Bryan Kohberger claimed he was diagnosed with four “mental health disorders” just months before pleading guilty to the murders of four University of Idaho students in July.
In a June court filing attesting to his ability to make a plea, Kohberger, 30, said he was diagnosed with autism (level 1), OCD, ADHD and ARFID, an eating disorder, in February this year.
Kohberger said he was taking just one prescription medication, levothyroxine, for his illnesses at the time, per a court filing obtained by People on Wednesday, September 3. Levothyroxine is a drug used to treat hyperthyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid fails to produce enough of the thyroid hormone thyroxine.
Level 1 autism is a form of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). People diagnosed with the level 1 autism may struggle with initiating social interaction and be inflexible in their behavior or habits, according to the charity Autism Speaks.
Everything to Know About Bryan Kohberger’s Life in Prison
People with OCD, also known as obsessive-compulsive disorder, may exhibit “a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears known as obsessions. These obsessions lead you to do repetitive behaviors, also called compulsions,” according to the Mayo Clinic.
ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is most commonly diagnosed in children who may have “a hard time paying attention, being hyperactive and being impulsive,” per the Mayo Clinic. The condition can also be diagnosed in adults, who may have issues such as “unstable relationships, poor work or school performance, low self-esteem, and other problems.”
Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder — or ARFID — is described by the Mayo Clinic as including “extremely limited eating or not eating certain foods,” which “may lead to problems with growth, development and functioning in daily life.”
In July, Kohberger pleaded guilty to the November 2022 murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. The four students were found dead inside an off-campus house in Moscow, Idaho.
What to Know About Bryan Kohberger’s Family and Early Life
On July 23, Kohberger was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 10 years for burglary.
Following his sentencing, Kohberger was moved into solitary confinement in the J block at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution. Prisoners in solitary confinement are restricted to their cells for 23 hours a day and permitted just one hour of outdoor recreation. Prisoners are provided a shower every other day.
In August, retired homicide detective Chris McDonough told the Daily Mail that Kohberger was already being targeted by his fellow inmates.
“It’s driving him crazy. The inmates are tormenting him at night and almost all hours of the day – taunting him through the vents in his cell,” McDonough claimed. “They are literally getting up into the grate and yelling at him. The inmates are taking it in turns doing it. It’s relentless.”
“He’s extremely annoyed and frustrated,” McDonough added. “He’s complaining to the authorities that he can’t sleep because of them.”
