just 10 miles from the Idaho crime scene—was deeply absorbed in the subject matter.
Within less than two months, Kohberger would find himself at the center of a criminal investigation, having been arrested and charged with the murder of the four Idaho students on Friday.
While investigators have yet to disclose a motive, Kohberger’s profound fascination with criminal psychology has added another layer of intrigue to a case that has deeply affected the college town of Moscow, Idaho, and generated widespread speculation and horror across the nation.
Kohberger was apprehended at his parents’ residence in Effort, Pennsylvania, and is scheduled for an extradition hearing on Tuesday.
His public defender, Jason LaBar, stated that Kohberger was following the case with interest but was “shocked” by his arrest.
According to LaBar, Kohberger expressed a desire to be exonerated and would not contest his return to Idaho to face the charges.
On Sunday, Kohberger’s family released a statement expressing their love and support for him and their cooperation with law enforcement to uphold his presumption of innocence, while also offering prayers for the victims.