The Missed Red Flags: How the System Let Bryan Kohberger Slip Through
The most haunting part of the Bryan Kohberger case isn’t just what he allegedly did—it’s how many opportunities were missed to stop him.
In this final chapter of our four-part special, psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins Tony Brueski to break down the system-wide blind spots that let Kohberger go unnoticed for so long. We now know that the warning signs were there: surveillance of the King Road house, disturbing Tinder messages, the possible Pullman break-in, and the discovery of ID cards from women who didn’t know they’d been targeted.
So why didn’t anyone act?
Shavaun and Tony tackle the hard questions. Why are people so hesitant to report disturbing but non-criminal behavior? What psychological and legal boundaries prevent action? And what should institutions—colleges, mental health providers, and law enforcement—be doing differently?
We explore how cultural discomfort with labeling someone as “dangerous” plays a role in these missed interventions. We also ask: had the Pullman break-in been investigated more thoroughly, could it have prevented everything that came next?
This episode is both a forensic deep dive and a public reckoning. Because it’s not just about Kohberger—it’s about how many others like him are floating just under the radar, waiting. This is where criminal psychology meets accountability, and where real change starts.