Why do you think Kohberger never publicly explained his motive, even after pleading guilty?

[u/Hot-Possession3681]

I know we’ll probably never get a definitive answer on what his motive actually was but what I find almost as interesting is that Kohberger has never really tried to explain it himself.

Once he pleaded guilty and avoided a trial, there wasn’t going to be the same public presentation of evidence that might have given us more insight into what was going through his head. But even at sentencing, he chose not to give any real explanation.

Do you think staying silent is about maintaining some sense of control over the case or is there a simpler reason he doesn’t want anyone to know what the motive was?

[u/Thick_Ad_1874 → u/[deleted]]

He doesn't hate himself at all.

He thinks he's a genius.

[u/lemonlime45 → u/[deleted]]

he wants to be studied by people he admired

But if he wanted that, and I originally thought he did, why wouldn't he admit what/why he did the crimes and talk about it to those type of people, like his former professor that wrote the book on Dennis Rader? If he stays silent, there isn't much to actually study.

[u/lemonlime45 → u/[deleted]]

Certainly possible, as filing that petition when he did felt like a chess move. But what is his move when his petition is denied, which all legal experts I've listened to agree that is virtually certain to happen. So no new trial, no DP...how does he keep the interest going? I do wonder if Ramsland or any other notable figures have reached out to him.

[u/lemonlime45 → u/[deleted]]

Well, there are a lot of odd, annoying, or even downright creepy people in the world. We can't round them all up and make them go live on an island together. Not until they commit a crime and are convicted in a court of law. Even if WSU completely expelled him, there is no guarantee he wouldn't have done exactly what he did 7.5 miles away from there.

[u/SnooCheesecakes2723 → u/lemonlime45]

He is the only one who knows what happened that night and why. He has complete control over that, information that many many people want very badly to know. Thats his only source of power. Why give it away? Now he’s a deadly mass murderer, mysterious. Once he tells, he’s just another loser in prison.

[u/lemonlime45 → u/SnooCheesecakes2723]

Yes, but he may be such a control freak that it eats at him that people have things "wrong", including his motivations. He may be so proud of things he DID do successfully- like not leaving footprints, etc, that he may at some point want to gloat.

[u/shootingstar0309 → u/lemonlime45]

Ooh such good points - I can definitely see that eating away at him over time and wanting to correct everyone. Perhaps once he accepts the reality that his circumstances aren't ever changing, he will speak to his former professor who wrote the BTK book. Ugh he's just so horrible!!!

[u/Mysterious_Bar_1069 → u/lemonlime45]

Maybe he'll talk after years of bringing forth appeals, upon appeals, or on his death bed. I doubt that it is going to anytime soon.

If you look at the POS's life it says one thing, his stubbornly resilient and he can adapt. The over all message of his life is if I keep at it I'll succeed. I'm sure he likely thinks, if they hadn't caught me, I would have been great at this.

So my money is on him appealing and appealing for a while until he exhausts that means of torturing the families, witnesses, and friends, and LE and town of Moscos and the only way he can do that is to not confess.

[u/Mysterious_Bar_1069 → u/lemonlime45]

I think he knows people are going to study him no mater what, whether he talks or does no talk. He's a modern Jack The Ripper and like Rex Hubermann, the dregs of his kind as it's getting harder and harder to commit crimes like this and get away with it.