Mel Kohberger, the sister of Bryan Kohberger, who was sentenced to four consecutive life terms for the murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022, has spoken out about her sibling's crimes. More than three years after the tragic incident, which claimed the lives of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, Mel condemned the speculation that her family had been aware of Bryan's involvement in the crime.
"I have always been a person who has spoken up for what was right," she told The New York Times in an interview published on January 3. "If I ever had a reason to believe my brother did anything, I would have turned him in."
Mel recalled warning her brother about the gruesome incident before authorities identified a suspect. She lived nearby and often saw him go on late-night jogs through the neighborhood. "Bryan, you are running outside and this psycho killer is on the loose," she told him. "Be careful."
While Mel remembered Bryan thanking her for her concern, she described feeling nauseous when her sister Amanda informed her that the police had apprehended their brother. "She was like, 'I'm with the FBI, Bryan's been arrested,'" Mel recalled. "I was like, 'For what?'"
Mel also detailed how her life has been impacted by her proximity to Bryan in the wake of the murders. For instance, at the time of her brother's December 2022 arrest, she had been training for a job as a mental health counselor, but agreed to give up the role after the employer was bombarded with inquiries.
"It's confusing," she explained. "It's painful. It's like being victimized but not really being a victim."
Mel admitted that she and her family have grieved Bryan's absence from special occasions such as holidays, but emphasized that their thoughts quickly shift to the pain of the victims' families. As she tearfully told The New York Times, "The idea is making me so emotional that I can barely speak to you about it."
Mel, who revealed that she was once a fan of true crime, urged those who take interest in such sagas to consider how the public fascination with the cases can negatively affect those close to the matters.
"It's human nature to be curious about darker things," she shared. "That's how we keep ourselves safe. But I think we should try and come together for a true crime culture that is way more protective and empathetic to the families of the victims."
