Idaho student killer Bryan Kohberger got his first hands-on experience as a burglar while pilfering homes to fund a teenage heroin addiction, according to a new book.
“He was a heroin addict as a young guy [in Pennsylvania], and he was breaking and entering into houses,” crime novelist James Patterson told Lawrence Jones on “FOX & Friends” Wednesday morning. “He’d been doing it for years, and that’s exactly what happened in Moscow. He broke into this house and killed these four beautiful students.”
Patterson teamed up with investigative journalist Vicky Ward on “The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy,” which dropped earlier this week.
BRYAN KOHBERGER BELIEVED HE COMMITTED ‘THE PERFECT MURDERS’ UNTIL ONE KEY MISTAKE SHATTERED HIS PLOT: AUTHOR
Advertisement
Bryan Kohberger arrives at a Pennsylvania courthouse for an extradition hearing in January 2023. He pleaded guilty to the murders of four University of Idaho students on July 1, 2025.(The Image Direct for Fox News Digital)
While Kohberger has no publicly visible criminal record in his home state, he was forced out of a security job for reasons that have not been made public and reportedly has an expunged 2014 conviction for the theft and sale of his sister’s iPhone after a stint in rehab to pay for his heroin addiction when he was 19. In 2023, police confirmed to Fox News Digital the case had been expunged and said they had no record of it to share.
Kohberger’s dad, Michael Kohberger, told police that his son had just gotten out of rehab, swiped the phone and paid a pal $20 to drive him to the mall, where he allegedly sold it for $200, ABC News reported previously.
The killer, now 30, was going to face a capital murder trial next month until he unexpectedly changed his plea on July 1, when he admitted to four counts of first-degree murder and one of felony burglary. He acknowledged that he pre-planned the slayings and that when he entered the off-campus rental home at 1122 King Road, he intended to kill.
The authors found victims from Kohberger’s past in Pennsylvania, where he spent most of his life, who shed new light on his capacity for manipulation and plotting.
Advertisement
BRYAN KOHBERGER TRADED DEATH PENALTY FOR LIFE SENTENCE THAT COULD STILL END VIOLENTLY BEHIND BARS
Madison Mogen, top left, smiles on the shoulders of her best friend, Kaylee Goncalves, as they pose with Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, and two other housemates in Goncalves’ final Instagram post, shared the day before the four students were stabbed to death.(@kayleegoncalves/Instagram)
“I felt chills when Connie Saba told me the story of how a teenage Kohberger had manipulated her into inadvertently telling him when she’d be out of the house to visit her son, Jeremy in jail, because he planned to break into her house and steal an iPad and other things from her,” Ward told Fox News Digital.
It was a striking betrayal, she said, because Kohberger had next to no friends and Jeremy Saba might have been the only one.
“Connie Saba had been nothing but welcoming and kind to him, so it was a devastating breach of trust – and when Connie Saba imitated Kohberger coming back a year or so later to apologize to her for the break-in (as part of his rehab process), she showed me the creepy way he just ‘appeared’ in her kitchen like a ghost, frightening her,” she said. “One could imagine him just ‘appearing’ at 1122 King Road on the night of the murders.”
Advertisement
READ BRYAN KOHBERGER’S SIGNED KILLER CONFESSION
A side by side of Kohberger’s sophomore Pleasant Valley High School yearbook photo and his senior year. Kohberger is accused of fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students.(Stephanie Pagones/Fox News Digital)
Kohberger cased out the rental home around a dozen times before the murders, according to court documents. Before school officials had it razed last year, it was situated on a slope in front of a parking lot, giving Kohberger a potential vantage point overlooking multiple windows, including those of 21-year-old victim Madison Mogen’s bedroom.
“Mark Baylis, a former Navy SEAL, believes Kohberger successfully stalked him and his property for hours, days possibly, to steal valuables from him,” Ward added. “It showed the cold-blooded, calculated side of Kohberger – a side that I think we all saw in court in early July when he pled guilty – with zero emotion.”
Kohberger stood up in court, with his back straight, admitting to the murders without a glance at his parents or those of the victims, most of whom were in the room. In the gallery near the defense table, his father wiped away tears and asked a bailiff for water. At one point, even Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson choked down a tear as he wrapped up a summary of the prosecution’s case.
