Bryan Kohberger’s Former Friend Reveals Disturbing Theory About the Motive Behind Idaho Murders

A former childhood friend of Bryan Kohberger has shared a disturbing theory about what may have motivated the killings of four University of Idaho students, while acknowledging that he does not know why the crimes happened.

Jack Baylis, who knew Kohberger during their teenage years in Pennsylvania, told the Daily Mail that the two reconnected in 2021, more than a year before the November 2022 murders. Although Kohberger appeared healthier and seemed to have moved past some of his earlier personal struggles, Baylis said their reunion left him feeling unusually uneasy.

“I got a bad, bad vibe,” Baylis recalled, describing how anxious he felt throughout the day. At the time, he could not explain his reaction and had no idea that his former friend would later become connected to one of the country’s most closely followed murder cases.

Baylis said their conversations during the reunion included dating and the experience of being ignored or “ghosted” by women. He later wondered whether Kohberger’s reported frustrations with relationships might have been relevant to the killings. However, he stressed that he had no direct knowledge of Kohberger’s intentions or the reason the victims were targeted.

Another acquaintance, Tyler Holden, also discussed the possibility that Kohberger had been interested in online “incel” communities. The term generally refers to people who describe themselves as involuntarily celibate, although the label alone does not establish that someone holds violent or misogynistic beliefs.

Baylis offered his own unsettling speculation about the motive, suggesting Kohberger may have wanted to experience what killing felt like. He also acknowledged that this was only a personal theory, not an established explanation.

Kohberger pleaded guilty in July 2025 to the murders of University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. The four were killed inside an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13, 2022. He was sentenced to four consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole, along with an additional 10-year sentence for burglary.

Despite admitting to the killings, Kohberger did not provide a motive as part of the plea agreement. The absence of an explanation has continued to leave questions for the victims’ families and the public.

In July 2026, Kohberger filed a handwritten petition seeking to withdraw his guilty plea, claiming that his attorneys had misled him and failed to provide important information about the case. Because he pleaded guilty, the evidence was never tested in a full trial.

Baylis said he remains uncertain about what happened and wants to understand the case more fully. His account offers a glimpse into Kohberger’s life before the murders, but it does not establish why the four students were killed.

Sources: DAILYMAIL