BOISE, Idaho – Bryan Kohberger is beginning his life behind bars after being sentenced to four consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole, along with an additional 10 years, for the brutal 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students.
Kohberger, 30, was transferred Wednesday to the Idaho State Correctional Institution in Kuna, about 16 miles from the Ada County Courthouse where his sentencing took place. A new mugshot released by the Idaho Department of Correction shows him emotionless, staring directly into the camera, clean-shaven and stoic.
During a rare post-sentencing press briefing, Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson described the punishment as “life and death in prison.”
The victims — Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20 — were found stabbed to death in an off-campus house near the University of Idaho in November 2022. The case captured national attention, and Kohberger’s conviction came nearly three years after the killings.
The Department of Correction has not disclosed specific transfer details, but noted Kohberger will undergo a 7-to-14-day evaluation process in the Reception and Diagnostic Unit (RDU), where his mental health, risk level, and housing needs will be assessed.
Paul Mauro, a retired NYPD inspector and Fox News contributor, said it’s likely Kohberger will initially be placed in solitary confinement for his own protection. However, solitary is rarely permanent, and eventually, he could be moved into the general prison population — where his notoriety may put him at further risk.
“In the general population, your reputation is your currency,” Mauro explained. “And he’s both vulnerable and infamous. There could be people who see an opportunity to gain status by going after him.”
Because Idaho is a death penalty state, Mauro also warned that for inmates serving life terms, committing further violence inside prison could result in a death sentence.
Although Kohberger technically has the option to request a transfer out of state, legal experts like attorney Josh Ritter say such requests are rare and unlikely to succeed. “He’s not going anywhere,” Ritter said.
Tensions in Custody and Inmate Reactions
Newly released records from the Moscow Police Department reveal that Kohberger has already made waves with fellow inmates.
One inmate, overheard during jail transport, called Kohberger a “f—ing weirdo” and said he would’ve attacked him if not for fear of consequences. Asked whether he believed Kohberger committed the murders, the inmate replied, “His eyes tell a story.”
Another inmate said Kohberger frequently video-chatted with his mother and once became visibly agitated after overhearing what he thought was an insult directed at them. He allegedly rushed to the bars and demanded to know whether the comment was aimed at him or his mother — the only moment of anger the inmate witnessed during Kohberger’s time in custody.
Families Deliver Powerful Impact Statements
During sentencing, the families of the four victims delivered emotional and sometimes chilling statements. Kaylee Goncalves’ mother, Kristi, directed pointed words at Kohberger, referencing his eerie final words to one of the victims as overheard by a surviving roommate.
“When those prison doors slam shut behind you, I hope that sound echoes in your heart for the rest of your meaningless days,” she said. “You’re nothing. May you continue to live your life in misery. But it’s OK — because they’re there ‘to help you.’ Hell will be waiting.”
Other family members alluded to the harsh realities Kohberger will now face in prison, where bigger, more hardened inmates may view him as a target.
“They want him to live in fear,” said Mauro. “They want him to constantly wonder if he’s safe. That’s a psychological punishment in itself.”
Kohberger’s only known outburst during the sentencing came when he maintained his innocence, but the judge and jury were unmoved, sealing his fate with the life sentence deal that spared him the death penalty — but not the violence or isolation that may await him behind bars.
