An Open Letter to Judge Steven Hippler of the Idaho 4th Judicial Circuit Court
/By Lt. Joseph Pangaro CPM, CSO, MOI
Judge Hippler:
It is with all due respect that I write this open letter to you as you prepare to sentence Bryan Kohberger, the killer of four innocent college students in Idaho who will appear in your court in a few days. My purpose is to offer you an opinion from a former law enforcement officer, criminal investigator, police instructor, a father, and a citizen of the United States.
I have kept up on the case since it was first reported, as have many in the law enforcement community. The recent developments in which the defendant has agreed to accept a plea deal is an accepted and common occurrence in many criminal cases, including ones in which the crimes were so heinous as to shock the consciousness.
I have followed the published comments of the grieving families as they come to grips with the reality of a plea deal in place of a trial. From these comments we know that some of the families are in favor of this and others are not; I’m sure those sentiments are shared by many Americas across this nation. The benefits of a plea deal and a just punishment bring an end to this painful chapter in the lives of the families and friends of the victims. The addition to the plea deal of a stipulation that the defendant also gives up his right to any future appeals will save the families’ years of agony as those appeals would open the wound of this tragic situation for the rest of their lives.
I know this to be true having dealt with numerous families during my career and watching them suffer time and time again each time the defendant tries to overturn the justice they received in their sentencing with an appeal.
And while I understand the frustration of the parents that feel they were not properly consulted prior to the plea deal being created and accepted, I know that over time they will most likely learn that it was in their best interest.
That being said the ultimate purpose of this letter is ask you to consider demanding a full and complete confession from the defendant as part of the plea deal and sentencing.
I ask this as a criminal investigator who has sought justice for victims for over 30 years but it is not just for the victims in this case but for future victims who may suffer a similar tragic attack.
In the world of criminal investigation we often rely on our experiences and knowledge gained from previous cases to help us solve new crimes. Understanding the motives and actions of a criminal suspect helps every investigator to see potential connections between events and evidence, words and actions by other suspects so inclined to commit such terrible crimes. It helps us pursue justice.
We have learned much from the study of killers from the past such as Ted Bundy, The BTK killer, of Jeffrey Dahmer. Understanding their mind sets, thoughts, plans, and concerns helps us identify other killers. An especially in case such as this where the murderous act itself does not seem to fit any understandable reasoning.
By making the defendant explain himself, his motivations, how he planned the crime, how he carried it, and why can save future lives or solve future crimes. There is a societal value in understanding how and why these young people lost their lives that goes beyond this one defendant and his plea to save himself from the death penalty.
While the plea deal will save the families from additional emotional turmoil and pain it also saves the killer from the ultimate penalty; forfeiting his life for his actions. In a world of justice that gift he is receiving, that gift of life, should not be without a cost. The cost is full disclosure.
As an investigator I would want to know, at a minimum the following 15 things from this defendant:
When did he first consider committing this crime?
What were the thoughts that led him to plan this crime? Has he thought about this for a long time? Did he plan or commit any other acts leading up to this
Were the victims the specific targets of his attack and if so why?
If the victims in this case were not the specific targets, then what were the things that drove him to commit such a crime?
Why did he stop killing when there were other potential victims in the house?
Was he drawn to the victims for a specific reason, did they represent anything else besides themselves that he chose to attack?
Was it just the females he was targeting, if so why was the young male victim killed?
Why did he choose the specific weapon used in the crime? What does it represent? Why did he choose the method of murder (Stabbing) as opposed to a different method? Where is that weapon now?
Did he conduct any dry runs of the attack? If so when and why did he do that?
What benefit did he get from committing this crime?
In the planning stage did he make any mistakes that could have led to his discovery?
Did anyone else know about his thoughts? Did he correspond online, in writing, or in person with similar like-minded people?
Did he come into contact with the victims as a group or individually prior to the attack and what were the circumstances?
Did he consider what his actions would do to the victim’s lives and families, if so what did he consider and why?
Could he have been stopped prior to committing the crimes? If so what could have stopped him?
In addition to these questions, I would want the suspect to be interviewed by a trained investigator and a psychiatric expert to fully understand why this horrible crime happened and what lessons can be learned to prevent future crimes.
When I teach law enforcement officers to conduct complete and thorough investigations I tell them that the “why” of an event is often the hardest element to obtain. The more personally invasion the crime, the harder for a person to explain, but the explanation and the motivation, can open an understanding into the mind of the perpetrator and that can help you identify evidence you may not have considered.
It is for these reasons Judge that I ask you to consider my request. Justice is a deep and wide ocean, the more we can understand why people do what they do the better we can protect society.
I do not see it as unreasonable to require this full confession, in fact, if I may be so bold, it would seem to be the minimum thing the defendant could do to take responsibility for his actions. It will bring additional peace and closure to the victim’s families, which should be a priority of our justice system, and it will help investigators across the nation now and in the future to protect and serve their communities.
This letter and request is respectfully submitted,
Lt. Joseph Pangaro
