Dr. Katherine Ramsland, a criminology professor who taught Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger, is confronting a disturbing possibility: that her own academic instruction may have influenced his violent actions. Speaking to NewsNation, Ramsland admitted, “I have to look at the framework of what I taught and wonder, did I inspire him in some way?”
Ramsland, who teaches forensic psychology and serial killer profiling at DeSales University in Pennsylvania, had instructed Kohberger beginning in 2018. Known for her extensive work in the field—including authoring 73 books—she said Kohberger was once seen as a promising student. “I really thought Bryan Kohberger was a promising student who really could have made a mark in this career in a very positive way,” she said.
Describing him as “intense, curious, and respectful,” Ramsland noted there were no behavioral red flags during his time at the university. Still, she acknowledged the dark reality of her profession. “Unfortunately, in this field, that’s what we live with,” she said, referring to the potential for academic material on serial killers to inspire the wrong individuals.
Kohberger recently pleaded guilty to the brutal 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students—Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, and Madison Mogen. The plea deal will spare him the death penalty and instead sentence him to life without parole.
Ramsland expressed a desire to interview her former student to understand his motives and psychology. “I want to understand how he was able to completely fool me,” she said. “I have questions for him that I think nobody else but me could ask.”
Her reflections add a troubling layer to an already horrific case, raising questions about how academic exploration of criminal minds may affect vulnerable or dangerous individuals. Kohberger, who studied criminology and was pursuing a Ph.D. before his arrest, used his academic knowledge to navigate his actions and allegedly evade detection.
