Crime & Arrests

The suspect in the Idaho murder case is in custody, but the university is not yet ready to pull back its increased security protocols that went into effect after the 4 students were killed.

Bryan Kohberger has been arrested and charged with November's quadruple murder, but it's still early in the case  ... so the school is keeping patrols up on campus as an extra security measure.

Campus security at the University of Idaho tells TMZ ... there are NO plans to scale back patrols to where they were before the murders, and personnel increases will remain in place.

We're told the feeling on the Moscow, ID campus is a sense of relief now that the suspect is in custody, with some students starting to feel safe again.

The beefed-up security around the university was part of a promise the school made to students after the murders, so kids would feel safe returning to campus.

Among the changes ... hiring a new campus police outfit and increasing the amount of guards on campus so more ground could be covered and covered more frequently.

We're also told campus security is still getting tons of tips about Kohberger, and they're sending them over to Moscow PD and the FBI.

Bryan Kohberger was stopped by Indiana cops back in mid-December in that white Hyundai Elantra, but they let him go -- and we have video of the encounter.

It happened December 15th ... a trooper with the Indiana State Police pulled the car over for following too closely. There were two men in the car -- Kohberger was driving, and the passenger presumably was his father, who accompanied him from Washington State to Pennsylvania.

Police officials say at the time of the stop they knew nothing related to the license plate or state in which the car was registered. However, more than a week before, cops asked the public's help in finding a white Hyundai Elantra -- the car in which Kohberger was driving.

Police let them go with a verbal warning. BTW, during the stop, the cop asks where they're going, and they reply, Pennsylvania ... to which the cop says, "That's a long haul. Are you guys scared of airplanes?" The cop then laughs.

During the encounter, Kohberger's dad mentions a shooting near Washington State University, adding that's where his son went to school. A man had barricaded himself in an apartment near the University and threatened to kill his 2 roommates ... he died in a police shootout.

The Indiana State Police say just minutes before that traffic stop, the 2 men were stopped by a Deputy from the Hancock County Sheriff's Dept. ... and again they were released with a verbal warning.

Kohberger was arrested 2 weeks later -- December 30th -- at his parent's home in Pennsylvania.

Bryan Kohberger was just seen for the first time since his arrest ... heading into court to face charges he savagely murdered 4 college students -- in a case that has riveted the nation.

The suspected killer is expected to waive extradition Tuesday and will be returned to Moscow, ID -- where he's charged with 4 counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. He faces a possible death sentence or life imprisonment, if convicted.

The victim's families said they'd be present for the hearings ... and Steve Goncalves -- whose daughter Kaylee Goncalves was one of the four slain victims -- told NBC News, "I want him to be sick of seeing us and sick of knowing that these people won't let it go."

Steve also told "GMA" the arrest came as a huge relief to his family -- saying it's like "seeing sunlight after being stuck in a house for a month."

As for Kohberger, his public defender Jason LaBar told "TODAY" he's acting "very calm" ahead of the hearing ... reiterating the claims Kohberger believes he'll be fully exonerated.

As we reported, Kohberger was arrested Friday by police at his parents' home in Effort, PA, in connection with the murders of Kaylee, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. The victims, all students at the University of Idaho, were found fatally stabbed in an off-campus house in Moscow, ID, on Nov. 13.

Kohberger, a graduate student in criminology at nearby Washington State University, drove cross country with his father back to Pennsylvania around Christmas.

Investigators were already hot on Kohberger's trail after tying him to the crimes, in part, using DNA evidence. Cops have not disclosed a motive for the attack, nor have they located the murder weapon, which is believed to be a combat knife.

Kohberger's attorney, Jason LaBar, told TMZ ... his client expects to be "exonerated," suggesting he's innocent of the crimes. LaBar also said Kohberger has not specifically addressed the serious charges against him, meaning he hasn't denied involvement in the slayings or admitted guilt.

His hearing is scheduled to start at 3:30 PM EST ... we'll stream it live.

The Idaho murder suspect has been placed on suicide watch while behind bars, but his time behind bars has been uneventful ... despite reports to the contrary.

Garry Haidle -- the warden of Monroe County Jail in Pennsylvania, where Bryan Kohberger has been held since his arrest on Dec. 30 -- says the 28-year-old criminology student was put on suicide watch from day 1 ... but it's not because they thought he'd take his own life.

Haidle says it's actually standard operating procedure for high-security inmates who face serious charges like the ones Kohberger is up against -- four counts of first-degree murder.

With that said, the warden notes that Kohberger's stay with them was "uneventful" ... and wouldn't elaborate further. Still, it sounds like Monroe County is shooting down any notion that Kohberger was acting out.

