The Failed Mission: Why Bryan Kohberger’s “Perfect Crime” Wasn’t So Perfect

  Some serial killers are driven by delusions and voices only they can hear, but mission-oriented killers are different. They are methodical, intelligent, and often blend seamlessly into society. They plan with precision, choosing their targets carefully and executing their crimes with chilling efficiency. These individuals don’t act on impulse—they follow a mission.

I believe Bryan Kohberger’s mission was to commit a series of unsolvable, high-profile murders. He chose his location strategically, an off-the-beaten-path house in Moscow, Idaho, that was easy to access, surveil, and escape from. It was the perfect storm: a small city, a university town, a limited police force, and a house full of well-known students whose deaths would create a media frenzy. He knew this crime wouldn’t go unnoticed, and he likely counted on law enforcement focusing on the victims’ social circles rather than an outsider like himself.

But why didn’t he kill everyone in the house? Two possibilities: he may have run out of time or intentionally left survivors behind to ensure the crime was discovered quickly, maximizing its public impact. His return to the scene suggests he wanted to witness the aftermath, did the police find the crime? Was the media talking about it? Had he succeeded in creating the “perfect” unsolvable crime?

Everything about this crime appears to have been calculated. His choice of a white Hyundai Elantra, one of millions nearly identical in appearance was no accident. The timing of his car’s license plate change from Pennsylvania (rear plate only) to Washington (front and rear plates) coincided with his post-crime road trip home, likely a planned maneuver to throw off investigators.

And then there’s the knife sheath. The single most damning piece of evidence. Did he leave it behind on purpose as a signature? A calling card? If so, he made a fatal miscalculation, his DNA was on the sheath button. Perhaps he believed he had wiped it clean, underestimating forensic technology. Without that DNA match, law enforcement wouldn’t have obtained a warrant for his phone records, wouldn’t have traced his movements, and wouldn’t have linked him definitively to the crime. Without it, he might have remained just another driver in a sea of white Elantras.

We know that Bryan Kohberger, the criminology Ph.D. student, applied for an internship with the Pullman, Washington, police department during his first semester at Washington State University. This followed his graduation from DeSales University in June 2022 with a master’s degree in psychology and cloud-based forensics. According to an arrest affidavit, Kohberger expressed interest in helping rural law enforcement improve their methods for collecting and analyzing technological data in public safety operations.

I believe Kohberger saw himself as an intellectual superior, a criminologist who could outthink the very system designed to catch people like him. Perhaps he envisioned a long career in law enforcement, monitoring his own crimes from the inside, like a real-life version of Dexter, only without the twisted moral justification.

But in the end, he failed. His “unsolvable” crime was solved. His mission was cut short.

And while we may never hear the truth from Kohberger himself, his pride likely ensuring he’ll maintain his innocence, his plan unraveled in a way that suggests he was not the criminal mastermind he thought he was.

You may also want to read: Hiding in Plain Sight: Profiling the Moscow Idaho Killer

An opinion piece by Michael Weber

Michael Weber, known for his extensive coverage of crime news in Lane County, continues to provide valuable updates to the local community. He runs the largest crime watch group in Lane County, Lane County Mugshots Uncensored, which currently has over 85,400 members. Support for local journalism is essential, and donations can be made via Venmo to @Michael-Weber-379 (last four digits of phone number: 0825).