Idaho murder suspect’s old social posts could shed light on mental state

The New York Times first reported on posts believed to be written by Bryan Kohberger between 2009 and 2012, where he shared struggles with mental health and thoughts of suicide.
5:15 | 01/17/23

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Transcript for Idaho murder suspect’s old social posts could shed light on mental state
CHRISLEY STARTING THEIR PRISON SENTENCES COMING UP, MICHAEL. >>> NOW TO CHILLING NEW DETAILS ABOUT THE IDAHO MURDER SUSPECT IN HIS OWN WORDS, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS BELIEVED TO BE BRYAN KOHBERGER'S DATING BACK YEARS AND MOLA LENGHI HAS THE DETAILS FOR US THIS MORNING. GOOD MORNING, MOLA. >> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, MICHAEL. THESE ONLINE POSTS APPEAR TO GO BACK ABOUT A DECADE WHEN HE WAS A TEENAGER. ONE OF HIS FORMER FRIENDS ALSO PROVIDING SOME NEW INSIGHT THIS MORNING. THIS MORNING, NEWLY UNCOVERED SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS PAINTING A CLEARER PICTURE OF WHO HE WAS AS A TEEN YEARS BEFORE HE WAS CHARGED WITH KILLING FOUR UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO COLLEGE STUDENTS. "THE NEW YORK TIMES" FIRST REPORTING ON POSTS BELIEVED TO BE WRITTEN BY KOHBERGER BETWEEN 2009 AND 2012 WHERE HE SHARED STRUGGLES WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE. KOHBERGER WRITING IN 2011 AS A HUG MY FAMILY I LOOK INTO THEIR FACES, I SEE NOTHING. IT IS LIKE I'M LOOKING AT A VIDEO GAME BUT LESS, KOHBERGER ALSO WRITING HE EXPERIENCED DEPRESSION, A CONSTANT THOUGHT OF SUICIDE, CRAZY THOUGHTS AND DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR AND FEEL NO EMOTION AND ALONG WITH THE DEPERSONALIZATION I CAN SAY AND DO WHATEVER I WANT WITH LITTLE REMORSE. >> HE WAS STRUGGLING A LOT IN HIS TEENAGE YEARS ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN HIS MIND AND TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT AND HOW TO RESOLVE IT. >> Reporter: KOHBERGER ECONOMIST RATING WITH OTHER USERS ABOUT A NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION HE SAYS HE SUFFERED FROM CALLED VISUAL SNOW WHERE A PERSON SEES DOTS ACROSS THEIR LINE OF SIGHT SIMILAR TO STATIC ON A TELEVISION POSTING IN 2010 MY MIND IS NEVER NOT ON VISUAL SNOW. THIS WHOLE THING HAS MADE ME CRAZY. I FEEL LIKE MY LIFE IS POINTLESS BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN THINK ABOUT TIMES WITH PARENTS, CHILDHOOD MEMORIES AND BE HAPPY AND I WON'T BE ABLE TO. >> HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE VISUAL SYMPTOMS HE'S DEALING WITH BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS A SENSE OF DESPERATION. >> Reporter: IN ACE ACCOUNT'S FINAL POST HE WROTE HE FINALLY ACCEPTED HIS CONDITION SAYING, QUOTE, IT DOESN'T SCARE ME ANYMORE. KOHBERGER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE BECOMING A Ph.D. STUDENT IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AT WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY BEFORE HE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY DECEMBER 30th AFTER A RAID AT HIS PARENTS' HOME IN PENNSYLVANIA. POLICE CLAIMING DNA FOUND IN THE TRASH THERE TIED HIM TO THE SCENE OF THE GRUESOME IDAHO MURDERS. OVERNIGHT HIS FORMER ATTORNEY IN PENNSYLVANIA TELLING ABC NEWS HE IS STILL IN TOUCH WITH KOHBERGER'S FAMILY AND SAYS HIS MOTHER IS STILL SUPPORTIVE OF HER SON. >> SHE WOULD FIRST AND FOREMOST PUT OUT HER HEARTFELT SYMPATHIES FOR THE FOUR FAMILIES AND PRAYS FOR THEM EVERY DAY AND CAN'T IMAGINE THE SITUATION THAT THEY'RE IN BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT SHE'S OBVIOUSLY SUPPORTIVE AND SHE WANTS TO SEE HOW THE CASE UNFOLDS FOR HER SON. REALLY PRESSING THE PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE TO ANYONE THAT WILL LISTEN. >> Reporter: KOHBERGER CHARGED WITH FOUR COUNTS OF MURDER HAS NOT ENTERED A PLEA CURRENTLY HELD WITHOUT BAIL AND DUE BACK IN COURT IN JUNE, MICHAEL. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MOLA. >>> LET'S BRING IN ABC NEWS CONTRIBUTOR FORMER FBI AGENT BRAD GARRETT. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ONE OF THE THEMES SEEMS TO BE A LACK OF EMPATHY. DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU? >> NOT IN THE LEAST. WHEN YOU LOOK AT CASES SIMILAR TO THIS ONE, WHERE THERE IS A LOT OF PREPLANNING, IN HIS CASE MAYBE EVEN MONTHS, IF NOT AT LEAST WEEKS, IT BECOMES A FASCIN FASCINATION. IT BECOMES AN OBSESSION, IT BECOMES YOUR IDENTITY AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, YOU TAKE THAT SORT OF OBSESSION AND COMPULSION AND YOU OVERLAY IT WITH NOT HAVING ANY FEELINGS. I MEAN, THINK ABOUT THIS, MICHAEL. HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE BUT HIMSELF. AND IF YOU FEEL THAT WAY, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO HAVE ANY GUILT OR REMORSE AND SO THESE TYPES OF KILLINGS REALLY BECOME WHO THE PERSON IS ON MANY LEVELS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY VERY SAD BUT A REAL TRUE REALITY. >> YEAH, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE VISUAL PROBLEM HE REPORTEDLY SUFFERS FROM? HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE? >> YOU KNOW, I'VE READ ABOUT THAT BEFORE. NOW, DOES THAT REALLY PLAY INTO WHAT HE'S BEEN CHARGED WITH? I ACTUALLY DOUBT IT. DO I THINK IT ADDED TO MAYBE HIS ISOLATION? I MEAN, FOLKS, THEY GET INTO THESE TYPES OF CRIMES HAVE REALLY LOW SELF-ESTEEM. IT COULD HAVE AGGRAVATED THAT BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT WE COULD PULL UP ANYTHING AND TAKE IT AWAY THAT WOULD THEN SAY THIS KID WOULD NOT HAVE TURNED OUT LIKE HE MAY HAVE. >> AND, BRAD, INVESTIGATORS SEALED THE SEARCH WARRANT FOR HIS APARTMENT. THE JUDGE FINDING, QUOTE, PREMATURE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF THE DETAILS WILL CREATE A SERIOUS AND IMMINENT THREAT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT? >> I HAVE ACTUALLY DONE THAT IN CASES. YOU LEAVE THEM SEALED BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT FINISHED INVESTIGATING. WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY FOUND THE KNIFE. IS THERE OTHER PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT LINK HIM TO THIS CRIME? AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU WAIT BEFORE YOU

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