Quadruple murderer Bryan Kohberger is not likely to be killed by his fellow inmates because the risk of them ending up on death row is too high, an expert has claimed.
Kohberger, 30, was sentenced Wednesday to four consecutive life terms for the brutal November 2022 slayings of four young University of Idaho students.
A plea deal struck earlier this month saw him spared the death penalty, but he will never be able to apply for parole.
He was handed a life sentence for each life he took – one for Madison Mogen, a second for Kaylee Goncalves, a third for Ethan Chapin and the final one for Xana Kernodle, all aged just 19 or 20 at the time of their deaths.
Several of the victims’ loved ones shared their desire for Kohberger to be attacked in prison during their addresses to the court.
And even though his fellow inmates already think he is a ‘f*****g weirdo’, a former police investigator warns murder is not something Kohberger has to fear.
Kohberger is ‘vulnerable’ being confined in the general population unit, retired NYPD inspector Paul Mauro admitted to Fox News, but can find some safety in the fact that ‘Idaho is a death penalty state’.
‘If you’re in for life, and you kill somebody, well, that’s going to get you to death penalty,’ Mauro explained, suggesting that for most prisoners murder is too risky.
Inmates sentenced to execution are housed in a designated part of the prison referred to as ‘death row’ and remain in isolation for 23 hours a day.
As a result of his plea deal, Kohberger won’t be kept near death row inmates – those most likely to be unbothered by the repercussions of committing murder.
Quadruple murderer Bryan Kohberger (pictured during his sentencing Wednesday) is not likely to be killed by his fellow inmates because the risk of ending up on death row is too high, an expert has claimed
Kohberger on Wednesday was handed a life sentence for each life he took – one for Madison Mogen, a second for Kaylee Goncalves, a third for Ethan Chapin and the final one for Xana Kernodle, all aged just 19 or 20 at the time of their deaths
Kohberger was already in custody at the Idaho State Correctional Complex in Kuna by Wednesday afternoon, a source familiar with the case told Fox.
The facility is located about 16 miles away from the Ada County courthouse in Boise, where he was sentenced earlier in the day.
Once in custody, inmates go through an evaluation process to asses their ‘needs’ and ‘determine appropriate housing placement’, a state corrections department official said.
The evaluation, which typically takes seven to 14 days to complete, includes a psyche check to determine whether a prisoner poses a threat to themselves, fellow inmates or prison staff.
The prisoner’s ‘classification, housing placement, and privileges’ will be determined after the evaluation process is complete.
Mauro predicts Kohberger will be temporarily placed in solitary confinement, but eventually join the general prison population with other killers.
And although the victims’ families want Kohberger to ‘living in fear’ and thinking he is a ‘target’ in prison, the ex-inspector does not think threats on his life are likely.
At least one fellow prisoner has already admitted he would have ‘physically assaulted’ Kohberger if he ‘wasn’t worried about further legal repercussions’, jail records reveal.
The inmate was talking about Kohberger during a jail transfer and branded him a ‘f*****g weirdo’.
Another prisoner alleged Kohberger became aggressive during a phone call with his mother MaryAnn after hearing an inmate shout ‘you suck’ at a sports match on TV.
The killer allegedly thought the prisoner was talking about him and his mother and, according to records, ‘immediately got up and put his face to the bars’.
Kohberger was already in custody at the Idaho State Correctional Complex in Kuna (pictured) by Wednesday afternoon, sources have revealed
Pictured is the home at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho where Kohberger broke in and murdered his victims
Mogen, Kernodle, Goncalves and Chapin were found stabbed to death on November 13, 2022 in their shared home on King Road in Moscow, Idaho.
Kohberger was arrested in Pennsylvania, where his parents lived, in connection to the gruesome slayings roughly six weeks later.
Police said they recovered DNA from a knife sheath found at the home, and used genetic genealogy to identify Kohberger as a possible suspect.
They accessed cellphone data to pinpoint his movements and used surveillance camera footage to help locate a white sedan that was seen repeatedly driving past the home on the night of the killings.
A Q-tip from the garbage at his parents’ house was used to match Kohberger’s DNA to genetic material from the sheath, investigators said.
The 30-year-old killer – who spent years studying criminology – pleaded guilty to the quadruple murder earlier this month in a deal to avoid the death penalty.
Kohberger’s attorneys got his trial moved to Boise after expressing concerns that the court wouldn’t be able to find enough unbiased jurors in Moscow.
But Hippler rejected their efforts to get the death penalty taken off the table and to strike critical evidence – including the DNA – from being admitted in trial.
The trial had been set to begin next month.
In exchange for Kohberger admitting guilt and waiving his right to appeal, prosecutors agreed not to seek his execution. Instead, both sides agreed to recommend that he serve four consecutive life sentences without parole for the killings.
The victim’s families were split on how they felt about the plea deal.
Friends and family members have sought to commemorate the victims’ lives through charity. The Made With Kindness Foundation honors the legacy of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, and Kernodle through scholarships. Pictured together: Mogen and Goncalves
The Chapin family has established the Ethan’s Smile Foundation which honors his ‘love of life, people, and new adventures by providing scholarships that enable others to follow their dreams. Pictured together: Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin
If investigators know why Kohberger committed the crime, they haven’t said so publicly. Nor is it clear why he spared two roommates who were home at the time.
Cellphone location data did show Kohberger had been in the neighborhood multiple times before the attack.
Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson has said that Kohberger used his knowledge about forensic investigations to attempt to cover his tracks by deep cleaning his vehicle after the crime.
Police say Kohberger’s Amazon purchase history shows he bought a military-style knife as well as the knife sheath found at the home. But the knife itself was never found.
The case drew widespread interest and judges feared the publicity could harm Kohberger’s right to a fair trial. A sweeping gag order was imposed and hundreds of court documents were sealed from public view.
After Kohberger pleaded guilty, a coalition of news organizations asked that the gag order be lifted and the case documents be unsealed.
Hippler agreed, but said unsealing the documents will take time. It’s not clear how many answers they might contain.
