Filmmaker Suggests Woman-Targeting Pattern May Explain Idaho College Murders Motive

Bryan Kohberger carried the reason for his brutal crime to prison, and a documentary filmmaker now suggests the answer may emerge from his deliberate selection of victims. Skye Borgman, who directed the Netflix series “The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare,” contends that Kohberger’s choice to attack a residence occupied primarily by women indicates a targeted motivation rooted in misogyny. The 31-year-old is serving four consecutive life sentences without parole after pleading guilty to the 2022 stabbing deaths of University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen.

Borgman told Fox News Digital that Kohberger conducted extensive surveillance of the Moscow, Idaho rental home for weeks and months beforehand, strengthening the theory that the residence itself was deliberately chosen. “This was a house full of women, and it seems quite clear that he targeted it,” Borgman stated, noting that while Chapin was present the night of the murders, the home’s predominantly female occupancy appeared central to Kohberger’s selection. The filmmaker suggested his documented difficulty maintaining relationships with women, combined with potential incel ideology, points toward deep-seated hostility.

Multiple accounts from Kohberger’s past reveal troubling patterns of aggressive behavior toward women. Classmates described him as condescending and prone to “mansplaining,” while several students found him intimidating and recalled he made them uncomfortable. A former Washington State University police chief recounted an incident where a student believed Kohberger had cornered and followed her, leading to his termination as a teaching assistant.

Award-winning author James Patterson, who wrote about the case, documented additional disturbing incidents before Kohberger’s arrest. At a Pennsylvania brewery, Kohberger allegedly forced his way into conversations with female bartenders and patrons, requesting their addresses, with women complaining about his unsettling demeanor and bulging eyes. A police report revealed an exotic dancer stated that a man she identified as Kohberger visited her club in 2019 and remarked he wanted to kill people.

An FBI special agent involved in the investigation stated they found no evidence definitively linking Kohberger to the incel movement, though he was skilled at concealing his online activities. Despite circumstantial indicators of misogyny, investigators remain unable to access the killer’s actual motive, as Kohberger has maintained silence on the subject. Borgman acknowledged this uncertainty may never resolve, describing it as frustrating for both investigators and the victims’ families who desperately sought answers through his plea agreement.

Two days before the documentary premiered on July 29, Kohberger attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, claiming his attorneys pressured him by promising better prison conditions and threatening details about death row conditions. He alleged his plea was not freely entered and sought to proceed to trial instead. However, his 2025 guilty plea formally stipulated he was acting freely and voluntarily while waiving appeal rights.

The case’s profound impact extended beyond the victims to the broader Moscow community and law enforcement. Borgman noted that some investigators became so traumatized by the crime that they left law enforcement entirely. Residents experienced paralyzing fear that confined them to their homes, though Kohberger’s arrest eventually fostered a strong communal bond as neighbors united in recovery and healing.