Advertisement
GET REAL-TIME UPDATES AT THE FOX NEWS TRUE CRIME HUB
Prosecutor Bill Thompson listens during an arraignment hearing for Bryan Kohberger in Latah County District Court, May 22, 2023, in Moscow, Idaho.(Zach Wilkinson/Pool via Reuters)
Throughout the proceeding, Kohberger fixed his eyes on lawyers in the room, the judge, and occasionally leaned over into the ear of his lead defense attorney, Anne Taylor.
The 30-year-old was a criminology student at Washington State University, a 10-mile drive from the crime scene.
He’d barely been there for one semester but was already worried about losing his scholarship, Patterson revealed.
Kohberger had no meaningful connection to the victims, 21-year-olds Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, and 20-year-olds Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. But Patterson believes Mogen was the primary target when he snuck into the off-campus home at 1122 King Road on Nov. 13, 2022.
The victims of Nov. 13 University of Idaho massacre, from left, Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen.(Instagram @xanakernodle / @maddiemogen / @kayleegoncalves)
SIGN UP TO GET THE TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER
She and Kernodle both worked at the now-shuttered Mad Greek restaurant, which had vegan menu options that the author believes appealed to Kohberger’s meat-free diet.
Advertisement
“He obviously had a big problem with women,” Patterson said, based on roughly 300 interviews he conducted and public documents. “We believe he was targeting Maddie and things had happened… He was going to lose his scholarship.”
Kohberger was pursuing a Ph.D. in criminology at Washington State University – where he reportedly butted heads with other students. After his arrest, the school said it had cut ties.
Kohberger’s defense did not respond to a request for comment.
The Oregon Ducks and the Texas Tech Red Raiders are set to face off against each other in the Capital One Orange Bowl on Jan. 1. As this College Football Playoff quarterfinal game gets closer, the betting odds are moving in the Ducks favor.
Advertisement
Oregon Favored By 2.5 Points
Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; James Madison Dukes head coach Bob Chesney and Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning greet one another after the game at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Advertisement
When it was confirmed that Oregon would be advancing to play Texas Tech after their first round playoff win over the James Madison Dukes, the betting line opened up on DraftKings Sportsbook with the Ducks as a 1.5-point favorite. Over the past few days, that number has increased a full point.
Advertisement
Oregon is now a 2.5-point favorite over the Red Raiders with odds of -125 to win outright. Texas Tech has odds to win outright of +105. The current over/under is at 52.5 points.
The movement indicates the public backing of coach Dan Lanning’s Ducks over the Big 12 Champion Red Raiders. Notably, ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Texas Tech a 51.6 percent chance to beat the Ducks.
MORE: Dan Lanning Reveals Oregon Ducks’ Christmas Plan Ahead Of Texas Tech
MORE: Tickets Surge For Oregon vs. Texas Tech In Historic Orange Bowl
Advertisement
MORE: Oregon Quarterback Dante Moore Becoming Biggest Question of NFL Draft
Advertisement
SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE!
Ducks Coming Off First Round Win
Advertisement
Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) throws a pass during the third quarter against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Oregon comes into this game with a 12-1 record. Their lone loss came to the undefeated No. 1 ranked Indiana Hoosiers.
The Ducks beat James Madison by a final score of 51-34 in the first round to advance to the quarterfinals. The Ducks earned the No. 5 ranking in the playoff bracket, meaning they were the highest ranked team to not receive one of the four first round byes to the quarterfinals.
This is different to what happened last season for Oregon, as they entered that year’s playoff as the No. 1 ranked team with a bye to the quarterfinals. It didn’t end well, as Oregon was bounced immediately in their first game against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Advertisement
Could not getting a bye this time around change the Ducks’ fortunes for the better and set up a long playoff run?
Texas Tech’s Elite Defense
Advertisement
Dec 6, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire looks on during the game between the Red Raiders and the Cougars at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Advertisement
Texas Tech also enters this game with a record of 12-1. The Red Raiders last game was a Big 12 championship victory over the BYU Cougars. They earned the No. 4 ranking and first round bye to the quarterfinals. Their one loss this season was to the Arizona State Devils.
The Red Raiders are anchored by an elite defense that has allowed opponents to score an average of just 10.9 points per game. This is the third lowest points allowed in all of college football this season, behind only Indiana and Ohio State.
This defense will be a major challenge for Ducks’ quarterback Dante Moore and company. If Oregon wants to advance to the semi-finals, they will have to be on their “A game.”
