Former Police Chief on Rejecting Bryan Kohberger Internship: 'Best Decisions I Ever Made'

Bryan Kohberger's Internship Interview

• 💡 Former Pullman Police Chief Gary Jenkins recalls interviewing Bryan Kohberger via Zoom for an internship while Kohberger was pursuing a PhD in criminology.
• 🎯 Jenkins sought a candidate who could build trust and rapport with law enforcement staff, a quality he felt Kohberger lacked due to his non-personable demeanor and un-fluid conversational style.
• 🔑 Despite not immediately rejecting him, Jenkins ultimately decided Kohberger was not a good fit for the role of a researcher embedded in the police department.

Discovery of Kohberger as a Suspect

• ⚡ Chief Jenkins was called to a briefing in Moscow, Idaho, where he learned a suspect had been identified in the quadruple homicide.
• 🧠 Upon hearing the name Bryan Kohberger, Jenkins recognized him as the individual he had interviewed for the internship, a realization that caused the "hair on the back of his neck" to stand up.
• ⚠️ Jenkins realized that if Kohberger had been selected for the internship, he would have been embedded within the Pullman Police Department, a chilling thought given his suspected involvement.

The Search for the Suspect's Vehicle

• 🚗 Jenkins' department received a BOLO alert for a white Hyundai Elantra from Moscow Police.
• 🔍 An officer located a close match through campus parking records, and another officer found a vehicle parked at Kohberger's graduate student housing.
• ⚠️ However, this vehicle was a 2015 model, not matching the 2011-2013 criteria in the BOLO, so the tip was not forwarded.

Kohberger's Apartment and Community Impact

• 🏠 Jenkins heard from his assistant chief that Kohberger's apartment was sparsely decorated with minimal belongings, suggesting he was not planning to return.
• 💔 The impact of the murders has been significant on the tight-knit communities of Pullman and Moscow, especially after Kohberger was identified as a WSU student and teacher.
• 🌱 Jenkins hopes the resilience and mutual support shown by the communities will be a positive outcome from this horrific event.