Convicted murderer Bryan Kohberger has been in his new cell at Idaho’s only maximum security prison for less than two weeks, and he’s struggling to settle in.
Kohberger, 30, has allegedly faced nearly endless torment from his fellow inmates, retired homicide detective Chris McDonough told the Daily Mail in a story published Tuesday, August 12.
“It’s driving him crazy. The inmates are tormenting him at night and almost all hours of the day – taunting him through the vents in his cell,” McDonough claimed. “They are literally getting up into the grate and yelling at him. The inmates are taking it in turns doing it. It’s relentless.”
Kohberger was arrested on December 30, 2022, in connection to the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students — Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. Kohberger was accused of breaking into the home located at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho, and killing all four students six weeks earlier.
After initially pleading not guilty, Kohberger changed his plea to “guilty” in order to avoid the death penalty. He was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences and another 10 years for burglary in July 2025.
“He’s extremely annoyed and frustrated,” McDonough continued of Kohberger’s alleged treatment while incarcerated. “He’s complaining to the authorities that he can’t sleep because of them.”
A former Washington State University doctoral student, Kohberger now lives in solitary confinement in the J block at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution. Due to the grizzly nature of the murders and the media frenzy that followed the case in its immediate aftermath, McDonough added that fellow inmates could be looking for the opportunity to harm Kohberger.
“There’s some inmates that would want nothing more than to hurt him just to make a name for themselves,” he said, adding that because Kohberger is in solitary and not in immediate physical danger, it is unlikely that prison staff will do anything to stop his alleged tormentors.
Now known as inmate 163214, Kohberger is confined to his cell for 23 hours a day and allowed outside in what prisoners call “the cage” for the remaining hour. He is allowed one shower every other day.
A judge handed down his sentence at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise on July 23 with some of the victims’ family members in attendance. Kernodle’s aunt, Kim, told Kohberger in a statement that she had forgiven him because she “could no longer live with that hate.”
“Any time you want to talk and tell me what happened,” she added, “I’m here, no judgment.”
Goncalves’ mom Kristi gave a statement as well, telling Kohberger that “hell will be waiting” for him after sentencing.
“You are officially the property of the state of Idaho, where your fellow inmates are anxiously awaiting your arrival,” she said.
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