“Nothing suspicious ever”: Bryan Kohberger’s fellow grad students say Idaho murder suspect was often too friendly

Kohberger was frequently seen socializing around the town of Pullman (image via the Idaho Statesman)
Kohberger was frequently seen socializing around the town of Pullman (image via the Idaho Statesman)

On December 30, criminology graduate Bryan Kohberger, 28, was arrested for the murders of four University of Idaho students who were stabbed to death in Moscow, Idaho.

As the investigation continues, news outlets have been reviewing Bryan Kohberger’s history and past connections, attempting to probe the mind of the alleged mass killer.

In an interview with the Insider, Arun Dash, a 28-year-old student who met Kohberger during their time together at Washington State University, discussed his impressions of the suspect.

Dash told Insider reporters he never noticed anything disturbing about Kohberger's behavior. He said:

“He asked me what I was studying, where I am from. He would make just friendly small talk."

He continued:

“Nothing suspicious ever, ever."

Fox reported that Bryan Kohberger has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. Moscow authorities have not yet disclosed a potential motive behind the killings.


Bryan Kohberger's acquaintances say he was a chatty person

Speaking to Insider, Arun Dash's roommate, who remained anonymous, said that Bryan Kohberger seemed like a friendly individual. Business Insider reported that he was frequently seen at coffee shops and bars.

The student said:

“He talked to everybody, he was a very chatty person — not charming, but outgoing."

He added that Bryan Kohberger was physically active, a claim that is in line with CNN's reports that the suspect was a former boxing practitioner who closely monitored his diet.

The student said:

“He seemed like a very fit person, so I asked if he wanted to come to my gym with me."

The student added that while Kohberger never seemed to have violent tendencies, he would often drag others into lengthy conversations.

The student said:

"I know if I start (talking to him), he won't stop."

While many students told Insider that Kohberger remained 'chatty' in the days following the killings, in an interview with CNN, a student who had the suspect as a teaching assistant said that he suddenly became withdrawn.

The student, Hayden Stinchfield, told reporters:

“He stopped leaving notes (on our assignments). He seemed preoccupied."

He continued:

“The couple times that he did come after, or around that time period, he had a little more facial hair, stubble, less well-kept. He was a little quieter (...) The previous mental preoccupation that we had been noticing, where it was like he didn’t really want to be there, that was at an all-time high. He just didn’t look like he was doing great."

Kohberger is currently being detained in Idaho's Latah County Jail. While no link has been established between the suspect and the victims, authorities have connected him to the scene through cell phone data, surveillance footage, and DNA samples.

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