Filmmaker Skye Borgman, director of the Netflix docuseries "The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare," theorizes that Bryan Kohberger's motive for the 2022 stabbing murders of four University of Idaho students may stem from a "hatred for women." Borgman stated that Kohberger's selection of the off-campus house, which was occupied by five women at the time of the attack, suggests a targeted act.
"He watched the house; he was around the house in the days, weeks and months leading up to the murders," Borgman told Fox News Digital. "So, it seems pretty likely that he had a very low regard, if not hatred, for women."
Kohberger, 31, is serving four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, and Madison Mogen. His guilty plea came in exchange for prosecutors not seeking the death penalty.
Interviews and accounts featured in the documentary describe Kohberger as someone with a "his way or the highway" attitude who often spoke down to women, engaged in "mansplaining," and could become argumentative or aggressive. Several classmates found him "creepy" and uncomfortable to be around, with former Washington State University Police Chief Gary Jenkins recalling one student’s account of feeling cornered by Kohberger. These incidents were not reported to police as they did not rise to the level of a crime.
Despite the characterizations, FBI Special Agent Ed Jacobson stated in the documentary that investigators found no evidence Kohberger was part of the incel movement, an online community often associated with misogyny. However, Jacobson noted Kohberger was adept at concealing his online activities.
Former classmates, such as Lilly Karaban, also suggested a potential animosity toward women. "People who brutalize women the way Kohberger did dislike them, find them threatening," Karaban said. "So they take all that anger out on them."
Author James Patterson, who wrote about the case, reported multiple instances of Kohberger engaging in unwanted interactions with women, including pushing into conversations and asking for addresses at a brewery. Some women described him as a "strange man with a strange look" who avoided eye contact.
One exotic dancer recounted an encounter in 2019 where a man she later believed to be Kohberger remarked that he wanted to kill people, responding "Whoever I want" when asked who. She alerted bouncers at the time, and only later connected the incident to Kohberger after seeing his photograph following his arrest.
Borgman believes Kohberger may have sought to commit the "perfect crime" and that his continued silence is a tactic to maintain focus on himself. She added that law enforcement and the community grappled with the uncertainty surrounding the motive, with one FBI agent advising to "be OK with not knowing."
The victims' families are reportedly no longer seeking answers from the perpetrator and are instead focusing on honoring their loved ones' legacies and supporting other families. They are committed to carrying forward the love for Ethan, Madison, Kaylee, and Xana.
Recently, two days before the documentary's premiere, Kohberger attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, alleging his attorneys coerced him by promising better prison conditions and warning him about death row. He claimed his guilty plea was not entered knowingly or voluntarily because it was "induced by unkept promises" and threats. This contrasts with his 2025 statement to the court where he affirmed his plea was entered freely and voluntarily in exchange for avoiding the death penalty.
The profound impact of the crime also took a toll on law enforcement, with some investigators leaving the field due to the intensity of the case. Borgman highlighted the deep fear that gripped the community, leading some residents to stay in their homes, and the subsequent sense of unity that emerged after Kohberger's arrest.