Kohberger's mom sent him article about murders

By RACHEL SHARP, CRIME CORRESPONDENT

Published: | Updated:

Bombshell cell phone data has revealed Bryan Kohberger discussed the University of Idaho murders with his mom days after his killing spree. Heather Barnhart, Senior Director of Forensic Research at Cellebrite, and Jared Barnhart, Head of CX Strategy and Advocacy at Cellebrite, told NewsNation Kohberger's mother MaryAnn Kohberger sent her son a news article about the case in a text message on November 17, 2022. The article detailed the graphic injuries suffered by 20-year-old victim Xana Kernodle , 'basically describing how Xana had bruises on her body and how she had put up such a fight,' Jared said. When the text was sent, the mother and son were on the phone to each other - suggesting they may have been discussing the murders on the call.

Bombshell cell phone data has revealed Bryan Kohberger discussed the University of Idaho murders with his mom days after his killing spree. Heather Barnhart, Senior Director of Forensic Research at Cellebrite, and Jared Barnhart, Head of CX Strategy and Advocacy at Cellebrite, told NewsNation Kohberger's mother MaryAnn Kohberger sent her son a news article about the case in a text message on November 17, 2022. The article detailed the graphic injuries suffered by 20-year-old victim Xana Kernodle , 'basically describing how Xana had bruises on her body and how she had put up such a fight,' Jared said. When the text was sent, the mother and son were on the phone to each other - suggesting they may have been discussing the murders on the call.

'Looking at the timeline a little bit, you can tell that they're actually speaking on the phone. What that tells us, and we can assume, is that they were talking about the Idaho murders on that night,' Jared said. The mom and son had spent 'hours' on the phone to each other that day, the digital forensics experts learned. It was also the same day Kohberger was working on 'grievance letters' to send to his professors at Washington State University (WSU) after they placed him on an improvement plan following a string of complaints about both his professional performance and his behavior toward female students. Kohberger did not respond to his mom's text message that night.

'Looking at the timeline a little bit, you can tell that they're actually speaking on the phone. What that tells us, and we can assume, is that they were talking about the Idaho murders on that night,' Jared said. The mom and son had spent 'hours' on the phone to each other that day, the digital forensics experts learned. It was also the same day Kohberger was working on 'grievance letters' to send to his professors at Washington State University (WSU) after they placed him on an improvement plan following a string of complaints about both his professional performance and his behavior toward female students. Kohberger did not respond to his mom's text message that night.

When they began texting again the following morning, there was no mention of the murders that had taken place a short 10-minute drive from Kohberger's student home in Pullman, Washington - just over the state border in Moscow, Idaho. The digital forensics experts said the absence of any further discussion could be a sign Kohberger deleted text messages between him and his mother - or that they only spoke about the case on calls. The apparent discussion of the case came just four days after the 30-year-old criminology PhD student broke into an off-campus home in Moscow in the early hours of November 13, 2022, with the intent to kill.

When they began texting again the following morning, there was no mention of the murders that had taken place a short 10-minute drive from Kohberger's student home in Pullman, Washington - just over the state border in Moscow, Idaho. The digital forensics experts said the absence of any further discussion could be a sign Kohberger deleted text messages between him and his mother - or that they only spoke about the case on calls. The apparent discussion of the case came just four days after the 30-year-old criminology PhD student broke into an off-campus home in Moscow in the early hours of November 13, 2022, with the intent to kill.

Inside, he stabbed to death 21-year-old best friends Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, and 20-year-old couple Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. Kohberger was arrested around six weeks later at his parents' home in the Poconos region of Pennsylvania where he had returned for the holidays. After fighting the charges for more than two years, he pleaded guilty to the charges this July - weeks before his capital murder trial was set to begin. He was sentenced to life in prison and has waived his right to appeal. There is no indication that any of Kohberger's family members knew he was the perpetrator prior to his change of plea.

Inside, he stabbed to death 21-year-old best friends Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, and 20-year-old couple Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. Kohberger was arrested around six weeks later at his parents' home in the Poconos region of Pennsylvania where he had returned for the holidays. After fighting the charges for more than two years, he pleaded guilty to the charges this July - weeks before his capital murder trial was set to begin. He was sentenced to life in prison and has waived his right to appeal. There is no indication that any of Kohberger's family members knew he was the perpetrator prior to his change of plea.

The Cellebrite team had been hired by state prosecutors to dig into Kohberger's Android cell phone and laptop back in March 2023 and were set to testify as expert witnesses in Kohberger's trial. In an interview with the Daily Mail last month , the team said their analysis of the mass killer's digital footprint had unearthed an intense relationship between Kohberger and his parents, Michael and MaryAnn Kohberger - in particular his mom who he would call multiple times and speak for hours on the phone every day. His parents, who were saved in his phone as 'Mother' and 'Father', appeared to be Kohberger's sole source of communication. 'There wasn't any calls or texts to friends. There was one group chat with a couple of classmates that he was very inactive on,' Heather told the Daily Mail.

