The convicted killer, Brian Kohberger, was diagnosed with four mental health disorders just months before he entered a guilty plea, according to new court documents.
At 30 years old, Kohberger was found to have high-functioning autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). These diagnoses were made in February 2025.
This came only four months before it was revealed that Kohberger had accepted a plea deal, which allowed him to avoid the death penalty in exchange for a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Interestingly, despite these mental health challenges, Kohberger did not contend that they impaired his ability to plead guilty with a sound mind.
His legal team had argued against the death penalty based on his diagnoses, especially his autism, but the judge rejected that argument in April.
On July 2nd, Kohberger was sentenced to four consecutive life terms after admitting guilt in the murders of four University of Idaho students: Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin, and Xana Kernodle. These students were tragically killed in their sleep with knives in November 2022.
Kohberger’s motives for targeting this group are still unclear, but he was arrested weeks after the crime. This was mainly due to a significant amount of evidence that pointed directly to him, especially given his background as a criminology student.
While his autism and OCD diagnoses had been previously noted, Kohberger asserted that he was mentally fit when he pled guilty. His lawyers even tried to introduce expert testimony during trial to explain that his behavior wasn’t simply the result of his mental health, but the motion was not accepted.
Additionally, evidence showed that Kohberger had spoken about his mental health in an online chat room prior to the murders. In prison, he reportedly exhibited obsessive-compulsive behaviors, including spending hours in the shower.
Kohberger was only prescribed one medication, levothyroxine, which is typically used to treat thyroid issues. There’s no clear indication that this medication is connected to his mental health conditions.
