Explosive new book claims to reveal target of Idaho murders and how suspect Bryan Kohberger’s family grew suspicious of him BEFORE his arrest
An explosive new book claims Bryan Kohberger had a single target the night he allegedly murdered four Idaho students — and that his family suspected him before his arrest.
Kohberger, 29, was not on a random killing spree, but planned to target only Madison Mogen when he entered the Moscow home in November 2022, according to journalist Howard Blum’s upcoming book – When the Night Comes Calling: A Requiem for the Idaho Student Murders.
Blum said ABC news that officials believe Kohberger was after Mogen because he passed by the rooms of two surviving roommates before embarking on the killing spree that shocked the nation.
“If all he was doing was killing, it would have been natural and instinctive to go to one of those doors,” Blum said.
“Instead, he goes up these narrow stairs and goes straight into Maddie’s room, and I think Maddie was his target.”
An explosive new book claims Bryan Kohberger had a single target the night he allegedly murdered four Idaho students
Blum also writes that Kohberger’s family members are concerned about his behavior prior to his arrest.
Kohberger’s father Michael was reportedly ‘tense’ when he picked up the alleged killer from school after the murders.
‘[Michael] has read the headlines – he knows that four students have been murdered 12 miles from his son’s home. He knows what a troubled son he has,” Blum said.
When the Night Comes Calling: A Requiem for the Idaho Student Murders will be released June 25
Blum claims that one of Kohberger’s own two sisters approached Michael to express suspicions about her brother, but the father ignored her.
“He can’t deal with it,” Blum told ABC News at the time of the father’s reaction.
Meanwhile, sources told both Blum and ABC News that the two surviving roommates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, used their cellphones to communicate during and after the murders.
When the Night Comes Calling: A Requiem for the Idaho Student Murders will be released June 25.
As DailyMail.com previously reported, Mortensen, 21, allegedly called on her friends and housemates to calm down in the early morning hours of November 13.
“Calm down, you’re loud!” she reportedly screamed around 4 a.m., in addition to “I’m trying to sleep!”
The student then closed and locked her door.
After hearing some more loud noises that evening, Mortensen opened her door again and saw Kohberger, but thought he was a partygoer.
Kohberger, 29, planned to target only Madison Mogen when he entered the Moscow home in November 2022, according to journalist Howard Blum’s upcoming book.
Madison Mogen, 21, top left, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, bottom left, Ethan Chapin, 20, center, and Xana Kernodle, 20, right.
Blum also writes that Kohberger’s family members are concerned about his behavior prior to his arrest
Mortensen told police that just after 4 a.m. on the night of the murders, she saw a strange figure dressed in black walking past her toward the rear of the house.
Authorities determined that the four students were killed sometime between 4:00 a.m. and 4:25 a.m. Police wouldn’t be called to the off-campus residence for another eight hours.
In December 2022, Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania and charged with the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20.
Both Mortensen and 21-year-old Bethany Funke were home at the time of the murders, but were unharmed by the killer.
Speculators of the shocking case wondered why the surviving housemates had an eight-hour gap between the time of the murders and the time they called the police.
A judge entered a not guilty plea on Kohberger’s behalf at a hearing in May 2023, and in recent months Kohberger’s attorneys and Latah County prosecutors have feuded over the evidence and other data collected during the investigation.
So far, 2nd District Judge John Judge has not set a trial date. He notes that the case is particularly complicated in part because prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty if there is a conviction.
Kohberger’s father Michael was reportedly ‘tense’ when he picked up the alleged killer from school after the murders. They are both pictured during a traffic stop
Mortensen told police she saw a strange figure dressed in black walking past her toward the rear entrance of the house just after 4 a.m. the night of the murders.
But that could change later this month. The judge scheduled a hearing for June 27 to discuss the schedule for the remainder of the case, including dates for trial and for possible sentencing.
Earlier this month, the judge said investigators working for Kohberger’s defense team would be added to a list of attorneys and defense experts allowed to view sealed DNA data that law enforcement officials used to narrow the pool of potential suspects.
The DNA was used for genetic genealogy, in which material found at a crime scene is run through public genealogical databases to find a suspect or his relatives.
Kohberger’s attorneys are also asking for a change of venue. The judge has yet to decide on that request.