University of Idaho murderer begs for prison transfer, files harassment complaint

Bryan Kohberger, who murdered four University of Idaho students in 2022, is begging for a transfer out of his prison housing unit and complaining how threats by fellow inmates are making his life a living hell, Knewz.com can reveal. After just one night inside the Idaho Maximum Security Institution’s J-Block, Kohberger wrote in a complaint that he was the subject of nonstop “minute-by-minute verbal threats/harassment” and pleaded to be transferred to a different unit.

The convicted killer, who pleaded guilty to four murders, sent the handwritten note to Deputy Warden David Dietz asking for a transfer to B-Block “immediately.” Said Kohberger, “Not engaging in any of the recent flooding/striking as well as being subject to minute-by-minute verbal threats/harassment and on that and other bases [sic] Unit 2 of J-Block is an environment that I wish to transfer from.” Flooding is when inmates intentionally flood their cells by stuffing toilets or sinks and continuously flushing them, usually done as a form of disruption. A prison official who responded to Kohberger’s plea called flooding in J-Block a “relatively rare occurrence” and told him to “give it some time,” as J-Block is “generally a fairly calm and quieter tier.”

Things escalated when Kohberger sent a note to a prison guard complaining that he was being harassed, claiming a fellow inmate told him, “I’ll b*** f** you.” He went on to accuse another inmate of making another menacing threat, alleging the man said, “The only a** we’ll be eating is Kohberger’s.” The killer included the name of the guard who allegedly witnessed the warnings. The guard responded in a report submitted three days later in which he recalled “vulgar language being used and directed towards Kohberger” but indicated he was unable to determine which inmate was making the taunts. Prison officials later responded that “Kohberger feels safe to remain on tier 2 in J-Block.” The former Washington State University doctoral student’s block features single-person cells. He is allowed one hour of outdoor recreation per day and a shower every other day.

Aside from those threats, fellow inmates were also driving Kohberger crazy thanks to constant intimidation and relentless noise that left him unable to sleep. “The inmates are tormenting him at night and almost all hours of the day, taunting him through the vents in his cell. They are literally getting up into the grate and yelling at him,” retired homicide detective Chris McDonough told DailyMail.com. “The inmates are taking turns doing it. It’s relentless. He’s extremely annoyed and frustrated. He’s complaining to the authorities that he can’t sleep because of them.”

Kohberger confessed to slaughtering four University of Idaho college students in a murderous rampage at their home in November 2022. He struck a deal with prosecutors in which he agreed to plead guilty in exchange for a sentence of life in prison without parole, which allowed him to avoid going to trial and risk receiving the death penalty. He was given four life sentences — one for each of his victims: Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle. At the sentencing hearing, Kaylee’s mom, Kristi Goncalves, laid into Kohberger in her victim impact statement, telling him “hell will be waiting” for him in prison. “You are nothing. May you continue to live your life in misery. You are officially the property of the state of Idaho, where your fellow inmates are anxiously awaiting your arrival,” she continued. Kristi then shared a “quick message from our youngest daughter,” who was unable to attend the sentencing, referring to how Kohberger was likely going to be targeted for attacks in prison. “Aubrie wanted to say, ‘You may have received As in high school, but you’re gonna be getting big Ds in prison.”