Recently released police bodycam footage reveals Bryan Kohberger being pulled over by an Idaho sheriff’s deputy just three months before he murdered four University of Idaho students — a crime that would later send him to prison for life.
The video, obtained by the Idaho Statesman and released on Tuesday, July 29, shows the former criminology Ph.D. student being stopped on August 21, 2022, in Moscow, Idaho. Kohberger, then 27, was driving his white Hyundai Elantra — the same car prosecutors say he used to flee the murder scene — when a Latah County Sheriff’s deputy stopped him for going 42 mph in a 35 mph zone.
After the deputy approached the car, Kohberger admitted he also wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. “I’m just being honest with you,” he said. The deputy replied, “Yeah, I appreciate that,” before issuing a $10 ticket for the seatbelt violation and letting him off with a warning for speeding.
At the time, Kohberger had no criminal record.
Prosecutors reportedly intended to present the traffic stop footage as part of their case at trial — until Kohberger entered a surprise guilty plea on July 2, avoiding the death penalty in exchange for life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Kohberger was sentenced on July 23 to four consecutive life terms for the brutal November 13, 2022, killings of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. The four college students were stabbed to death inside their off-campus rental home, while two other roommates survived the attack.
Another police encounter occurred on October 14, 2022, when Kohberger was stopped near Washington State University — where he was pursuing his doctorate — after allegedly running a red light. He was let go without incident.
Following the murders, Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania in December 2022. Authorities linked him to the crime through DNA recovered from a KA-BAR knife sheath left next to one of the victims, as well as surveillance footage of his Hyundai Elantra traveling to and from the scene.
At sentencing, the 30-year-old showed no emotion as the victims’ families gave emotional impact statements in court. Judge Steven Hippler handed down the life sentences and ordered Kohberger to pay $270,000 in fines and restitution. His motive remains unknown.
Kohberger is currently undergoing a two-week psychological evaluation. The Idaho Department of Corrections will determine his final prison placement once the assessment is complete.
