Idaho

Bryan Kohberger Confronted by Students Weeks Before Idaho Murders

Published

1 year ago

July 21, 2023

Bryan Kohberger Confronted by Students Weeks Before Idaho Murders

A group of students confronted Bryan Kohberger during a classroom debate a few weeks before the University of Idaho murders.

One of the students, Hayden Stinchfield, says on “The King Road Killings” podcast that this all happened after the class, taught by Kohberger, had its midterm examination sometime around “the end of September to the start of October.”

“Most people just sort of got the vibe from him that he was grading us a little too harshly,” says Stinchfield.

So Stinchfield and his fellow Washington State University undergraduate students spent an entire class debating their grades with Kohberger.

“We had a midterm exam that a lot of people thought was graded unfairly. So we as a class had like a day where we went in and we were all essentially allowed to just like debate him about our grades and try and like earn points back,” Stinchfield says. “But, you know, it was a thing where he argued back.”

Kohberger did not appear to enjoy the debate, says Stinchfield.

“And so we were sort of in this weird like debate for the whole class, 50 of us against one of him, and he was having to field all these questions,” Stinchfield explains. “But Brian didn’t seem super comfortable, and honestly, none of us were like, super comfortable. It was a weird vibe.”

The debate ended up working out well for the students, according to Stinchfield.

“That was like a turning point, I think for us,” Stinchfield says. “We felt like when we did that, our grades got better.”

Kohberger also seemed “distant” and “a little bit weird,” though never to the point where he raised any “serious red flags,” says Stinchfield.

“He’d look at the ground when he was up at the front of class,” Stinchfield says, adding that Kohberger “never was super engaged with [the students].”

Then, shortly after the murders of four University of Idaho students in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, Kohberger exhibited some notable changes, says Stinchfield.

“Later in the semester, like the last time he came was probably a couple weeks before the class ended physically, I remember he looked a little bit more disheveled. He had like some stubble coming on and his hair was a little, you know, messed up or whatever. Nothing like crazy,” Stinchfield says. “But enough that I remember seeing him and thinking like, oh man, you know, finals must be really getting to him or something like that.”

There was also another surprising change.

“What happened is he started giving everyone, everyone just like high marks and not leaving any notes,” Stinchfield says.

At the time, faculty members at Washington State University were counseling Kohberger following a verbal altercation with a professor he worked for in the school’s criminology program, according to a letter obtained by Inside Edition Digital.

But following that counseling, Kohberger allegedly had a second incident with the same professor in early December and he lost his job as a teaching assistant.

In addition to the professional blow, Kohberger took a huge financial hit when he lost his job.

Teaching assistants in the criminology program at WSU “receive a specified stipend each month, health insurance benefits, and an in-state tuition waiver. Out-of-state tuition is waived the first year until the student establishes residency,” the university notes on its website.

Kohberger had already started the process of becoming a resident of the state by obtaining a Washington driver’s license as well as registering his car, as is recommended by the college.

He also registered to vote in the state.

It is unclear if Kohberger had made the decision to leave WSU’s criminology program before he drove back home to Pennsylvania on Dec.13, but search warrants executed at Kohberger’s on-campus residence and office both turned up little in the way of evidence, according to authorities.

Inside Edition Digital obtained a copy of the letter sent to Kohberger terminating his TA position, which outlined his alleged offenses.

“On September 23rd, 2022, you had an altercation with the faculty you support as a TA, Professor [John] Snyder. I met with you on October 3rd to discuss norms of professional behavior,” the letter reads.

“On October 21st, Professor Snyder emailed you about the ways in which you had failed to meet your expectations as a TA thus far in the semester,” it continues. “As a result, on November 2nd, Graduate Director [Dale] Willits and I met with you to discuss an improvement plan, which you agreed to and I shared with you in an email dated November 3rd.”

Kohberger met with faculty including the professor with whom he allegedly had conflicts and the graduate director on Dec. 7 to discuss his progress in regards to the improvement plan previously discussed, according to the letter.

“While not perfect, we agreed that there was progress,” the letter reads.

But then, “On December 9th, there was another altercation with Professor Snyder, in which it became apparent that you had not made progress regarding professionalism and about which I wrote to you on December 11th requesting a meeting,” the letter reads. “We met on December 19th when I informed you of your termination as a TA for spring semester.”

Kohberger’s termination came after he arrived home following a cross-country drive with his father from Washington to Pennsylvania.

WSU declined to comment on the investigation or Kohberger’s termination, citing privacy laws that prohibit them from speaking publicly about students and alumni.

Kohberger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in the middle of the night at an off-campus house.

Three of the victims — Madison Mogen, 21; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20 — lived in the home. The fourth victim, 20-year-old Ethan Chapin, was in a relationship with Kernodle.

Kohberger told a previous public defender that he expects to be exonerated at trial. In May, he declined to enter a plea after being formally charged with four counts of murder. The judge in the case entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

North Idaho memories: Hayden man shares fond recollection of Moscow childhood

Published

5 hours ago

July 24, 2024

Press Room

North Idaho memories: Hayden man shares fond recollection of Moscow childhood

Although I have been a Coeur d’Alene-area resident for some 40 years, I have lived and worked in many cities in Idaho.

I was born and spent my first 13 years in Moscow and I think that’s North Idaho enough for this series.

Moscow was a wonderful place to be a kid in the 1940s! The whole town plus the University of Idaho campus were the playfield and discovery zone of kids on bikes from all across town.

