Bryan Kohberger’s parents, retired employees of the Pleasant Valley School District in Pennsylvania, made headlines when a grand jury in Pennsylvania summoned them to testify about Dana Smithers’ death.
Despite this, authorities clarified that there is no evidence connecting Kohberger to Smithers’ death.
Who is Bryan Kohberger?
Bryan Kohberger, a 28-year-old man, faces accusations of murdering four University of Idaho students in November 2022.
A former Ph.D. student in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Washington State University near Moscow, Idaho, Bryan Kohberger faced arrest on December 30, 2022, at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania.
Following his arrest, Kohberger was extradited to Idaho, where he is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. He is currently held without bail, awaiting trial.
The victims, Ethan Chapin (20), Madison Mogen (21), Xana Kernodle (20), and Kaylee Goncalves (21), were discovered stabbed to death in an off-campus rental home in Moscow on November 13, 2022.
Though the police have not disclosed a motive, they assert that Kohberger acted alone, with no evidence suggesting prior acquaintance with the victims.
Bryan Kohberger Parents
Michael Kohberger Jr. and Maryann Kohberger, parents of Bryan Kohberger, retired from the Pleasant Valley School District in Pennsylvania.
In May 2023, Michael Kohberger Jr., a maintenance worker, and Maryann Kohberger, a paraprofessional assisting special needs students, received subpoenas to testify before a grand jury regarding Dana Smithers’ death.
Smithers vanished in May 2022, and her remains were found in April 2023 near the Kohberger family home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania.
Despite this, the Stroud Area Police Department stressed that there is no evidence linking Bryan Kohberger to Smithers’ death.
The reasons for summoning Kohberger’s parents to testify remain unclear. Bryan has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Bryan Kohberger Family, Origin and Siblings
Bryan Kohberger is the youngest of three children in a Pennsylvania family.
His parents, Michael Kohberger Jr. and Maryann Kohberger, have two older daughters named Melissa and Amanda.
Growing up in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, Bryan attended Pleasant Valley High School. A dedicated student, he participated in various extracurricular activities, including the wrestling team and the chess club.
After high school, Bryan pursued a criminal justice major at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, graduating in 2017.
He furthered his education, earning a master’s degree in criminology from DeSales in 2019.
In 2019, Bryan moved to Washington State to pursue a Ph.D. in criminology and criminal justice at Washington State University.
Despite still being in the program, he faced arrest in November 2022 for the alleged murders of four University of Idaho students.
His family, deeply affected by the accusations, released a statement expressing shock and sadness and requesting privacy during this challenging period.
Family Background
Bryan Kohberger’s family has deep roots in the United States. His paternal grandparents immigrated from Germany in the early 1900s, while his maternal grandparents hail from Pennsylvania.
Bryan Kohberger’s Siblings
Melissa, Bryan’s older sister, works as a school counselor, and Amanda, his other sister, pursues a career in acting.
Where are Bryan Kohberger parents now?
Michael and Maryann Kohberger, Bryan Kohberger’s parents, continue to reside in their Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, home.
Despite their son’s arrest, they have maintained relative quiet but issued a few statements to the media.
They conveyed their feelings of being “shocked and saddened” by the allegations against Bryan. Michael and Maryann expressed that they are actively “praying for the families of the victims.”
Additionally, they express confidence that Bryan will have his day in court.
