Bryan Kohberger, who pleaded guilty to killing four University of Idaho students, is being held in solitary confinement after his fellow inmates conspired to make him “miserable.”
Kohberger, a 30-year-old former PhD criminology student, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after breaking into a Moscow home and fatally stabbing four students in November 2022.
He is being held at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution’s “J block,” a long-term restrictive housing unit, according to records.
According to NewsNation, Kohberger was moved to the restrictive unit after complaining about his fellow inmates who had been terrorizing him.
They’ve shouted at him through the air ducts all day to keep him from sleeping or thinking to himself, according to the outlet.
“We are aware of Kohberger’s complaints about what he considers taunting,” a prison spokesperson told the Independent in a statement. “Inmates commonly communicate with one another in prison.
Bryan Kohberger is housed alone in a cell, and IDOC security personnel ensure a safe and orderly environment for all inmates.”
“The good news is that the inmates were apparently waiting for him,” Chris McDonough, a retired homicide detective and director of the Cold Case Foundation, told NewsNation.
“They are currently making his life absolutely miserable. They’re utilizing the ventilation system. They are kicking in the doors. They are taunting him. “And they’re basically torturing him with psychology,” he explained. “And my goodness, he’s complaining.”
The unit has single-person cells, limits outdoor recreation to one hour per day, and allows inmates to shower every other day, according to the prion spokesperson. All “J block” prisoners are moved in restraints and have access to religious services, JPay communication, and the ability to place commissary orders.
According to the former detective, the convicted murderer is no longer in danger, but he continues to complain to guards.
“At this point, the guards can only write it down or tell him, ‘Hey, there’s nothing we can do. “You are not in physical harm,” McDonough told the outlet.
“They have an obligation to basically protect him, right? However, he is currently isolated. “Those around him can’t reach him physically,” he said. “So, once again, they’ve devised a way to circumvent whatever the rules are. Communication is strictly prohibited within the prison. Inmates are very creative.”
“J Block” can house up to 128 people, including those in general population protective custody, long-term restrictive housing, and death row, according to a prison spokesperson.
“It is truly a prison within a prison. However, he is at a disadvantage because there isn’t much room to start moving other inmates around,” he explained. “So what they wanna do is keep him in protective custody right now until he goes through the process.”
Kohberger has not revealed his motive for the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin. Prosecutors have admitted that there is no known connection between Kohberger and the victims.
He accepted a plea deal last month, admitting to the quadruple murders in exchange for prosecutors dropping the death penalty, effectively ending any hopes of a trial that was set to begin in August.
Families were divided over the plea agreement.
Family members of Goncalves and Kernodle expressed disappointment at the lack of a trial.
“This ain’t justice, no judge presided, no jury weighed the truth,” Goncalves’ family said in a statement. “Thompson deprived us of our day in court. There will be no negotiations, no jury of our peers, and no pretense of cooperation or fairness.
Kernodle’s father told The New York Times that he does “not agree” with the plea deal and is “disappointed in the prosecutors’ decision.”
Chapin and Mogen’s loved ones, however, supported the move.
“While we know there are some who do not support it, we ask that they respect our belief that this is the best outcome,” Mogen’s family said in a statement. “We now embark on a path of hope and healing.”
