Suspect in Idaho killings had made 'creepy' comments to brewery staff, customers, owner says

[Wicked Blue]

NBC News
Dec. 31, 2022, 9:23 PM EST
By Minyvonne Burke and Deon J. Hampton

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The suspect in the killings of four University of Idaho students last month had been known to some employees at a Pennsylvania brewery to make "creepy" and inappropriate comments, according to the owner.

Since Bryan Christopher Kohberger's arrest Friday in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, some who knew or had exchanges with the 28-year-old are now reflecting on those interactions in light of his arrest on a murder warrant in the deaths of the students in Moscow, Idaho, last month.

Jordan Serulneck, 34, the owner of Seven Sirens Brewing Company in Bethlehem, said Kohberger had gone by himself to the brewery a few times and would sit at the bar.

The exchanges at the brewery happened months ago, likely when the suspect was a student at DeSales University in Center Valley, less than 6 miles south of Bethlehem, Serulneck said. Kohberger graduated from DeSales with a bachelors in 2020 and completed graduate studies there in June 2022, according to the university.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/suspect-idaho-killings-made-creepy-comments-brewery-staff-customers-ow-rcna63847

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I hope those employees have passed their worries on to the police in Moscow, Idaho.

There is a clip that I saw that showed the police asking that anyone who has knowledge of this young man to please bring it to them.

They want to know everything that they can so that they can get a thorough photo of who he really is.

[progree]

2. "In the bar's system, staff had added notes that would pop up when his ID was scanned..."

Last edited Sun Jan 1, 2023, 09:47 AM - Edit history (2)

In the bar's system, staff had added notes that would pop up when his ID was scanned, Serulneck said.

Staff put in there, ‘Hey, this guy makes creepy comments, keep an eye on him. He’ll have two or three beers and then just get a little too comfortable,'" he said.

Interesting. I wonder if the same thing happens when using a credit card ... do staff attach notes about the bearer of the credit card? (for those of us too old to have our ID's scanned).

EDIT - On 2nd thought, that wouldn't do the staff much good - they would want to know about this person at the beginning or near the beginning of the shift, not at the end of the shift after the customer presents their card for payment.

[stopdiggin]

3. I had no idea this was a 'thing' either. -(nt)-

[onethatcares]

4. probably a liability thing

the bar/brewery doesn't want to be know as serving intoxicated or other patrons with "history".

Same reason they have cameras.

Any bartender here can vouch about weirdness of those on the other side of the bar.

[stopdiggin]

7. or 'building a case'

for having a 'problem' permanently barred? (I honestly hadn't thought 'liability' - perhaps should have)
But I posted in #6 - bar staff have seen a lot of drunks - when they start tipping one another off ... That warrants paying some attention.

[3_Limes]

9. If a tab is opened then the card is scanned "at the top".

So the bartender would know right away what they were dealing with.

[progree]

11. I've run a tab in many different places for years and have only once been asked to provide

Last edited Sun Jan 1, 2023, 07:41 PM - Edit history (2)

my card at the beginning. If they don't know me, they will ask if i want to "start a tab" or somesuch -- without asking for a card. Or they will just start a tab without asking. If they know me, then they don't even ask and start a tab (again without asking for a card).

Maybe there's been a couple of other times that I've been asked for a card up front now that I think hard about it, but nothing specifically comes to mind for sure except that one time in the subject line.

I'm an old white guy, fresh shaven and all that. It might depend on the demographic.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. I'm sorry but I had to lol at this -- who HASN'T heard a guy make creepy comments at a bar.

[stopdiggin]

6. point. but then there's creepy and then there's

creepy. The people that the staff are bothering to warn each other about. (and you're right, they've seen it all) You got an already established fairly low bar on stupid, annoying and obnoxious. So - when the antenna go up with the bar staff - that means you've got yourself a 'specimen.' And probably somebody that's out there a ways beyond your ordinary 'Valentino lush.'

[WhiskeyGrinder]

8. If you have not worked at a bar, I think you might be surprised at where the "creepy" line falls and

how much the staff keeps each other informed.

[stopdiggin]

10. yep. and if we had the time

we'd often give a 'heads up' to other 'places' down the row. (but most of that was pretty standard obnoxious and over the limit stuff)