The Cellebrite team had been hired by state prosecutors to dig into Kohberger's Android cell phone and laptop back in March 2023 and were set to testify as expert witnesses in Kohberger's trial. In an interview with the Daily Mail last month , the team said their analysis of the mass killer's digital footprint had unearthed an intense relationship between Kohberger and his parents, Michael and MaryAnn Kohberger - in particular his mom who he would call multiple times and speak for hours on the phone every day. His parents, who were saved in his phone as 'Mother' and 'Father', appeared to be Kohberger's sole source of communication. 'There wasn't any calls or texts to friends. There was one group chat with a couple of classmates that he was very inactive on,' Heather told the Daily Mail.

But, the 30-year-old killer spoke to his mom 'all the time… every day and night'. 'His primary source of communication was to his mother,' she said. 'He talked to her constantly. And if she wouldn't answer immediately, he would call his father or text him and say, 'why is she not answering?' He would go back and forth if they didn't answer. And sometimes even after the calls ended, he would then text.' 'Dad won't answer,' one text to his mother read, with a sad face emoji.

But, the 30-year-old killer spoke to his mom 'all the time… every day and night'. 'His primary source of communication was to his mother,' she said. 'He talked to her constantly. And if she wouldn't answer immediately, he would call his father or text him and say, 'why is she not answering?' He would go back and forth if they didn't answer. And sometimes even after the calls ended, he would then text.' 'Dad won't answer,' one text to his mother read, with a sad face emoji.

The calls from Kohberger to his parents would often begin as early as 4am and would end very late at night. 'It was almost like his mother would calm him before bed, and then he would wake up and call her again,' Heather said. The data revealed that Kohberger called his mom just two hours after carrying out his murderous rampage. Kohberger broke into 1122 King Road at around 4am on November 13, 2022 - killing all four victims in around 15 minutes before fleeing the scene.

The calls from Kohberger to his parents would often begin as early as 4am and would end very late at night. 'It was almost like his mother would calm him before bed, and then he would wake up and call her again,' Heather said. The data revealed that Kohberger called his mom just two hours after carrying out his murderous rampage. Kohberger broke into 1122 King Road at around 4am on November 13, 2022 - killing all four victims in around 15 minutes before fleeing the scene.

He had turned his phone off between 2:54am and 4:48am in a move to avoid detection. He arrived back at his apartment in Pullman, Washington, at around 5:30am, after driving a long-winded route through rural backroads. He then called his mother at 6:13am - just two hours after the murders. When she didn't answer, he called his dad at 6:14am. At 6:17am, he called MaryAnn again and this time she answered, speaking to him for 36 minutes.

He had turned his phone off between 2:54am and 4:48am in a move to avoid detection. He arrived back at his apartment in Pullman, Washington, at around 5:30am, after driving a long-winded route through rural backroads. He then called his mother at 6:13am - just two hours after the murders. When she didn't answer, he called his dad at 6:14am. At 6:17am, he called MaryAnn again and this time she answered, speaking to him for 36 minutes.

Around an hour after they ended the call, Kohberger called his mom again at 8:03am. That call lasted 54 minutes, hanging up just before 9am - the same time that the mass killer returned to the scene of his crime. Kohberger left his apartment around 9am and made the 10-minute drive to 1122 King Road, previously released court records show. He stayed there for around 10 minutes from 9:12 to 9:21am, before arriving home again at about 9.30. It remains unknown why he returned and what exactly he did during that short window.

Around an hour after they ended the call, Kohberger called his mom again at 8:03am. That call lasted 54 minutes, hanging up just before 9am - the same time that the mass killer returned to the scene of his crime. Kohberger left his apartment around 9am and made the 10-minute drive to 1122 King Road, previously released court records show. He stayed there for around 10 minutes from 9:12 to 9:21am, before arriving home again at about 9.30. It remains unknown why he returned and what exactly he did during that short window.

At that time, the murders had not yet been discovered. The victims' friends discovered their bodies just before midday, when they then called 911. Later that day, Kohberger spoke to his mother again - first for two minutes at 4:05pm and then for 96 minutes at 5:53pm. In total, they had spent more than three hours on the phone the day of the murders. The Cellebrite team said that Kohberger's constant calls to his mom - including early in the morning - 'was normal for him'. It's a pattern that Kohberger appears to have continued behind bars where he would spend hours on video calls with his mom MaryAnn while awaiting trial.

At that time, the murders had not yet been discovered. The victims' friends discovered their bodies just before midday, when they then called 911. Later that day, Kohberger spoke to his mother again - first for two minutes at 4:05pm and then for 96 minutes at 5:53pm. In total, they had spent more than three hours on the phone the day of the murders. The Cellebrite team said that Kohberger's constant calls to his mom - including early in the morning - 'was normal for him'. It's a pattern that Kohberger appears to have continued behind bars where he would spend hours on video calls with his mom MaryAnn while awaiting trial.

Moscow Police records released after his sentencing reveal an inmate reported one incident: during one of those calls, the inmate had said, 'you suck', directed at a sports player he was watching on TV. The remark rattled Kohberger, causing him to respond aggressively, thinking the inmate was speaking about him or his mother, the records show. The new details about his interactions with his mom come as a trove of new evidence photos were released showing the inside of Kohberger's WSU apartment. The images show a spartan home with desolate shelves, bare cupboards and coat hangers hanging in near-empty closets. There are no pictures or posters on the walls, no photos of family or friends, and few personal touches typical of a student home.

