When we look back at the timeline of the 2022 University of Idaho tragedy, people often get hung up on the "before." We know the horrific events of November, but the lead-up—specifically the logistics of a PhD student moving across the country—holds a lot of weight for investigators and true crime followers alike. Honestly, it’s a detail that sounds simple but actually anchors the entire prosecution's timeline. So, what date did brian kohberger arrive at wsu to school? Based on public records and university statements, Bryan Kohberger officially began his journey in Pullman, Washington, in July 2022.
While some sources point to the official start of the fall semester, which kicked off on August 22, 2022, Kohberger was already on the ground well before the first bell rang. He had just finished his Master's program at DeSales University in Pennsylvania that May. By July, he was living 2,500 miles away from home, settling into his apartment at Steptoe Village, which is university-owned housing for graduate students at WSU.
The Summer Move to Pullman
Moving for a PhD program isn't like moving for freshman year. You don't just show up with a backpack and a lanyard. Kohberger was moving to start a doctoral program in Criminology and Criminal Justice. This required him to be on campus early for orientations and to set up his life as a Teaching Assistant (TA).
Reports from People and local Washington outlets indicate he was already a resident of Pullman by mid-July. This is a crucial detail because it establishes how long he had been familiarizing himself with the "Palouse"—the region spanning Pullman, Washington, and Moscow, Idaho.
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It wasn't just about school. Investigators later revealed that his phone pings showed him in the Moscow area—where the victims lived—as early as August 2022. If he arrived in July, he had roughly a month of "normal" life before classes even started. He was basically a ghost in the system during those first few weeks, just another face in a sea of graduate students.
Why the Arrival Date Matters for the Case
You’ve gotta wonder why people obsess over the exact day he pulled into town. It's because of the surveillance.
The prosecution argued that Kohberger didn't just stumble upon the King Road house by accident. They alleged a pattern of "casing" the area. By pinpointing what date did brian kohberger arrive at wsu to school, legal teams were able to create a digital map of his movements from the moment he stepped foot in Washington state.
- July 2022: Initial arrival and move-in at Steptoe Village.
- August 21, 2022: A notable phone ping near the King Road residence in Moscow.
- August 22, 2022: Official start of the WSU fall semester classes.
According to court documents, his phone was recorded near the victims' home at least 12 times prior to the night of the murders. Most of those instances happened late at night or in the very early morning hours. If he arrived in July, that gave him a narrow window to begin this alleged surveillance.
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Life as a WSU Graduate Student
Once classes started in late August, Kohberger’s life was split between being a student and a teacher. He was a TA for Professor John Snyder. Students in his classes described him as "creepy" and an "odd duck." Some said he was a super harsh grader at first, but then suddenly started giving everyone full credit after the November murders occurred.
It’s wild to think that for months, he was sitting in criminology seminars, discussing the very motives and forensic techniques that would later be used to track him down. He was a PhD student in a program that literally studies how to catch people like him.
The tension on campus was thick. Even before he was a suspect, other graduate students felt "off" around him. A lawsuit filed by the victims' families in early 2026 alleges that WSU faculty were aware of his "harassing and stalking behavior" toward female students almost immediately after he arrived in the fall.
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Breaking Down the Timeline
To keep it simple, here is how the transition from Pennsylvania to Washington looked:
- May 2022: Graduated from DeSales University.
- June 2022: Preparation for the cross-country move.
- July 2022: Arrived in Pullman, WA, and moved into Steptoe Village.
- August 2022: Began PhD coursework and TA duties.
Most people assume he arrived right when classes started, but that's a misconception. He was a resident of the Palouse for nearly four months before the events of November 13.
What We Can Learn From This
Looking at the arrival date of a suspect provides a "Day Zero" for the investigation. It shows how quickly someone can integrate into—or begin to shadow—a community. For the families involved, the fact that he was allegedly "looming" in the area since July adds a layer of premeditation that is hard to stomach.
If you're following the case or studying the logistics of the investigation, the key takeaway is that the "school year" is a distraction. The real timeline started the moment that white Hyundai Elantra crossed the Washington state line in July.
To stay informed on the legal proceedings, you should monitor the official Latah County court portal for the latest filings and trial updates. Understanding the pre-arrival background, such as his studies under forensic psychologist Katherine Ramsland, also provides deeper context into his academic mindset during that July move.