Bryan Kohberger was handed four life sentences after confessing to the murder of four University of Idaho students and his family have now spoken out about their relationship with him.
Kohberger, 30, currently remains locked up at the Idaho Maximum Security prison, where he is expected to live out the rest of his life.
He was convicted after being arrested for the 2022 murders of four students, 21-year-olds Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves and their 20-year-old roommate Xana Kernodle and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, also 20.
All four students were murdered at an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13.
Kohberger initially pleaded not guilty to the slayings before taking a plea deal, which saw him admit to the killings and avoid the death penalty.
Kohberger’s sister, Melissa, has now spoken out about her brother and addressed one moment that stuck out to people when he was being sentenced.
The 34-year-old explained why he was sentenced with a black heart drawing in his possession.
Speaking to the New York Times, the psychologist, who lives in New Jersey, said she had sent her younger brother the heart ahead of his July sentencing to show his family still loved him.
According to the outlet, she wanted the drawing to convey the fact that the family had not disowned him. Her drawing was reportedly photocopied and given to Kohberger.
As well as this, Melissa also noted that she had discussed the murders with Kohberger prior to his arrest, seemingly unaware that he was the culprit.
She said that she had called her brother after the story broke and warned him due to him having a fondness for going for late-night jogs and leaving his doors unlocked.
Melissa said she told him: “Bryan, you are running outside, and this psycho killer is on the loose. Be careful.”
Kohberger apparently told her that he would be safe.
Bryan Kohberger’s sister Melissa has spoken about the conversations she has had with him about the murders (Kyle Green-Pool/Getty Images)
The second time they had discussed the murders was the following month, after Kohberger had driven his car across the country to spend Christmas with his family in Pennsylvania.
She noted that Kohberger mentioned in passing that the police in Idaho were ‘still hunting for the killer’.
Melissa also explained that she is still in contact with her brother behind bars, and the pair indulge his ongoing curiosity with psychology.
She said her family fully accepts the gravity and evil of Kohberger’s crimes and noted that whenever she feels overwhelmed by the situation, she reminds herself that the victims’ families have it much worse than she does.