Kohberger Threatens to End It All—While Shopping for Serial Killer Pen Pals
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
True Crime Today
3 • 791 Ratings
🗓️ 10 December 2025
⏱️ 18 minutes
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Summary
He's also reportedly reaching out to serial killers across the country—trying to network with men he apparently admires.
One of these is crisis behavior. The other is networking. You don't get to be both.
According to retired homicide detective Chris McDonough, who says he has sources inside the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, Kohberger has been writing messages to staff warning he'll harm himself if they don't transfer him. But at the same time, he's actively trying to connect with high-profile killers—both inside and outside the prison walls.
McDonough's assessment: "It could be a manipulation tactic, almost like a toddler having a tantrum, to get himself into a better unit."
This is a man who filed his first complaint on Day 2. Who's submitted at least five formal grievances in four months. Who complained about the bananas not being the kind he likes. Who fought paying $3,000 to reimburse the families of Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen for their daughters' urns—while sitting on nearly $29,000 in donations to his own jail fund.
The inmates in J-Block won't accept him. They taunt him through the vents. They've threatened him. They've made his life miserable. He expected notoriety when he walked in. He got contempt.
So now he's working two angles: self-harm threats to manipulate staff, and serial killer outreach to find peers who might see him as an equal.
This isn't despair. This is a man who lost control—and can't stand it.
Kaylee Goncalves. Madison Mogen. Xana Kernodle. Ethan Chapin. They didn't get to file complaints. They didn't get to negotiate. Remember them.
#BryanKohberger #IdahoFour #TrueCrime #HiddenKillers #IdahoStudentMurders #KayleeGoncalves #MadisonMogen #XanaKernodle #EthanChapin #CrimePodcast #TrueCrimeYouTube #SerialKillers #Justice
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | is hidden killers with Tony Bruske. |
| 0:02.7 | Here now, Tony Bruske. |
| 0:06.5 | Brian Koeberger is telling prison guards that he might harm himself. |
| 0:14.1 | Okay. |
| 0:16.2 | To anybody else like, eh? |
| 0:18.3 | And Brian Koebberger is also, according to a retired homicide investigator resources inside |
| 0:24.1 | the facility, actively reaching out to serial killers across the country, trying to form |
| 0:29.9 | relationships, trying to connect with men he apparently admires. |
| 0:35.6 | You know, pen pals. |
| 0:37.8 | One of these things suggests a man in crisis, |
| 0:41.4 | the other suggests a man building his network. |
| 0:43.9 | So which is it? |
| 0:45.9 | Because you don't get to be both. |
| 0:49.0 | You don't get to threaten self-harm to manipulate your housing situation |
| 0:53.0 | while simultaneously working on your serial killer |
| 0:56.5 | pen pal project. Those two things don't exist in the same psychological space, unless, of course, |
| 1:04.4 | neither one is appearing what it appears to be. |
| 1:10.0 | I'm curious to get your thoughts on this as we go through it. In the comment section on |
| 1:15.9 | YouTube is where you can let your voice be heard. Just search Hidden Killers with Tony |
| 1:20.8 | Brucey. Hit subscribe. Let us know your thoughts. And also, while you're listening to this, |
| 1:25.8 | if you're listening to us on Apple Podcasts right now by chance, |
| 1:44.5 | please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. That would really help us. It helps us growing the rankings. Other folks know that we exist. So a few kind words there. It takes about three seconds. Please on Apple Podcasts, we would appreciate a review there. So thank you so much for that in advance. continuing on Kaylee Gonzalez, Madison, |
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