There've been reports suggesting Kohberger was taunting guards, threatening to cut/urinate on people, exposing himself, and even rapping violent lyrics.

Former Monroe County inmate Valerie Cipollina told the Daily Mail she was placed in a cell close to Kohberger when he was first brought in. She also claimed Kohberger was saying he didn't care what happened to him.

But, the warden seems to be saying that's not what was happening. If anything, he makes it seem like nothing was out of the ordinary while Kohberger was there -- which jibes with what his defense attorney told us. Jason LaBar says his client has remained even-keeled through all this ... but did say Kohberger thinks he'll ultimately be exonerated.

Gucci Mane's latest 1017 Records rapper Mac Critter will now need a criminal lawyer as opposed to an entertainment one -- the Memphis rapper is facing a first-degree murder case.

According to law enforcement docs, obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, Mac (real name Daniel Bates) was booked late last month in connection with a December 21 shooting in Memphis that left one person dead.

He was officially charged on December 29 and currently sits in Shelby County Jail ... but is still assuring fans he'll be home soon, at least according to a message on his Instagram account.

The 25-year-old rapper signed to Gucci's 1017 back in October and the 2 collaborated on the song "Dawg" a month later ... but the label has been with a severely depleted roster as of late.

Bryan Kohberger, the man arrested for the murder of 4 University of Idaho students, was pulled over by cops 2 times during a cross-country road trip with his dad ... and soon before Moscow PD named him as the alleged killer.

Kohberger's extradition lawyer, Jason LaBar, filled in NBC about the traffic stops ... saying the 28-year-old and his father drove from Seattle to Pennsylvania over the holidays -- but got pulled over twice in Indiana.

LaBar isn't sure if a ticket was issued ... but adds, "I just know they were pulled over in Indiana almost back to back. I believe once for speeding and once for following too closely to a car in front of them."

He says Kohberger's getting updates regarding his allegations ... and claims he's still planning on waiving his extradition rights, and pleading not guilty.

As we reported, Moscow Police Chief James Fry says they're confident Kohberger is the killer of the Idaho students ... believing he will be extradited from PA, where he was arrested, to Idaho.

Chief Fry said Kohberger acted alone, and believes the community is now safe ... admitting the department was holding some of its cards close to the vest in their investigation. Moscow police came under scrutiny for not revealing any progress, but the chief says they were hot on the trail.

A woman who says she knew the Idaho quadruple murder suspect as a teen claims she once saw him try to break a window ... and that he'd developed a mean streak as he aged.

Bryan Kohberger allegedly attempted to punch through an "unbreakable" glass window a salesman was showing his neighbor -- this while he was over at their house visiting with their kids ... according to their mother, who tells TMZ she saw this as a sign of aggression.

The woman, who's staying anonymous, says her 2 kids grew up with Kohberger in Effort, PA in the 2010s -- explaining he was mostly quiet up until around 2017, when she claims she saw him change into a bully toward her kids ... although, she says she never saw him get physical with them. Still, she insists there were troubling signs ... especially in this instance.

She tells us Kohberger wasn't able to break the glass, but the fact he attempted to on the spot shocked her. It also aligned with what she says she saw as a dark side starting to emerge in him ... also around the time when she claims she heard he started using heroin.

The woman tells us she and her daughter ran into Kohberger at a wedding some years ago, and that he told them he'd gotten clean. In light of the news about his arrest, however, the woman says she was shocked ... realizing he might not have been who he told her he was.

As you know ... Kohberger was taken into custody Friday in his home state of Pennsylvania. Authorities in Idaho say they believe they have their man, and that he acted alone. He's expected to be extradited this week and to enter a plea on first-degree murder charges.

The man charged with murdering four Idaho college students seemed to be in good spirits and more "animated" in class after he allegedly did his dirty work, this according to a classmate.

Suspected killer Bryan Kohberger was seeking a PhD in criminology and was enrolled in the graduate program at Washington State University. He had recently graduated from DeSales University in Pennsylvania with a degree in criminal justice.

B.K. Norton told the New York Times that they attended graduate studies with Kohberger at WSU -- and quickly noticed some red flags that weren't obvious earlier in the semester after the brutal slayings came to light.

“[Bryan] seemed more upbeat and willing to carry a conversation,” Norton wrote in an email to the NYT. They added Kohberger had a keen interest in forensic psychology.

They said Kohberger had a quiet, but intense demeanor, which made those around him feel uncomfortable. He also passed certain remarks that made it clear he was anti-LGBTQ.

“He sort of creeped people out because he stared and didn’t talk much, but when he did it was very intelligent and he needed everyone to know he was smart,” Norton said.

Kohberger was arrested Friday in Monroe County, PA, after an FBI SWAT team descended on a house where he was staying.

