Reports indicate that Brian Coberger, who has been convicted of murder, faced 13 formal complaints from classmates at Washington State University due to his inappropriate comments and unsettling behavior during his time there.
Coberger, 30, quickly earned the nickname “AD-K” shortly after enrolling in the doctoral criminology program, according to a sealed document and an interview from a member of the WSU community. This reputation began with the first complaint against him.
A range of complaints included allegations from several female classmates, with accusations that he made sexual comments towards them. For instance, he reportedly asked hearing-impaired students if they could “reproduce comfortably given their disability.”
By fall 2022, WSU staff informed Idaho State Police Detective Gary Tollson that Coberger had already received complaints within the first month of classes.
Disciplinary meetings began to frequently discuss Coberger, focusing on his interactions with other graduate students and some professors in the criminal justice field.
Initially thought to be merely socially awkward, staff later found that Coberger often directed what they called “outspoken discriminatory commentary” that included homophobic, xenophobic, and misogynistic remarks.
He seemed to intentionally make people uncomfortable, particularly women, with his prolonged stares.
A 19-year-old student working in the criminology department told police Coberger frequently harassed her, abruptly appearing in her office even when she tried to avoid him.
In one instance, he asked her out, but she declined, saying she was in a relationship. However, this rejection didn’t deter him; instead, he persisted, prompting her to leave work early out of fear.
Concern about the environment around Coberger was voiced by at least one individual who noted that precautions were being taken for him.
Another female peer described him as a misogynist whose behavior left her feeling “deeply offended.”
Documents indicate that he regularly engaged in disrespectful behavior towards women and often made a habit of arriving late to classes, which led some classmates to keep track of his infractions.
This same student labeled him a “narcissist” who lacked empathy and seemed to crave being perceived as the most intelligent and dominant person in the room.
Due to Coberger’s troubling behavior, first-year doctoral students in the criminology program were mandated to undergo discrimination training. This session took place just days before the tragic murders of four students at the University of Idaho.
A male graduate student recalled being “verbally invited” by Coberger to engage in a lengthy conversation in a parking lot, during which Coberger boasted about his ability to attract women in bars or clubs.
The aforementioned training occurred on November 8, 2022, only days before the killings of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin, and Xana Kernodle on November 13, 2022.
In the weeks leading up to his trial, Coberger accepted a plea deal that spared him from the death penalty.
After his sentencing, he was transferred between prisons, where fellow inmates reportedly struggled with their mental health, with some screaming into vents connecting their cells throughout the day.
