NEED TO KNOW
- Bryan Kohberger will not report directly to prison after being sentenced to serve four lifetimes behind bars for the murder of four University of Idaho students
- Kohberger, 30, will first undergo approximately two weeks of evaluations, a spokesperson for the Idaho Department of Corrections tells PEOPLE
- After those evaluations are complete, he will likely be assigned to the lone maximum security prison in Idaho, but could also be sent to an out-of-state facility
Bryan Kohberger will not immediately be heading to prison after being sentenced to serve four lifetimes for the murders of four University of Idaho students.
Instead, he will undergo approximately two weeks of evaluations, a spokesperson for the Idaho Department of Corrections tells PEOPLE.
The spokesperson said the IDOC would not disclose any specific information about Kohberger or any other prisoner prior to their incarceration, citing safety and security reasons, but did describe the process for those who enter into the prison system in Idaho.
“Once in IDOC custody, the person goes through a reception and diagnostic process (RDU) to evaluate their needs and determine appropriate housing placement,” the spokesperson said.
That is a process that can take anywhere from one to two weeks, according to the spokesperson
“We wait until a person completes RDU to determine their classification or housing placement,” the spokesperson explained.
AP Photo/Kyle Green
Kohberger will likely begin this process on Thursday after being sentenced to serve four lifetimes without parole by Judge Steven Hippler.
It is likely that he will then be placed in the lone maximum security facility in Idaho, however, there is also the possibility of Kohberger being booked into a facility outside the state given his infamy.
On the topic of out-of-state placements, the spokesperson said: “Out-of-state placements are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and consider safety and security of our staff, the facility, and other prison management reasons as deemed necessary.”
Kohberger first reported to jail in Latah County over 900 days ago after being extradited to Idaho from Pennsylvania following his arrest for the murders of: Xana Kernodle, 20; Ethan Chapin, 20; Madison Mogen, 21; and Kaylee Goncalves, 21.
In September, he was transferred to Ada County Jail after a judge approved his change of venue request ahead of the expected start date of his trial in August 2025.
That much anticipated weeks-long trial instead became an hour-long hearing on July 2, when Kohberger entered guilty pleas to four counts of murder and one count of burglary as part of his deal with prosecutors.
In agreeing to that plea, Kohberger was able to avoid being executed but did sign off on the prosecution’s recommended punishment in the case of four fixed life sentences while waiving his right to appeal.
In the end, this is the sentence that was handed down by Judge Hippler, who became emotional at times while speaking with the confessed killer.
“It’s time to end his 15 minutes of fame,” Hippler said.