Accused Killer Bryan Kohberger's Dark Past Exposed in New Court Docs | Crime Alert 11AM 06.12.25

Bryan Kohberger’s secret past trauma and teenage addiction battle are expected to fall under the spotlight at his capital murder trial, as his defense fights to save him from the firing squad. Nicole Partin reporting. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime Alart hourly Update, Breaking crime News Now, I'm Nicole
part and Brian Colberger's secret past trauma and teenage addiction
battle are expected to fall under the spotlight at his
capital murder trial as his defense fights to save him
from the firing squad. In a new court filing hitting
back at the suspects eleventh hour bid to delay the trial,

(00:22):
prosecutors point to a trove of information uncovered about Coburger's past.
Among them are details of past quote trauma, including records
about a childhood car accident. Colburger was involved in. The
Details of this accident, including when and where it occurred,
remain a mystery. It is unclear if Coburger suffered any
injuries in the accident, but the filing states that the

(00:45):
incident is documented in the defenses reports from mental health experts,
and that the accused killer's family members can testify about
the apparent trauma he endured. The thirty year old criminology
PhD graduate is going on trial this August, charged with
the murders of Kaylee Conglave's Xanakernudle eighth and Chapin and
Madison Mogan in a horror knife attack in Moscow, Idaho,

(01:09):
on November thirteen, twenty twenty two. If convicted, he faces
the death penalty. Due to changes in Idaho state law,
he could be facing the prospect of a firing squad
if sent to death row. Coberger's legal team have tried
and filled thirteen times to get capital punishment taken off
the table. Now, with the new trial date looming, the

(01:30):
defense has made a last ditch request to delay the trial,
citing a recent Dateline episode that revealed bombshell new evidence
and pointed to a potential evidence leak in the case.
The defense also argued that they need more time to
effectively prepare for the trial and investigate Coberger's life story
ahead of the potential penalty phase. But in the new

(01:51):
court filing, prosecutor Bill Thompson clapped back furiously, responding it
is time. The state argues that Coberger's team has had
plenty of time to prepare for the trial, coming more
than two years after his arrest, it is time to
try this case. Defendant was arrested in late December of
twenty twenty two and was indicted in May of twenty three.

(02:13):
The filing states, as well as the car crash which
was listed under trauma history. Coburger's past drug abuse is
also mentioned, with prosecutors revealing family members and mental health
professionals can't speak to this evidence. As a teenager, Coburger
struggled with heroin addiction and was once arrested for stilling
his sister's iPhone. According to twenty fourteen court records, Coberger's dad, Michael,

(02:38):
called police to report that his nineteen year old son
had stolen his sister's cell phone. Michael told police the
teen had drug abuse issues. Several former friends and high
school classmates also spoke out about the heroin use. Following
his arrest in December twenty two, Coberger eventually kicked his
drug habit following a stint in rehab, turning his attention

(03:00):
to studying criminology. The suspected mass killer's medical and mental
health history have also been investigated ahead of the trial,
with defense experts diagnosing Colberger with autism, OCD and ADHD.
Last week's subpoenas were issued to several people in the
Pennsylvania area to appear as witnesses in the upcoming trial,

(03:21):
including an adviser at his former school and a woman
who works at a boxing gym where he used to train.
The prosecution argues that Colberger's team has already plowed the
necessary ground to prepare for trial and is asking the
judge to deny this eleventh hour motion to delay, as
well as needing more time. The defense also cited the

(03:42):
recent Dateline show and the publicity around the case in
its argument to postpone the trial. The Dateline show, released
in early May, revealed new details about the case for
the first time, including the suspected killer's phone records, porn choices,
and his online searches for Ted Bundy. It also aired
never before seen surveillance footage of a suspect vehicle fleeing

(04:04):
the crime scene. Days before the show aired, Judge Steve
Hipler handed down a scathing court order, saying that the
release of sensitive information in the episode shows that someone
close to the case has likely violated the gag order.
The judge ordered an investigation into the leak, vowing to
root out the source and hold the culprit to account.

(04:26):
In the twenty two page filing, prosecutors acknowledge there has
been intense publicity surrounding the case and that the Dateline
episode does pose challenges to the trial. However, defendant's reliance
on the dateline episode to support his motion is misplaced
for several reasons, the file claims. Prosecutors also argue that

(04:46):
granting a delay would not reduce the publicity around the case,
instead arguing it would only allow more opportunities for pre
trial publicity and make it harder to seat a jury.
Judge Stephen Hipler has not yet ruled on the defense's
motion to delay the trial. A hearing is scheduled for
June eighteen. A closed door hearing will also be held

(05:06):
that day around whether or not the defense can present
an alternate suspect to jurors at the trial. Colberger's defense
has filed documents pointing the finger at another suspect or
suspects they claim could be the killer. As it stands,
the identity of this suspect and what evidence the defense
could tie them to has not been released. Colberger is

(05:30):
accused of breaking into it the three story off campus
home in the heart of the college town of Moscow,
and stabbing the four victims to death. He was connected
to the murders after his DNA was found on a
k bar leather knife sheath found next to Mogen's body
at the crime scene. Prosecutors also found cell phone records
placing him outside the student home multiple times prior to

(05:52):
the murders, as well as surveillance footage showing a vehicle
matching his car speeding away. His defense team argued that
those should not be presented to the jury. Jury selection
is slated to begin in late July or early August.
The trial is set to get under way on August eleven.
More crime and justice news after this. Virginia State Police

(06:17):
are seeking the public's assistance and locating a missing girl.
The Roanoke City Police Department is searching for fifteen year
old Isabelle Renee Adkins. Authorities say she was last seen
on Wednesday around nine pm on Dale Avenue Southeast in Roanoke.
She was wearing a black T shirt and blue jeans.
Police believe she is traveling on foot. According to the

(06:40):
police department, Atkins is five to four, weighs about one
hundred and fifty pounds, and wears glasses. This disappearance poses
a credible threat to her health and safety. The police
say they are seeking the public's help. Anyone with information
is asked to contact the Roanoke City Police Department at
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two or call nine one one for the latest crime
injustice news. Follow Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite
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