Dominic Smithers
A former teacher of a murder suspect says he was one of her best students.
Bryan Kohberger was arrested on 30 December on suspicion of killing four students near the University of Idaho.
Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were stabbed to death at a rental home near the University of Idaho campus sometime in the early morning hours of 13 November.
Police spent weeks looking for more evidence, with investigators left with no suspects and little to go on.
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It was only when they appealed to the public to help track down a white car seen near the property at the time of the murders that they finally made some kind of breakthrough.
And 28-year-old Kohberger was taken into custody in eastern Pennsylvania last Friday.
Michelle Bolger is an associate professor at DeSales University, a private Catholic university in Pennsylvania.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the 33-year-old described Kohberger as a 'great writer' and a 'brilliant student'.
"In my 10 years of teaching, I’ve only recommended two students to a Ph.D. program and he was one of them," she said.
"He was one of my best students, ever. Everyone is in shock over this."
She went on: "I’m shocked as s— at what he’s been accused of. I don’t believe it, but I get it,” Bolger said. “This news is upsetting. I haven’t slept at all since hearing about Bryan."
Bolger taught Kohberger in an online class last year, supporting his master’s thesis.
She added: "I never saw him in person, I couldn’t tell you how tall he was or how much he weighed, my only interaction with him was via email and Zoom.
"I didn’t know anything about him, whether he was married, had a girlfriend, etc."
Kohberger's friend Schyler Jacobson also said that he couldn't believe the charges put towards him.
Speaking to NewsNation affiliate WBRE, he said: "I used to go on night runs with him because I didn't want to run by myself, so I would text and be like, 'hey, do you want to go for a run?'
"We'd go for six or seven mile runs at night. When I saw who it was I was just in complete shock.
"I'm still kind of shaking knowing about that. It's just unreal to think somebody could actually do that to somebody. It's absolutely mind-boggling.
"My adrenaline is still running after finding that information out. I feel for the families and I'm just happy justice can be served now."