A relative also described how Bryan C. Kohberger was ‘OCD’ about veganism (Picture: PA/Instagram)

The criminology student charged with murdering four University of Idaho students asked Reddit users who’d spent time in jail to take a survey about how they committed their crimes.

Bryan C. Kohberger, 28, was arrested and taken into custody from his home in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, more than 2,500 miles away from where the killings took place.

Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, and Xana Kernodle, 20, were stabbed to death along with Xana’s freshman boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20, in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13 last month.

Kohberger posted to Reddit five months before the murders asking respondents to describe their ‘thoughts, emotions and actions from the beginning to end of the crime commission process’ as part of his Criminology PhD.

Questions included: ‘Did you prepare for the crime before leaving your home?’, ‘Why did you choose that victim or target over others?’ and ‘What was the first move you made to accomplish your goal?’ 

‘After committing the crime, what were you thinking and feeling?’ was another. 

He also asked how criminals ‘leave the scene’ and whether they acted alone. 

B.K. Norton, who was in the same graduate programme as Kohberger, said he continued attending classes after the killings had occurred and seemed more animated at the time than he had been earlier in the semester.

The criminology students was known among peers to ‘creep people out’ (Picture: Monroe County Correctional/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves (second from left, bottom) and Madison Mogen (second from left, top), Ethan Chapin (center) and Xana Kernodle (second from right) (Picture: ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

The small town of Moscow has been at the centre of a murder investigation (Picture: PA)

Ms Norton said his quiet and intense demeanour made people feel ‘uncomfortable’ and he had made comments against LGBTQ+ people.

She told the New York Times: ‘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.’

Other fellow classmates noted how Kohberger used to want to socialise but offensive remarks made in the past made him somewhat isolated.

A relative of Kohberger’s told the New York Post how he is ‘OCD’ about veganism and his eating habits and forced family members to buy new pots that had never been used to cook meat.

‘It was above and beyond being vegan. His aunt and uncle had to buy new pots and pans because he would not eat from anything that had ever had meat cooked in them. He seemed very OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder)’ the woman said.

Latah County prosecutor Bill Thompson, said investigators believe Kohberger broke into the students’ home ‘with the intent to commit murder.’ 

Kohberger was studying for a PhD in Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University, just 10 miles from Moscow, Idaho.

Investigators stood outside the apartment building at the University of Idaho the morning after the murders (Picture: AP)

Police believe DNA links Kohberger to the scene with Friday’s arrest being the first major break in the case with an extradition hearing scheduled for this Tuesday.

His arrest comes seven weeks after the brutal murders in the small town, which prompted many students to stay at home and finish classes after the Thanksgiving break.

‘These murders have shaken our community, and no arrest will ever bring back these young students,’ the Moscow police chief, James Fry, said at a news conference.

‘However, we do believe justice will be found through the criminal process.’

Police have so far declined to talk about the suspects motives and it is believed a knife which was used in the attack has not yet been found.

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In recent weeks, police had been searching for the driver of a white Hyundai sedan they said had been spotted near the victims’ home on the night of the killings.

James Fry confirmed on Friday authorities had found a car matching the description.

But frustration has grown over recent weeks as the killer remained on the loose for so long, as one of the victim’s dad’s started to publicly criticise police investigators.

At the news conference on Friday, Chief Fry, was asked whether the community was safe after so many weeks of fear.

‘We have an individual in custody who committed these horrible crimes, and I do believe our community is safe,’ he said. ‘But we still do need to be vigilant, right?’

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‘He sort of creeped people out because he stared and didn’t talk much.’