The story of Bryan Kohberger isn’t just about four lives stolen in Moscow, Idaho. It’s also about a lifetime of obsessions, failures, and fractured psychology that built the man accused of those crimes.
From his teenage years, Kohberger described himself as numb, detached, incapable of empathy. He filled journals and online posts with accounts of feeling unreal, seeing the world through “visual snow,” and struggling to connect with anyone. As he grew older, those feelings didn’t fade — they hardened into obsessions. Nightly “stargazing” drives were really peeping expeditions. Porn searches zeroed in on unconscious women, rape, and voyeurism. Power and control weren’t just fantasies — they became the only way his brain seemed to process intimacy.
At the same time, Kohberger never cut the cord with his parents. Friends recall him referring to them, even as an adult, as “mother” and “father,” calling daily, relying on them for stability he couldn’t generate for himself. Experts say this dependence highlights fragility: a man desperate for grounding, yet incapable of independence.
So what drove him? Was his criminology research an academic pursuit, or a desperate attempt to decode himself? Did his failures in relationships, in confidence, in basic human connection funnel him toward darker outlets? Psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins Tony Brueski to dissect Kohberger’s “broken brain” — the obsessions, the dependence, the fragile ego that demanded dominance but never found identity.
This is a psychological autopsy of a man who could never quite find himself — and instead tried to build power by taking everything from others.
Hashtags:
#BryanKohberger #HiddenKillers #TrueCrime #KohbergerPsychology #MoscowMurders #Idaho4 #ShavaunScott #KohbergerBrokenBrain #TrueCrimePodcast #KohbergerFamily
Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video?
Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/
Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod
X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod
Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Popular Podcasts
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com