Accused University of Idaho killer Bryan Kohberger was ‘creep’ to girls at school, former classmates allege

The man accused of murdering four students in the US was an awkward “creep” at high school, former classmates have alleged.

Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of murdering four students from the University of Idaho in the United States, was an awkward “creep” who repelled girls during his time at high school, those who knew him at the time have claimed.

Former acquaintances of the accused killer have described him as an “outcast” whose transformation by his senior year of school was so drastic they thought he was a “new student”, The New York Post reports.

Kohberger, 28, was arrested in Pennsylvania on Friday and charged with murdering four students who were stabbed to death as they slept on November 13: Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20.

Kohberger underwent a startling transformation before his senior year at high school, losing something like 30 kilograms. That’s the recollection of Dominique Clark, who attended both primary and high school with him.

“I remember seeing him and thinking it was a new student. He was so heavy and he lost so much weight, he almost looked sickly, or like it was an obsession,” Ms Clark told The Post.

“Around the same time, he became more aggressive, and I think he became more of an outcast at that point. He became more withdrawn.”

After his weight loss, Kohberger reportedly went from victim to aggressor, classmates said.

Kohberger is accused of killing Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in November. Picture: Monroe County Correctional Facility

One such classmate, Casey Arntz, shared details of Kohberger’s past in a series of videos posted on Friday, local time. In the video clips, Ms Arntz showed photos of herself with him and other friends, as well as screenshots of messages she seemingly exchanged with him.

“I really didn’t have ‘old friend of a murderer’ on my 2022 bingo list,” she said, still shaking and visibly distressed from learning the alleged murderer’s identity.

She showed a clip of her posing for a photo from 2017 with her friend Brandon, his wife, and Kohberger standing off to the right — facing the camera, but expressionless.

“Obviously that’s Bryan. Still had the dead face,” she remarked.

She said when she spoke to him at the time, he told her that he was “clean” from drug use. Ms Arntz alleged he had previously used heroin.

“It was nice to see him clean up,” she said, adding that he said he was working security detail at a school at the time.

“He seemed like he was better. Obviously that wasn’t true,” Ms Arntz said.

She shared another photo of her friend posing with Kohberger at a party, noting that he “used to be a bigger kid” compared to his skinny frame today.

The battle with drug addiction extended into college, a former classmate at Northampton Community College told Fox News.

The classmate, who did not want to be named, told the outlet that the two would talk “for hours” about his weight and drug battle.

This undated booking image released by the Monroe County, Pennsylvania, Correctional Facility shows Bryan Kohberger. Picture: Monroe County Correctional Facility/AFP

Meanwhile, Ms Clark described Kohberger as very bright, but odd – especially around girls.

“If he liked or was interested in a girl and she wasn’t, he didn’t understand why or just didn’t accept her saying no and move on and so he would have been labelled as a creep or something along those lines,” said Ms Clark, now a critical care nurse.

“He hung out with the people who were outcasts together. He tried to hang out with people who were smart,” she continued.

“He just didn’t really fit in with anybody.”

Another classmate, Sarah Healey, told Fox News that Kohberger was bullied by high school girls, who would even throw things at him.

“It was bad,” Ms Healey said.

“There was definitely something off about him, like we couldn’t tell exactly what it was.

“I honestly think that’s what led up to this, because he didn’t get the proper help, and it was mainly females that bullied him.”

Kohberger is being held in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, where his next court date is on January 3 in the Court of Common Pleas.

This story first appeared on The New York Post and has been republished with permission.

Originally published as Accused University of Idaho killer Bryan Kohberger was ‘creep’ to girls at school, former classmates allege