True Crime
Idaho Murders: Bryan Kohberger’s Mom Told FBI Her Son Wasn’t Guilty: ‘I Will Stake My Life on That’
Bryan Kohberger’s mom, Maryann Kohberger, refused to believe he was behind the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students.
“My son would not do this. I will stake my life on that,” Maryann told FBI agents the night they arrested Bryan, 31, in their home on December 30, 2022, per the new book, Broken Plea: The Explosive Search for Truth Behind the Idaho Murders, via the Daily Mail. “He’s my angel.”
Two and a half years later, Bryan pleaded guilty to killing Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20 and Ethan Chapin, 20, and sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without parole.
A newly released FBI report obtained by author Christopher Whitcomb sheds more light on how the criminology grad student’s parents first reacted to the accusations against him.
“What’s going through my mind right now is that this is a really, really bad mistake, what’s going on, like what’s happening here,” Maryann told officials, per the Daily Mail. “We know what our, you know, who our children are, you know.”
According to the outlet, Maryann even revealed that she suggested Bryan buy the knife that he ultimately used in the murders. She told officials that she thought he should “obtain something to defend himself in the event of a bear attack while Bryan hiked in the western US.”
They added that Maryann was unaware he had “purchased anything for this purpose.”
Agents later asked her if Bryan had given her reason for concern with his behaviors that may have indicated he was capable of murder.
“Never, ever, ever,” Maryann said. “There’s a mistake, something is wrong somewhere. And that’s what I believe. And that’s what I know in my heart.”
Bryan’s parents, Maryann and Michael Kohberger, have rarely spoken out about the situation, aside from a statement they released in January 2023.
“As a family, we will love and support our son and brother,” the statement released by public defender Jason LaBar read, per The Detroit News. “We have fully cooperated with law enforcement agencies in an attempt to seek the truth and promote his presumption of innocence.”
Broken Plea: The Explosive Search for Truth Behind the Idaho Murders is out now.
