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Bryan Kohberger accepted a deal to avoid trial and pleaded guilty in the murder of four college students at the University of Idaho, sparing him the death penalty.
At a hearing Wednesday, Kohberger — speaking in court for the first time — told the court he was pleading guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and an additional count of burglary in connection with the November 2022 murders that shook the college town.
Prosecutors also outlined the evidence against Kohberger at the hearing, revealing that it was DNA from a knife sheath accidentally left at the crime that ultimately tied investigators to the suspect; Kohberger’s apartment itself was described as “spartan,” and “nothing of evidentiary value was found.”
Kohberger’s sentencing was scheduled for July 23, at which time the families of the victims will speak to the court and address the killer.
A letter was previously sent to the victim’s families regarding the deal, said the outlet, which stated Kohberger will be sentenced to four consecutive life sentences and waives all right to appeal.
“This resolution is our sincere attempt to seek justice for your family,” prosecutors stated in the letter. “This agreement ensures that the defendant will be convicted, will spend the rest of his life in prison, and will not be able to put you and the other families through the uncertainty of decades of post-conviction, appeals. Your viewpoints weighed heavily in our decision-making process, and we hope that you may come to appreciate why we believe this resolution is in the best interest of justice.”
Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, were stabbed to death in their off-campus apartment on Nov. 13, 2022. Kohberger, who was a graduate student at Washington State University at the time of the murders, was arrested in December 2022 as the sole suspect in the case. Kohberger waslinked to the crimethrough DNA found on a knife sheath, and in May 2023, he was indicted by a grand jury on charges of murder. The judge entered not guilty pleas on Kohberger’s behalf after he chose to “stand silent” rather than enter a plea at the time.
In April, a judge ruled that Kohberger could still face the death penalty if convicted,despite a recent autism diagnosis. Prior to news of the plea deal, a jury selection was scheduled to begin on Aug. 4, while opening arguments had been set for Aug 18.
Kaylee Goncalves’ family published a series of statements on Facebook in response to Kohberger accepting the plea deal. One post clarified that the “possibility” of a plea deal was discussed on Friday, but “it was a HARD NO from our family.” The Goncalves said they learned about the deal through an email that sent them “scrambling” as they “jumped into panic mode.” “We met with prosecution AGAIN today to reiterate our views on pushing for the death penalty,” the post reads. “Unfortunately all of our efforts did not matter.”
Aubrie Goncalves, Kaylee Goncalves’ 18-year-old sister, published a separate statement. “What the families of Ethan, Kaylee, Maddie, and Xana have endured over the past 2 year and a half is beyond comprehension,” she wrote. “From the constant delays to the relocation of proceedings—making it harder for loved ones to attend—the justice system has placed heavy burdens on those already carrying unimaginable grief. Through it all, we have tried to hold on to hope. We’ve believed in the process. We’ve had faith in the system. But at this point, it is impossible not to acknowledge the truth: the system has failed these four innocent victims and their families.”
She added, “The introduction of this plea deal, just weeks before the scheduled trial, is both shocking and cruel. Had this proposal come a year and a half ago, the families could have had time to process, discuss, and potentially come to terms with the idea of a life sentence—however difficult that may be. We could have had the time to understand it, to prepare for it emotionally, and perhaps even to find some degree of peace. But now, with mere weeks left, we are being asked to absorb and respond to life-altering decisions with no room to breathe.”
Aubrie noted that Kohberger serving a life sentence would allow him to “still get to speak, form relationships, and engage with the world. Meanwhile, our loved ones have been silenced forever. That reality stings more deeply when it feels like the system is protecting his future more than honoring the victims’ pasts. The justice system was created to serve and protect—not to retraumatize grieving families. And yet, time and time again, we find ourselves blindsided, unheard, and unsupported.”
Goncalves expressed in another post their intention to continue pushing back against the plea deal decision. “It is not over until it is over. We still have time to fight for a chance to heal,” the family said. In her statement, Aubrie added: “We are not asking for vengeance. We are asking for accountability. We are asking for dignity for our loved ones. And we are asking—pleading—for a justice system that truly lives up to its name.”
July 1, 2:00 p.m.: This article has been updated to include statements from Kaylee Goncalves’ family.
July 2, 2:00 p.m.: This article has been updated with Kohberger pleading guilty.