He was charged in Idaho with four counts of first-degree murder in connection with the November 13th fatal stabbings of Kaylee Gonclaves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. All four victims were students at the University of Idaho. Police have not disclosed a motive.

Skyler Page, the creator of the animated series "Clarence," is apparently a big fan of the five-finger discount ... he got arrested for stealing toys from a discount department store.

The Burbank Police Department tells TMZ ... Skyler was arrested and booked for petty theft on Dec. 13, when cops say he went into a Ross, grabbed some merchandise, including Nerf guns, and walked out without paying.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, cops say Ross' loss prevention department called police to the store to report the alleged theft ... and after getting a description of the suspect, whom they described as "unhoused." Responding officers searched the area and found Skyler sitting on a nearby wall with a boatload of Nerf guns.

Cops say the officers questioned Skyler about the Nerf guns, and he admitted to taking the toys ... telling cops he didn't have enough money to pay for them.

The Burbank City Attorney has filed one misdemeanor charge of petty theft against Skyler ... and he pled not guilty in court.

Moscow cops say after combing through 19,000 tips and interviewing 300 witnesses, they have their man in the quadruple murders in Idaho.

Police Chief James Fry made it clear ... they are confident 28-year-old Bryan Kohberger is the killer, and he will be extradited from Pennsylvania -- where he was arrested Friday -- to Idaho.

Chief Fry indicated he believes Kohberger acted alone, saying the community is now safe.

The police chief made it clear ... they were holding some of their cards close to the vest in their investigation. The PD came under scrutiny for not revealing any progress, but clearly they were hot on the trail.

As we reported, Moscow PD got an arrest warrant for first-degree murder, after locating Kohberger's white Hyundai Elantra. They also reportedly found his DNA at the murder house. The chief apparently believes the Elantra seized was the same car seen speeding away from the house shortly after the murders.

The police chief said they have not recovered the murder weapon.

The chief prosecutor, Bill Thompson, said there is a probable cause document that lays out the evidence, but for now it's sealed. It should be unsealed fairly soon.

Kohberger lives and goes to school around 9 miles from Moscow, Idaho.

He's scheduled to appear in court Tuesday and is being held without bond. The prosecutor said they don't know if he'll voluntarily waive extradition or fight it.

The prosecutor is asking the public for tips on Kohberger and his history. Authorities want tips on "anything and everything" related to him.

Kohberger reportedly had a blank stare after his bust ... and he's said to have asked cops if anyone else had been arrested.

The woman who accused Gervonta Davis of assault is doing an about-face ... now claiming the star boxer "did not harm me or our daughter," saying the frantic 911 call she made was "unnecessary."

Vanessa Posso, mom to Tank's daughter, took to social media on Friday and seemingly did a complete 180, writing ... "These past days have been hurtful and extremely exhausting for all parties involved."

"I pride myself on being extremely private; this situation was the last thing I wanted to be made public. The state of our relationship has been in a fragile space, and Gervonta and I were both at fault for the argument."

Posso continued ... "Today, we have sought the help necessary to move forward with our lives. I am confident that we will succeed within our co-parenting dynamic with the counseling provided to us."

As we previously reported, 28-year-old Davis was arrested and booked in Broward County (Florida) on Tuesday on a battery domestic violence charge.

According to court docs, police say Davis "did actually and intentionally touch and strike" the woman "against her will" and "did intentionally cause bodily harm to her."

Law enforcement authorities also said Gervonta struck his accuser on the right side of her head with "a closed hand type of slap," causing the woman to suffer a facial injury and an abrasion on the inside of her upper lip.

However, the 27-0 (25 KO) boxer adamantly denied the accusations against him from the start, saying ... "I NEVER PUT MY HANDS ON MY CHILD MOTHER NOR MY F***ING DAUGHTER ARE YOU F***ING CRAZY!!" -- while insisting the whole ordeal was nothing more than a money grab by his accuser.

In fact, Davis contends the only reason the woman -- who claimed she was in fear for her life -- called the police in the first place was because she was pissed he wouldn't let her use his truck.

Police say they have cracked the case of the quadruple murder at the University of Idaho -- because a suspect is now in custody ... this according to multiple reports.

A 28-year-old man was taken into custody by the FBI and police outside Scranton, Pennsylvania at 3 AM ET Friday. The suspect is a college student but does not attend the University of Idaho ... this according to FOX news sources.

ABC News in Philadelphia says a SWAT team entered the place where the suspect was staying and took him into custody. Bryan Kohberger, according to the AP, is the suspect and he's being held for extradition in a "homicide investigation for first degree murder." The arrest warrant was issued by the Moscow PD, which has jurisdiction over the murder case.

