Newly released photos of Bryan Kohberger paint a disturbing picture of the man behind the murders of four University of Idaho students.
The 30-year-old criminology PhD student turned killer was captured in several shirtless selfies, grinning and flexing his muscles, some images hinting at the violence he committed.
The images, obtained from the Latah County Sheriff’s Office, include a shocking selfie where Kohberger gives a two-finger salute to his forehead.
A visible cut on his ring finger may have come from his struggle with his victims during the stabbing spree.
The Night of the Murders
On November 13, 2022, Kohberger broke into a student home at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho.
Among the victims, Xana Kernodle, 20, was awake and fought desperately for her life, suffering more than 50 stab wounds, most of them defensive.
The other three victims—Kaylee Goncalves (21), Madison Mogen (21), and Ethan Chapin (20)—were also stabbed multiple times in the brutal attack.
Court documents and surveillance evidence reveal the sheer ferocity of Kohberger’s actions, leaving families and the community devastated.
Disturbing Digital Footprints
Digital forensics experts discovered multiple shirtless selfies and videos on Kohberger’s Android phone, showing him flexing and posing eerily.
In one selfie taken just six hours after the murders, Kohberger is seen smiling with wet hair in his Pullman, Washington apartment, giving a thumbs-up to the camera.
Despite his attempts to scrub his devices, investigators uncovered a range of disturbing searches.
Kohberger’s online activity revealed fetishes involving non-consensual acts, including terms like “sleeping,” “passed out,” “forced rape,” and “drugged.”
Experts also noted his obsession with serial killers and home invasions.
His research included studying Danny Rolling, the Gainesville Ripper, whose crimes bore chilling similarities to Kohberger’s attack, including the use of a Ka-Bar knife.
A Lifetime of Dark Fascination
Court documents show that Kohberger had long been interested in violent crime.
From criminology essays analyzing murder cases to Reddit surveys about criminal behavior, he meticulously studied crime scenes and offenders years before committing his own acts.
Even his professors and classmates noticed alarming behavior.
Some described him as sexist and creepy, with female students avoiding him and one faculty member warning he had the potential to become a future rapist.
Plea Deal and Sentencing
Just weeks before his trial, Kohberger struck a plea deal with prosecutors to avoid the death penalty.
On July 23, he pleaded guilty to all charges and waived his right to appeal.
He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, giving the victims’ families a chance to confront him in court.
He is now serving his sentence in Idaho’s maximum-security prison, where he has already filed complaints about fellow inmates, highlighting his continued manipulative and controlling behavior.
Motive Remains a Mystery
Despite extensive investigations, the reason behind Kohberger’s attack remains unclear.
Experts like Dr. Katherine Ramsland, who taught him at DeSales University, describe the murders as incomprehensible, emphasizing the suffering of the victims’ families above all.
The combination of unsettling selfies, digital evidence, and his obsessive fascination with violent crime paints a disturbing portrait of a man capable of unimaginable violence.
Yet, the exact motive and connection to his victims may never be fully understood.