Bryan Kohberger's mother called him 'my angel' and insisted police made a 'really, really bad mistake': book

After a Pennsylvania State Police SWAT squad stormed her location successful the Poconos successful December 2022, Maryann Kohberger told investigators she believed they'd made a "really, truly atrocious mistake" and that her suspected murderer lad was an "angel."

They had conscionable arrested Bryan Kohberger, who was accused of stabbing 4 University of Idaho undergrads successful Moscow, Idaho. Three were inactive dormant erstwhile they were attacked.

"He's my angel," Maryann Kohberger told 3 FBI agents, according to a partial transcript of her interrogation revealed successful Christopher Whitcomb's caller book, "Broken Plea."

She spoke with them voluntarily astatine the Pennsylvania State Police Fern Ridge Barracks successful Blakeslee, astir 8 miles from the household location successful Albrightsville. Police took Kohberger's parents determination arsenic they served a hunt warrant astatine the house.

IDAHO STUDENT MURDERS: BRYAN KOHBERGER'S FAMILY COULD BE ASKED TO TESTIFY AGAINST HIM, COURT DOCS REVEAL

Maryann Kohberger, parent of Bryan Kohberger, and her girl Amanda Kohberger permission the Ada County Courthouse successful Boise, Idaho, connected July 23, 2025, aft Bryan Kohberger's sentencing for the murders of 4 University of Idaho students successful November 2022. (Derek Shook/Fox News Digital)

"My lad would not bash this," Maryann Kohberger insisted, successful effect to a question from FBI Special Agent Matthew Phillips. "I volition involvement my beingness connected that. There’s a mistake, thing is incorrect somewhere. And that’s what I believe. And that’s what I cognize successful my heart."

Special Agent Jessica Mahoney was besides progressive successful the interview.

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Bryan Kohberger appears astatine the Ada County Courthouse successful Boise, Idaho, connected July 23, 2025, for his sentencing proceeding for the stabbing deaths of 4 University of Idaho students astir 3 years earlier. (Kyle Green/AP Photo)

"You accidental that he's uh, an angel. He's kind. He's your baby," she told Maryann Kohberger. "Does helium person immoderate choler issues ever?"

The publication does not straight punctuation her response, but Whitcomb wrote that she denied her lad had choler issues oregon had shown confrontational behavior. This appears to contradict allegations against him from chap students astatine Washington State University, wherever helium was a Ph.D. pupil successful criminology who besides worked arsenic a teacher's aide.

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Mahoney asked if Kohberger had a woman oregon boyfriends. His parent said helium wasn't dating anyone astatine the time, and had lone had "a couple" of anterior girlfriends.

University of Idaho students Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, and 2 different housemates airs successful the last photograph shared by Goncalves connected Instagram earlier 4 students were fatally stabbed successful November 2022. (Kaylee Goncalves/Instagram)

She admitted her lad had fewer friends and said she was thankful that he'd flooded a past heroin addiction. However, she claimed helium was "making friends" astatine WSU. She could lone sanction 1 — described successful the publication lone arsenic an planetary pupil and 1 of his classmates successful the criminology program.

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She besides told the agents Kohberger's semester successful Pullman, Washington, was the archetypal clip he'd lived alone. He had fewer hobbies, stayed up precocious and was organized erstwhile it came to enactment but not ever tidying up his room, she told them.

"What’s going done my caput close present is that this is simply a really, truly atrocious mistake, what’s going on, similar what’s happening here," she told the agents.

Bryan Kohberger appears astatine the Ada County Courthouse successful Boise, Idaho, connected July 23, 2025, for his sentencing proceeding for the stabbing deaths of 4 University of Idaho students astir 3 years earlier. (Kyle Green/AP)

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Phillips aboriginal warned her, "there is simply a batch of evidence" — capable probable origin to authorize the warrant served connected her location that landed her lad successful handcuffs.

"This is simply a nightmare," she said astatine different point.

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Years later, she would beryllium successful the beforehand enactment arsenic her lad confessed to the murders of 4 guiltless assemblage students — Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20.

Maryann Kohberger exits Monroe County Court House successful Stroudsburg, Pa., connected Jan. 3, 2023, aft her lad Bryan Kohberger's extradition hearing. He was charged with the execution of 4 University of Idaho students successful November 2022. (The Image Direct for Fox News Digital)

There is nary known motive successful the lawsuit aft helium took a plea woody to debar the hazard of the imaginable decease punishment astatine trial.

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He is serving 4 consecutive presumption of beingness successful situation without the anticipation of parole, 1 for each of the murders, positive different 10 years for breaking into the home.

Pennsylvania authorities antecedently declined to divulge the afloat interrogation transcript and different records requested by Fox News Digital surrounding Kohberger's arrest, citing an exemption nether authorities law.

Attempts to scope Kohberger's parents were unsuccessful.