Bryan Kohberger seen moments after arrest in newly released photo

Yahoo

4 days ago

A newly released picture shows University of Idaho murderer Bryan Kohberger moments after his arrest in the high-profile slayings.
Kohberger, a criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University in Pullman at the time of the November 2022 killings, was at his parents' home in eastern Pennsylvania when he was arrested on the morning of Dec. 30, 2022.
It appeared Kohberger was "sorting through garbage, with gloves on, just shortly before the arrest occurred," Idaho State Police Lt. Darren Gilbertson told ABC News.
The photo shows the now-convicted killer staring at the camera, wearing black shorts and a hooded sweatshirt with his hands behind his back.
MORE: Idaho murders: Investigators speak out about targets, motive and interviewing Kohberger
"I'll never forget -- my phone dinged and I looked at it and it said, 'We got him,'" current Moscow Police Chief Anthony Dahlinger told ABC News of that moment. "The next thing on, there was a picture of him in handcuffs from the scene."
"I can't describe the relief that washed over in that moment," Dahlinger said. "So being able to share that information with the community, I can only imagine that many of us in the community felt the same when we knew that we had him."
MORE: Idaho killings latest: Motive unknown but 'new information could come out,' former chief says
Gilbertson, the lead investigator, was among the authorities who interviewed Kohberger that day.
He described Kohberger as "expressionless," but said the former criminology student liked to "speak to you and teach and enlighten you."
"We started with just very general questions about Pullman, about WSU ... he spoke at length about that with us," Gilbertson said.
MORE: Idaho families slam Bryan Kohberger at emotional sentencing hearing: 'Hell will be waiting'
Gilbertson said Kohberger asked several times why he was being interviewed.
Gilbertson said he eventually told the suspect, "We're here because of the case in Moscow."
"As soon as we mentioned that, then he stopped, and he said, 'I don't want to talk anymore.' We asked if he was familiar with it, if he knew anything about Moscow, and he said, no ... and stopped right then and said he wanted an attorney," Gilbertson said.
He said police left that interview feeling like they "had their guy."
Kohberger was sentenced last week to four life sentences plus 10 years after pleading guilty to all charges in the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. The four students were stabbed to death at the girls' home on Nov. 13, 2022. Moscow police said they don't know which victim was the specific target and have not found any link between Kohberger and the victims.