The suspect appeared in court Friday morning according to court docs ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ the man was arraigned on charges of being fugitive from justice.

We found this video of Kohberger shot earlier this year, when he got his masters degree in criminal justice at DeSales University.  As we reported, he's currently enrolled in a PhD program at Washington State University.

As you know, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen were stabbed to death November 13th in the middle of the night as they slept.

Moscow PD is holding a news conference Friday at 4 PM ET. We will live stream it.

Tory Lanez told Megan Thee Stallion's friend Kelsey Harris he was wasted the night of the shooting and sounds incredibly remorseful ... according to leaked audio of the rapper's jail phone call from when he was arrested.

In the audio, which is now surfacing online, Tory tells Kelsey ... "I was just so f*****g drunk that I ain't even know what the f*** was going on."

Tory adds ... "I ain't never done some s*** like that ... I didn't even understand what the f*** was going on. Regardless, though, that's not gonna make anything right, and it's not gonna make my actions right."

The Canadian rapper apologizes to Kelsey, telling her he was "sorry" for what happened.

As for why Tory claims he was so drunk, later on in the jail call he explains ... "When I got to the house, I assure you, off the top n*****, they gave me like five shots off the door. I was outta there." He also says he forgot what the argument was about before the shooting.

Tory made the call after his initial arrest for the July 2020 incident ... and during the conversation, he asks Megan's ex-friend to bail him out of jail.

While the audio is just now leaking, Tory's jail phone call to Kelsey was played to the jury during the recent trial.

Tory never took the stand, but it appears the jail call likely played a role in his conviction.

As we reported ... the jury decided Tory was guilty of shooting Meg in the foot, finding him guilty on all three charges against him.

Sam Bankman-Fried reportedly held 4 meetings with members of President Joe Biden's cabinet in 2022 before his FTX empire collapsed, leading to his arrest on federal fraud charges.

The disgraced "Crypto King," who is at the center of one of the largest financial frauds in U.S. history, sat down with senior White House advisor Steve Ricchetti on September 8, according to a new report by Bloomberg.

Sam allegedly had 2 follow-up meetings with Ricchetti on April 22 and May 12. He also reportedly met with Biden's deputy chief of staff, Bruce Reed. It's not clear what was discussed in any of the get-togethers.

As we reported ... Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas on Dec. 12. He was federally charged in New York with eight counts of wire fraud, securities fraud, money laundering and a campaign finance violation. He faces up to 115 years in prison if convicted.

The Bloomberg report is but another example of Bankman-Fried's deep ties with the Washington D.C. establishment before Sam was accused of stealing $1.8 billion from investors in his cryptocurrency scheme. And it's no secret that Sam has donated millions to the campaigns of prominent politicians, including Biden.

Kate Major just hit a trifecta no one wants to hit -- Michael Lohan's estranged wife has been arrested and charged with her third DWI.

TMZ has learned Kate was busted in Shenandoah, TX -- law enforcement sources tell us cops spotted her behind the wheel of her parked car last month. She stood out like a sore thumb because it was 2 AM, and her car was in the parking lot of a shopping center where all the stores were closed.

We're told the officers said Kate reeked of booze as she sat alone in her idling car -- and she told them she was driving around to find a friend with whom she'd had an argument.

Our sources say she went through field sobriety testing, failed and was arrested for felony DWI. This one was a felony due to 2 prior convictions for driving while intoxicated.

As we've reported, Kate's other arrests happened in 2020 in New York and in 2014 in Florida.

The person who concocted, recruited and ultimately turned on scores of parents who tried bribing their children's way into good colleges is about to get sentenced, and prosecutors say he's the worst of all and should be sentenced to 6 years.

Rick Singer will be formally sentenced next week, and TMZ has obtained a copy of document prosecutors just filed, saying Singer "was the architect of a massive, decades-long scheme to use fraud and bribery to secure admission of high school students to elite colleges and universities across the country."

Prosecutors say Singer profited from the scheme more than anyone and therefore deserves a much harsher sentence than the parents, coaches and others received.

As for comparisons ... more than 50 parents, coaches and associates of Singer's received sentences ranging from probation to 30 months.

Lori Loughlin received 2 months, and Felicity Huffman 14 days.

Prosecutors want an additional 36 months of supervised release, and restitution to the IRS in the amount of $10,668,841. They want millions more in other penalties.

Here's the thing ... 6 years ain't so bad, because the max was 65 years behind bars.

As for why the relatively light sentence ... Singer cooperated and was the key to convicting the parents and others. The docs refer to Singer making hundreds of recorded calls at the government's direction. He wore a wire as well to nail the targets. Prosecutors say if it wasn't for Singer, most of the parents who were convicted would have gotten off.