Kickoff for this matchup is an early one for those on the west coast at 9 a.m. PT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN and announced by play-by-play announcer Joe Tessitore and color commentator Jesse Palmer.
Advertisement
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Utah tied the record for the warmest Christmas Day in state history before the sun came up.
In the very first hour of Christmas, Salt Lake City had already tied the record for the warmest Christmas ever recorded, with temperatures hitting 59 degrees. This record was set exactly 70 years ago in 1955, according to the National Weather Service.
By the afternoon, the city is forecast to surpass the record, reaching a high of 62 degrees.
The forecast for St. George unsurprisingly shows even warmer temperatures with an expected high of 67 degrees.
Advertisement
A full rainbow was visible in Garrison, Utah, on Christmas Eve 2025. (Photo: Alicia Wheeler via KUTV Chime In)
This record-breaking weather is not surprising, as Christmas Eve also surpassed the previous recorded high, and this month marks Utah’s warmest December on record.
While there will not be snow in Utah valleys for the holiday, scattered storms are expected to bring wind and rain throughout the northern and south-eastern parts of the state, according to KUTV Meteorologist Sean Kelly. However, the Interstate 15 corridor should be relatively dry in the afternoon.
Windy conditions will blow through the state today and tomorrow, with some reaching speeds of over 50 mph.
MORE | Unseasonably warm December forces Olympic qualifying event to relocate out of Utah
Advertisement
GetAttachmentThumbnail.jpg
While fall temperatures have been stubbornly holding on into the winter, Kelly said cold temperatures could be just days away.
A cold front is forecast to reach the state by the weekend, with a possibility of snow by Saturday evening. Temperatures are also expected to drop into the twenties and thirties on Sunday and Monday, with potential highs sitting around or below freezing.
By Jake Goldstein-Street (Washington State Standard)
Advertisement
Dec. 25, 2025 4:55 p.m.
A road is covered by floodwaters after heavy rains led to historic flooding in the region Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Burlington, Wash.
Lindsey Wasson / AP
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared a public health emergency Wednesday over this month’s flooding in Washington state.
The action from Kennedy, the head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is focused on helping meet the needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. As part of that, his agency is providing access to HHS emPOWER, which gives data on the number of Medicare enrollees reliant on medical equipment dependent on electricity and other health care services that could make them especially vulnerable to a disaster.
Advertisement
The announcement could be a good sign for the state’s chances of getting a major disaster declaration from President Donald Trump to potentially open up tens of millions of dollars to deal with the flooding’s aftermath.
Gov. Bob Ferguson plans to ask for such a declaration in the coming weeks.
The flooding from heavy rain and overflowing rivers forced thousands of evacuations, breached multiple levees and damaged numerous highways. It still didn’t quite reach the levels some forecasts predicted. One person has been reported dead.
Kennedy’s order follows an emergency declaration from Trump that unlocked federal resources to respond to the storm.
John Knox, of the department’s Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, said in a statement that, “HHS stands ready to assist state and local response efforts in the state of Washington due to the potential health care impacts from severe storms.”
Advertisement
Health and Human Services has also waived penalties for violating federal health privacy rules under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, for hospitals.
“With today’s declaration and waiver, HHS is helping ensure that residents in the storm’s path have continuous access to the care they need during and after this storm,” Knox said. “ASPR’s highly trained personnel are prepared to support state and local actions to save lives and protect the delivery of health care services.”
The federal Disaster Distress Helpline is also available for crisis counseling. The multilingual hotline, open 24 hours a day, can be reached via call or text at 1-800-985-5990.
The declaration is retroactive to Dec. 9.
A windstorm forecast to arrive in western Washington on Wednesday could exacerbate problems, as saturated soil from the recent rain could make trees and powerline poles especially susceptible to falling over. But the wind is now not expected to be as intense as predicted earlier this week.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown filed a lawsuit with other states against Kennedy on Tuesday for his threats against gender-affirming care providers.
Brown called Kennedy’s move “as cruel and unnecessary as it is illegal, but consistent with an administration that puts politics above health.” It’s Washington’s 49th lawsuit against the federal government since Trump retook office in January.
Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501(c)(3) public charity.
This republished story is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit opb.org/partnerships.
Sign up today for OPB’s “First Look” – your daily guide to the most important news and culture stories from around the Northwest.