Newly released surveillance footage reveals a chilling pattern in the behavior of Bryan Kohberger, the convicted murderer of four University of Idaho students. The videos, obtained through a public records request, show Kohberger was a frequent shopper at a Walmart near the crime scene during the semester he spent in the Pullman-Moscow area.
The footage documents at least thirteen trips to the store between late October and early December 2022, almost all occurring after nightfall. What’s particularly unsettling is the timing: Kohberger began consistently wearing gloves while shopping shortly after the brutal murders on November 13th.
Prior to the killings, Kohberger was captured on camera at the checkout counter without gloves. His last glove-free purchase was on November 12th, just hours before the horrific events unfolded at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho. He checked out at 10:34 p.m., and the murders occurred just after 4:00 a.m. the following morning.
Following the murders, Kohberger’s shopping habits changed dramatically. He returned to the Walmart multiple times, always with gloves, carefully concealing all but a single thumb when using his credit card. This deliberate attempt to avoid leaving fingerprints raises disturbing questions about his state of mind.
On one occasion, he was accompanied by another individual, but they paid separately at different self-checkout registers. Investigators found no further information about this person, and believe Kohberger acted alone in the commission of the crime.
Kohberger, a criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University, strategically shopped at a Walmart conveniently located between the university and the site of the murders. Police identified him through his debit card, tracking thirteen separate visits.
Among his purchases, two items drew particular attention: a beanie bought on November 7th and “utility clothes” – specifically a nine-pack of gray hand towels – purchased on December 1st. Investigators hoped the beanie might be a ski mask, but details remained elusive.
The search for the murder weapon led police to Walmart records, as well as Amazon. While Kohberger ultimately purchased a Ka-Bar knife online, he also searched for another one after the murders. The knife itself was never recovered, but a Ka-Bar sheath bearing his DNA was found at the crime scene.
Investigators learned a Walmart employee had reported a suspicious man inquiring about a black ski mask. This detail, combined with the eyewitness account describing the killer wearing a black balaclava revealing only “bushy eyebrows,” painted a disturbing picture.
The victims – Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin – were brutally attacked in their off-campus home. All but Kernodle were asleep when the violence began. Kohberger, now serving four consecutive life sentences plus ten years, has offered no explanation for his actions.
