The Idaho murder suspect, who was finally arrested on Friday (Dec. 30), has been placed on suicide watch while in jail. Today (Jan. 3), TMZ reported that Garry Haidle, warden of Monroe County Jail in Pennsylvania where Bryan Kohberger has been since his arrest, said that authorities put the 28-year-old graduate student on suicide watch the day he arrived.
They also confirmed that the suspect is on suicide watch not because he’s trying to kill himself, but because it’s a standard operating procedure for high-security inmates facing severe charges. Kohberger has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and burglary.
Despite reports on Kohberger’s misbehavior, Haidle noted that his stay at the Pennsylvania jail has been “uneventful.” His defense attorney, Jason LaBar, told the news outlet that his client has remained even-keeled through all this and added that Kohberger thinks he’ll ultimately be exonerated.
Today was the first time the murder suspect was seen since being arrested. Officials escorted him to his extradition hearing in front of a judge, where he is expected to be shipped to Idaho to face charges.
On Nov. 13, police believe Kohberger broke into the victims’ home and stabbed Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin to death. The suspect studied Criminal Justice and Criminology at WSU and located less than 10 miles from the University of Idaho.
Police arrested him on Dec. 30 in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania. Two days later (Jan. 1), the Kohberger family issued a statement saying they “care deeply” for all of the victims’ families, but will continue to love and support their son.
“First and foremost we care deeply for the four families who have lost their precious children,” they said. “There are no words that can adequately express the sadness we feel, and we pray each day for them. We will continue to let the legal process unfold and as a family, we will love and support our son and brother. We have fully cooperated with law enforcement agencies in an attempt to seek the truth and promote his presumption of innocence rather than judge unknown facts and make erroneous assumptions.”