The University of Idaho killings suspect was reportedly investigated for his behavior toward female students

• Suspect Bryan Kohberger was investigated by his university shortly before the Idaho killings.
• Washington State University was reportedly investigating his behavior toward female students.

Just weeks before four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death last year, the suspect in their murders was investigated by his university for his behavior toward female students, The New York Times reported.

Bryan Kohberger, a 28-year-old former PhD student, is charged with the murder of Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20. The students were killed on Nov. 13, 2022, less than two weeks after Kohberger met with faculty members to discuss issues with his behavior and performance, according to the Times.

Ultimately, Washington State University's criminal justice department opted in December to fire Kohberger as a teaching assistant, the newspaper reported.

Among the faculty members' reported concerns was Kohberger's conduct toward women. According to the Times, multiple female students complained that Kohberger made them feel uncomfortable. On one occasion, Kohberger was accused of following a female student to her car, two people familiar with the situation told the Times.

A lawyer for Kohberger didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

A representative for Washington State University confirmed to Insider that Kohberger had been appointed as a teaching assistant at the school during the fall 2022 semester.

He "does not currently have a teaching assistantship and he is not currently enrolled at WSU," said Phil Weiler, vice president of University Marketing and Communications at Washington State University.

Weiler declined to provide specific information about Kohberger's teaching assistant role, citing the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which "prevents universities from discussing student records," he said.

Kohberger ultimately was fired not because of his conduct around female students, but because of his failure to meet the "norms of professional behavior" with faculty members and his poor performance as a teaching assistant, the Times reported.

Kohberger had been studying for a PhD in criminology at WSU.

A criminology student named Emilie previously told Insider that she thought Kohberger was diffcult to work with while he served as her TA, Insider's Haven Orecchio-Egresitz and Nate Schweber reported.

At one point, Insider reported, he appeared to have become uninterested in grading assignments from his students.

"Afterward he didn't grade at all," Emilie said. "He was not a great T.A."

He is due to appear in court for a preliminary hearing in June.