Adi Guajardo
University of Idaho students return to campus after arrest in killings
Despite a suspect in custody, the University of Idaho still has resources on campus to ensure students feel comfortable and safe.
LEARN MOREPosted: 9:17 p.m. EST Jan 17, 2023
Bryan Kohberger is accused of the brutal stabbing of four University of Idaho students.
Now, chilling social media posts uncovered by a true crime podcast and The New York Times paint a picture of a troubled young man.
"There were over 100 pages that we read," said Lauren Johnson Matthias, host of "Hidden: A True Crime Podcast."
The newly-uncovered social media posts, which Scripps News has not independently verified, shed light on what appears to be the former criminology student’s dark, desensitized and suicidal past.
SCRIPPS NEWS' ADI GUAJARDO: What did you find to be the most shocking revelations?
LAUREN JOHNSON MATTHIAS: The most compelling revelations to us where was where he was discussing feeling like he had demons inside of his brain, that he heard screams, that he felt like a criminal, but he had no record.
Matthias and The Times found ties between Kohberger’s leaked email account and a user in Tapatalk — an online forum. The user, believed to be Kohberger, posted between 2009 and 2012. In December of 2011 he posted "I simply don’t want to live anymore" and later described "horrible depersonalization." On May 12, 2011 he wrote in part, "feel like my life is a movie (depersonalization) depression, no interest in activity, constant thought of suicide, crazy thoughts, delusions of grandeur and anxiety."
Forensic Psychologist John Matthias says these posts paint a vivid picture of Kohberger's mental health state as a teen. Matthias has not worked with Kohberger but has examined the social media posts.
"He recognizes that he doesn't have a record, but he feels like a criminal. And that that's fascinating because that indicates to me that there's probably a lot of inner turmoil that he's really dealing with and he's trying to overcome," Matthias said.
Scripps News reached out to the Moscow Police Department for a statement on these social media findings. They responded that "due to the gag order issued by our judge we are unable to speak to anything regarding this case."
Kohberger told his former attorney he looked forward to being exonerated.