Summer days riding downtown to Roger’s for a 5-cent root beer or ice cream cone, then onto the U of I campus to watch an Idaho football practice or maybe get caught up in a vacant lot baseball game!

Of course, catching shiners, snakes and crawdads down at the creek was a staple, as was wandering through the bushes along the creek and railroad tracks, finding recently used hobo camps, ah!

Sometimes we would take over sleeping bags, sleep at the foot of Mingo’s Hill, then climb the several hundred old rickety wooden steps to the top and over to Palouse Creek at the base of Paradise Ridge, where we would catch bullheads with a stick and string.

Winter was also delightful! We had snow vacations for at least 10 days each winter due mostly to trains not being able to bring coal in through the drifts.

It was great fun to sleigh down Pool’s hill and build snow forts and caves in the snow.

I must mention also the Saturdays whooping at the cowboy shows being shown at the Kenworthy and Nuart theaters. It cost us a whopping 12 cents for the matinee!

Finally, one of the huge annual events — the circus! Ringling Bros., Barnum and Bailey and Clyde Beatty. Circuses would arrive by train at the depot on Third Street. The whole shebang would parade down Main Street and set up on the “flats” in the northeast part of town. Us guys would help set up tents and do other labor in exchange for a ticket to a performance. It was a great experience!

Moscow was a perfect place for kids to grow up back in the ’40s!

— John Mushlitz, Hayden

•••

Send your North Idaho memories and photos to Devin Weeks, dweeks@cdapress.com. Please provide information with any photos you send: who is in them, when and where were they taken and a brief description of what is happening in the photo. Pieces should be no more than 500 words. Please include names of those submitting the memories and how long North Idaho has been or was your home.

Longtime residents have a treasure trove of stories about the way things used to be. We hope you’ll share those gems with us.

A postcard of Main Street in Moscow looking north at Rexall Drug, Moscow Hotel and Scott’s Flower’s and Gifts. Circa 1940.

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Idaho

MHP troopers arrest attempted homicide suspect out of Idaho near Four Corners

Published

12 hours ago

July 23, 2024

Press Room

MHP troopers arrest attempted homicide suspect out of Idaho near Four Corners

BOZEMAN — According to the Montana Highway Patrol (MHP), a suspect in conjunction with an attempted homicide in Idaho was arrested on Huffine Lane near Four Corners on Tuesday, July 23, 2024.

MHP said in a press release dispatch received a be-on-the-lookout (BOLO) report from Idaho at approximately 10:30 a.m. According to the release, the BOLO report was for a possibly armed suspect wanted in conjunction with an attempted homicide in Summit County, Utah.

Watch the moment MHP Troopers arrest Idaho suspect on Huffine Lane:

Attempted homicide suspect out of Idaho arrested between Bozeman and Four Corners

Around 11:15 a.m., troopers reportedly located the vehicle on Highway 191 outside of Four Corners. The driver initially pulled over on Huffine Lane when troopers attempted to stop the vehicle and then fled at a high rate of speed toward Bozeman.

During the pursuit that followed, troopers were able to successfully perform a PIT maneuver, causing the suspect vehicle to stop, ending the pursuit.

The release said the suspect was taken into custody without incident and is being held at the Gallatin County Detention Center.

No further details were released. We will update you when we get more information.

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Idaho

North Idaho highways to receive a fresh coat of paint through summer

Published

20 hours ago

July 23, 2024

Press Room

North Idaho highways to receive a fresh coat of paint through summer

Throughout the months of July, August and September, Idaho Transportation Department striping crews will be laying down a fresh coat of paint on large sections of highways across the Panhandle. The following schedule will help drivers to be aware of upcoming temporary work zones that may affect them and plan ahead. Every year crews stripe hundreds of miles, and on heavily traveled routes like I-90, apply two coats of paint.

JULY

US-95 Byway in Sandpoint

US-95 from Sandpoint to Athol

US-95 from Athol to Coeur d’Alene

SH-41 from I-90 to Rathdrum

US-95 from Coeur d’Alene to the Latah County line

SH-53 from Rathdrum to the Washington State line

Post Falls business loop

AUGUST

EARLY SH-58 from the Coeur d’Alene Casino to the Washington State line

SH-60 from US-95 to the Washington State line

SH-5 from Plummer to St. Maries

MID SH-3 from I-90 to the Latah County Line

SH-6 from the SH-3 Junction to the Latah County line

LATE INTO SH-97 from I-90 to the SH-3 Junction

EARLY SEPT SH-4 from Wallace to Burke

Wallace, Mullan, and Osburn business loops

During striping operations teams are organized into a line of pace cars flanking the paint truck and are followed by a crash cushion trailer to ensure the safety of the crew. This configuration of vehicles travels slowly as they paint the roadway markings to ensure lines that will last through the year. While the paint itself is very bright, retro-reflective beads are also mixed in to help catch and reflect light to improve nighttime visibility.

Pace cars alert motorists of the operation and slow down traffic so drivers do not go over the paint before it dries. It is important for drivers to avoid drifting over the lines on either side of their lane or trying to pass where striping is in progress.

Striping operations occur primarily during daylight hours and are performed in the summer when temperatures are consistently warm enough to ensure the paint dries quickly and adheres securely to the road. Most frequently these operations are carried out during weekdays, but there are occasional needs for weekend work. Crews start as early as 5 a.m. to avoid peak commute times and try to pull off so others can pass where they have room to do so safely.

Drivers who encounter the mobile paint operations are asked to be patient for the safety of motorists and crews, and to follow the guidance of all work zone signs, especially for no passing.

Updated information will be available throughout the summer on Idaho 511.

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