Bryan Kohberger, now in solitary confinement serving four consecutive life sentences with no chance for parole after pleading guilty to the November 2002 murders of four University of Idaho college students, has another infamous neighbor in the so-called J Block at a prison outside Boise.
In related news, another convicted serial killer serving his sentence in Oregon has suggested Kohberger should transfer to the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem, Oregon, about 480 miles west of Boise, to keep Kohberger safe.
The J Block at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution (IMSI) near Boise is a long-term restrictive housing unit, often referred to as solitary confinement or administrative segregation, housing death row inmates alongside some general population inmates, not just those in long-term restrictive housing.
Inmates, like Kohberger, are limited to one person per cell, confined for extended periods, with outdoor recreation for only about one hour each day.
They are allowed to shower every other day, and have access to a commissary, religious services, and the JPay electronic messaging system to communicate with friends, family, and legal representation.
Kohberger’s J Block neighbor
It's literally hilarious that Bryan Kohberger is in J Block with ole Chad Daybell
— Magnolia (@MagnoliaJLR) August 1, 2025
It's just the perfect metaphor of the men he's jealous of. He even has the correct name!
According to 4chan incel mythos, "Chads" are the absolute WORSTpic.twitter.com/HCioeyeBmA
Kohberger’s new neighbor in the facility’s J Block is Chad Daybell, an apocalyptic-cult author and convicted murderer. Daybell, alongside “Doomsday Mom” Lori Vallow Daybell, orchestrated a series of high-profile killings driven by extremist religious beliefs about “zombies” and the “apocalypse.” Their victims included Lori’s two children and Daybell’s first wife, Tammy Douglas Daybell.
Found guilty on all counts in May 2024, he was sentenced to death on June 1, 2024, and transferred to IMSI, about a year before Kohberger agreed to plead guilty in a deal to avoid the death penalty.
The “Happy Face Killer” is concerned about Kohberger
The Happy Face killer Keith Jesperson calls me tonight from his Oregon prison to talk about the Fox News article and his thoughts on what life is going to be like now in prison for Bryan Kohberger!
— The Lighter Side Of True Crime with Keith Rovere (@krovere5) July 27, 2025https://t.co/Go5TZtvcvo pic.twitter.com/fmzHLhESdm
It’s unknown how closely, if at all, Daybell has followed Kohberger’s case. But another notorious killer, Keith Jesperson, better known as the “Happy Face Killer,” reportedly has, telling The Lighter Side of True Crime that Kohberger should transfer to the Oregon State Penitentiary for his safety.
The “best bet” for Kohberger, Jesperson told the hosts, would be “to come to Oregon and spend his time here,” because, according to Jesperson, Kohberger’s reported behaviors, such as showering for 45 minutes and staying awake most of the night, could cause him problems in Idaho.
“He’s going to have some problems, don’t get me wrong,” Jesperson said of the Oregon State Penitentiary. “But, he’s not gonna be facing the hardships he probably would in Idaho,” Jesperson said.
Jesperson strangled at least eight women between January 1990 and March 1995 across multiple states, including Oregon, and earned the nickname “Happy Face Killer” by signing anonymous letters confessing to the murders with smiley faces, which he sent to newspapers and drew on restroom walls.
Jesperson is currently serving multiple consecutive life sentences and remains ineligible for parole until at least 2063.
For a transfer to another state, such as Oregon, to be considered, there typically needs to be a compelling reason, such as active legal proceedings, immediate family considerations, or significant medical needs. There is no public indication that Kohberger has such ties to the state.
