ATLANTA (Court TV) — More than three years after her brother brutally murdered four University of Idaho college students in their home, Bryan Kohberger‘s sister is speaking out.
A photo recovered from Bryan Kohberger’s Android device is dated before he killed four University of Idaho students on Nov. 13, 2022. (Court TV)
In an exclusive interview with the New York Times, Mel Kohberger talked about her relationship with her brother and the impact his crimes have had on her and her family’s lives.
Bryan pleaded guilty to murdering Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves as they slept in their home off-campus on Nov. 13, 2022. He was sentenced to four consecutive life terms plus 10 years.
Bryan wasn’t arrested for weeks after the murders, leaving many in the area in fear as police continued their investigation. Mel told the Times that she was concerned for her brother’s safety, warning him to be careful because “you are running outside and this psycho killer is on the loose.”
While Bryan was at his parents’ Pennsylvania home in December for the holidays, he was arrested by police who staged a raid on the family home. Mel was not at the property when the police came, and heard what happened from her sister, Amanda, who told her, “I’m with the F.B.I., Bryan’s been arrested.” Mel responded, “For what?” When her sister replied, “The Idaho murders,” Mel told the Times that she “wondered if it was a prank” before she realized what had happened.
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Mel offered no apologies or explanations for her brother’s behavior and said she was angry to see posts online suggesting the family had known about Bryan’s behavior all along. “I have always been a person who has spoken up for what was right. If I ever had a reason to believe my brother did anything, I would have turned him in.”
The Kohberger family has remained silent through the legal process, and Mel told the Times that it was an intentional decision designed to “respect the victims’ families” and prevent doing or saying anything to traumatize them further. “Her family’s challenges, [Mel] said several times, cannot compare to what those families have endured.”
Mel told the paper that she has put the names of all four victims and their birthdays into her digital calendar so that she will get reminders about them; her mother prays for the victims’ families daily. Over the recent holidays, Mel said the family “felt grief” that Bryan couldn’t be with them, but then thought of the victims’ families. “It’s confusing,” Mel said. “It’s painful. It’s like being victimized but not really being a victim.”
Since his arrest, the family has continued to communicate with Bryan, but has not discussed the crimes. Instead, the conversations revolve around his latest interests: currently, the Myers-Briggs personality assessment and the theory of the “bicameral mind.”
