'He's My Angel': Idaho 4 Killer Bryan Kohberger's Mom Shares Bizarre Details of Their Close Bond in First Interview After Son Brutally Murdered Four College Students
Bryan Kohberger's mother only sees one thing when she looks at her son: 'an angel.'
April 27 2026, Published 1:40 p.m. ET
The mother of Bryan Kohberger has pulled back the veil on their disturbing close bond, RadarOnline.com can reveal, as the vile killer rots behind bars after murdering four college students.
In Christopher Whitcomb's upcoming book, Broken Plea: The Explosive Search for Truth Behind the Idaho Murders, the words that Kohberger's mom, Maryann, told three FBI special agents following his arrest.
'This Is a Really Bad Mistake'
Kohberger's mother labeled him an 'angel,' even after his arrest.
"What's going through my mind right now is that this is a really, really bad mistake, what's going on, like what's happening here," the confused mother told the agents at the time. "We know what our, you know, who our children are, you know."
Maryann also labeled her killer son an "angel," and claimed he "could never ever" commit that horrific crime. At the time, Maryann also offered up a strange excuse as to why her son owned the knife prosecutors claimed was used in the murders, which occurred in November 2022.
An FBI report read: "Maryann recalled a conversation in which she suggested Bryan obtain something to defend himself in the event of a bear attack while Bryan hiked in the western US."
However, the agents on hand noted Maryann was unaware if Kohberger had "purchased anything for this purpose and was unaware of Bryan specifically purchasing a knife for this purpose."
Bryan Kohberger's Weapon of Choice
She insisted the killer was 'organized,' and he 'could never' murder four college students.
The 31-year-old is believed to have purchased the military Ka-Bar knife and a brown leather sheath from Amazon in March 2022, just eight months before he would slaughter Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin, and Xanda Kernodl.
The knife was never found, but the sheath became a major focus for prosecutors before Kohberger pled guilty. According to Whitcomb, the judge would have tossed the sheath from evidence, as the "chain of custody would have led to significant problems for the prosecution in presenting evidence of any kind of DNA..."
Despite the bloody crime scene, which included Kohberger's sheath left behind, Maryann told FBI special agents Eric Bailey, Matthew Mark Phillips, and Jessica Mahoney that she was convinced her son had nothing to do with the four dead college students.
"There's a mistake, something is wrong somewhere," she insisted. "And that's what I believe. And that's what I know in my heart."
Bryan Kohberger's Mom Reveals His Lack of Love Life
Kohberger's mother claimed she told him to buy a knife to protect himself from a 'beat attack,' the same weapon used to slaughter the four students.
Maryann eerily added, "He's my angel." She also noted they would have "mother-and-son talks," and made clear Kohberger would speak to "mostly me."
Kohberger, who was once accused of being inspired by incel Elliot Rodger, the 22-year-old who in 2014 murdered six people at the University of California, Santa Barbara, including two women from a sorority on the campus, didn't have much luck with the ladies, according to his mother.
"He doesn't have any girlfriends right now," Maryann said following his arrest, and as far as any romantic interests, Kohberger had "a couple, not a lot" in the past.
She also revealed Kohberger didn't "have a big group of fiends," but claimed he's "very organized" and pointed out "sometimes he's up at night."
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The 31-year-old pled guilty and is spending the rest of his life behind bars.
"This is a nightmare. This is an absolute nightmare," Maryann told the FBI at one point, as her son's mugshot was all over the news.
Kohberger is currently serving his life sentence at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution (IMSI), where he is reportedly kept in a cell all by himself and is only let out one hour a day for recreation.
