Idaho Murders Update: Suspect May Have Messaged Victim On Instagram Before Killing Roommates

Details continue to emerge after the fatal stabbings of four University of Idaho students on Nov. 13, 2022, and the arrest of a suspect about six weeks later in Monroe County, Pennsylvania.

According to a report on Tuesday, suspect Bryan Christopher Kohberger may have tried to interact with one of the victims online before they were murdered.

A source familiar with the investigation told People that authorities believe an Instagram account belonging to Kohberger messaged one of the female victims in late October 2022. When he did not receive a reply, Kohberger sent several additional messages.

"He slid into one of the girls' DMs several times, but she didn't respond," the insider said. "Basically, it was just him saying, 'Hey, how are you?' But he did it again and again."

Kohberger faces one count of felony burglary and four counts of first-degree murder in the killing of Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Ethan Chapin, 20; and Xana Kernodle, 20. The four students were killed at an off-campus home. On Thursday, Kohberger said through his attorney that he will challenge the evidence against him at a preliminary hearing, which is set for June 26 in Latah County.

People.com noted that Kohberger's now-deleted Instagram account followed the accounts of Gonclaves, Mogen, and Kernodle.

The source suggested Kohberger didn't receive a reply because the victim may not have noticed his messages.

"She may not have seen them because they went into message requests," the insider explained. "We're still trying to determine how aware the victims were of his existence."

When Instagram users receive a message from someone they do not follow, the user does not receive a notification, and the message is sent to a special folder.

"There's no indication that he was getting frustrated with her lack of response, but he was definitely persistent," the source said.

News of Kohberger's possible social media contact with one of the victims comes after a New York Times reporter uncovered chilling online posts written by the murder suspect when he was a teenager.

In the posts, Kohberger claimed he felt disconnected from society and shared his mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and depersonalization.