Moscow Police records released after his sentencing reveal an inmate reported one incident: during one of those calls, the inmate had said, 'you suck', directed at a sports player he was watching on TV. The remark rattled Kohberger, causing him to respond aggressively, thinking the inmate was speaking about him or his mother, the records show. The new details about his interactions with his mom come as a trove of new evidence photos were released showing the inside of Kohberger's WSU apartment. The images show a spartan home with desolate shelves, bare cupboards and coat hangers hanging in near-empty closets. There are no pictures or posters on the walls, no photos of family or friends, and few personal touches typical of a student home.

Among the handful of personal belongings are two birthday cards - one from his parents - to mark his 28th birthday eight days on from the murders, on November 21, 2022. The card from his parents features a gushing message on the front referring to his move from their home state of Pennsylvania to Washington that summer. ‘A son leaves your home but never leaves your heart. He discovers his own happiness which, in turn, becomes yours,’ the card, decorated in flowers, reads. The second card features a cartoon image of President Theodore Roosevelt riding a dinosaur. The sender added personal anecdotes and references to the card, with two blue arrows pointing to the president and the dinosaur and the handwritten words: ‘Both of your egos’. ‘You are a dino + professor LMAO,’ the person added in blue ink.

Among the handful of personal belongings are two birthday cards - one from his parents - to mark his 28th birthday eight days on from the murders, on November 21, 2022. The card from his parents features a gushing message on the front referring to his move from their home state of Pennsylvania to Washington that summer. ‘A son leaves your home but never leaves your heart. He discovers his own happiness which, in turn, becomes yours,’ the card, decorated in flowers, reads. The second card features a cartoon image of President Theodore Roosevelt riding a dinosaur. The sender added personal anecdotes and references to the card, with two blue arrows pointing to the president and the dinosaur and the handwritten words: ‘Both of your egos’. ‘You are a dino + professor LMAO,’ the person added in blue ink.

Other photos capture Kohberger's stash of textbooks from his criminal justice PhD program at WSU. The books include the titles: 'Unsafe in the Ivory Tower: The Sexual Victimization of College Women', ‘Mass Incarceration on Trial’, ‘Trial by Jury’, and ‘Why the Innocent Plead Guilty and the Guilty Go Free’. There are also several pages of Kohberger’s essays and assignments, including grades and feedback from his professors, as well as a letter detailing the improvement plan his professors placed him. Police records reveal multiple complaints had been filed against him by other students on the criminology program. Kohberger’s classmates and professors found him sexist and creepy - so much so that female students avoided being left alone with him and one faculty member warned he had the potential to become a ‘future rapist’.

Other photos capture Kohberger's stash of textbooks from his criminal justice PhD program at WSU. The books include the titles: 'Unsafe in the Ivory Tower: The Sexual Victimization of College Women', ‘Mass Incarceration on Trial’, ‘Trial by Jury’, and ‘Why the Innocent Plead Guilty and the Guilty Go Free’. There are also several pages of Kohberger’s essays and assignments, including grades and feedback from his professors, as well as a letter detailing the improvement plan his professors placed him. Police records reveal multiple complaints had been filed against him by other students on the criminology program. Kohberger’s classmates and professors found him sexist and creepy - so much so that female students avoided being left alone with him and one faculty member warned he had the potential to become a ‘future rapist’.

The Cellebrite team told NewsNation they found two letters penned by Kohberger arguing against his professors' concerns. He was ultimately fired as a teaching assistant and lost his PhD funding days before Christmas. Days later, on December 30, 2022, police raided his parents' home and took him into custody. On July 2, Kohberger changed his plea to guilty on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary, in a deal with prosecutors to avoid the death penalty. On July 23, he was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. Kohberger’s mother MaryAnn attended both his change of plea hearing and sentencing in Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho . She was joined by Michael at the plea hearing and Kohberger's sister Amanda at the sentencing. Kohberger’s other sister, Melissa, did not attend either. Kohberger is now being held inside Idaho's maximum security prison in Kuna where he has already filed multiple complaints about his fellow inmates.

The Cellebrite team told NewsNation they found two letters penned by Kohberger arguing against his professors' concerns. He was ultimately fired as a teaching assistant and lost his PhD funding days before Christmas. Days later, on December 30, 2022, police raided his parents' home and took him into custody. On July 2, Kohberger changed his plea to guilty on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary, in a deal with prosecutors to avoid the death penalty. On July 23, he was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. Kohberger’s mother MaryAnn attended both his change of plea hearing and sentencing in Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho . She was joined by Michael at the plea hearing and Kohberger's sister Amanda at the sentencing. Kohberger’s other sister, Melissa, did not attend either. Kohberger is now being held inside Idaho's maximum security prison in Kuna where he has already filed multiple complaints about his fellow inmates.

 


 

IdahoBryan KohbergerIdaho Murders

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