Bryan Kohberger is forced in prison to wear an anti-suicide vest, also known as a turtle suit, while awaiting extradition to Moscow, Idaho, where he faces charges of murdering four University of Idaho students.
Kohberger was arrested Friday in Pennsylvania, more than 2,000 miles from where the November 13 deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Maddie Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and 20-year-old Ethan Chapin off-campus home they shared.
The PhD has agreed to be extradited from Pennsylvania to Idaho. His lawyer said he was shocked by the arrest and planned to deny the killings. Kohberger was originally on suicide watch but is now said to be absent while he prepares his defense.
A former friend of the suspect in the community of Chestnuthill, near the Poconos Mountains, has told the media how shocked he was when news of Kohberger’s arrest broke.
Schyler Jacobson said in an interview that he was “completely shocked” to realize how close he had been to the man suspected of such a gruesome act.
Bryan Kohberger, 28, a criminology student, was arrested in PA on Friday in the murders of the four University of Idaho students
Schyler Jacobson, pictured here, said in an interview: “I would text [Kohlberger] and be like, ‘Hey, do you want to go running?’ We ran six/seven miles at night so I was in shock when I saw who it was, it was so close to home.
Jacobson told WBRE, “I looked at the picture and couldn’t believe who it was. It was Bryan Kohberger. I texted him and said, “Hey, do you want to go running?” We ran six or seven miles at night so I was in shock when I saw who it was, it was so close to home.
At the time of the murders, Kohberger, who was staying at his childhood home in Monroe County, Pennsylvania when he was arrested, was studying at the University of Washington, about a 20-minute drive from where the murders took place.
Jacobson continued, “I still tremble when I know about it. It’s just unreal to think that someone could do something like that to someone. It is absolutely amazing, my adrenaline is still pumping after finding out this information.
In a separate interview with NBC Philadelphia, Jacobson said the two were close about 10 years ago and that they’d had “all these positive conversations” during their runs.
Jacobson described the murder suspect as “uplifting” and often spoke of wanting to get in shape. He said that Kohberger’s behavior was nothing to worry about.
Another Monroe County resident, Dennis Munger, told WBRE, “It’s pretty amazing, this is right in your backyard and you don’t know anything about it. You know, following someone across the country like that is crazy.”
Kohberger was arrested here on Friday at his childhood home near the Poconos Mountains
According to manufacturer PSP’s website, “The Suicide Prevention Smock offers comfort, protection and warmth without compromising on safety and overall effectiveness as it is made of high quality fabric and craftsmanship.”
A suicide vest or gown is a tear-resistant, one-piece outer garment that prevents inmates from slinging their clothing to commit suicide.
Prior to their invention and use in the 1990s, inmates deemed suicidal were often left in cells naked or with paper gowns.
It was Law and Crime Network host Angenette Levy who first drew attention to the vest when she posted Kohberger’s mugshot, adding, “Note the vest he’s wearing.”
When asked about the suit by a follower, Levy replied: “You can’t cut it to hang yourself. It’s like a suit.”
According to manufacturer PSP’s website, the vest is “Made with quality fabric and craftsmanship, the Suicide Prevention Smock provides comfort, coverage and warmth without compromising safety and overall effectiveness”.
The vests are $425. Also known as turtle suits, they are sometimes given to inmates who are believed to be the target of inmate violence.
In addition to preventing suicide, it is also impossible to turn the vest into a weapon that could be used against guards or other inmates.
Victims Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Maddie Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and 20-year-old Ethan Chapin were killed on November 13
Nick Mcloughlin, who was friends with Kohberger at school, told The Daily Beast he was “stunned” when his old acquaintance was arrested.
Mcloughlin said Kohberger was “down to earth” when he graduated junior year. But by the start of last year, Kohberger was returning “thinner than a splint,” had become “aggressive,” and was taking up boxing.
Recalling how their friendship soured, Mcloughlin added, “He always wanted to fight somebody, he bullied people. We started cutting him off from our circle of friends because he was 100 percent a different person.”
Mcloughlin said he had “no idea” what prompted the sudden change.
Locals and at least one police officer were sighted in Albrightsville Friday after Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger was arrested
Moscow boss James Fry said Saturday he believes “we have the person who committed these crimes”.
He also confirmed that white Hyundai Elantra police searched the suspect’s parents’ home in the Poconos during the first few weeks of the investigation.
However, authorities are still looking for the murder weapon.
The Moscow Police Department continues to encourage anyone to provide information as they are “still putting pieces together”.
The police chief was unable to reveal much about the case Saturday because Idaho state law bars officers from releasing information until the criminology student has made his first appearance in Idaho court.
However, he said it was “disappointing” to learn that the alleged killer was studying criminology as it “is not something we want in our profession”.
“We hold ourselves to a higher standard, we hold ourselves to an ethical standard,” he told Fox News. “But we can’t choose what people study.”
Kohberger’s attorney said Saturday that his client “looks forward to resolving these matters.”
‘Mr. Kohberger is eager to be cleared of these charges and looks forward to resolving these matters as soon as possible,” Monroe County Chief Public Defender Jason LaBar, who is only representing the suspect pending extradition, told CNN.
He added that the suspect will agree to forego his extradition hearing, which was scheduled for Tuesday, in order to send it to Idaho.