Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of murdering four University of Idaho students back in 2022, will plead guilty to his charges and avoid the death penalty. The victims’ families, meanwhile, are outraged.
Videos by Suggest
As reported by NewsNation, the guilty plea offered to Kohberger proposed dropping the death penalty in exchange for Kohberger pleading guilty to the murders of Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, and to a burglary charge.
Additionally, the plea agreement requires Kohberger to agree to spend the rest of his life in prison without parole. Furthermore, he must waive his right to appeal the sentence.
As per the outlet, the prosecutors explained to the family that the jury trial would be emotionally, mentally, financially, and physically taxing for the families. The trial was set to begin in August 2025.
Additionally, prosecutors said that there wasn’t “any certainty of an outcome.” Moreover, they argued that the plea deal was to provide “some measure of finality” to the grieving families.
Kohberger will appear in court for his change of plea hearing on Wednesday, July 2. He had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Family Reacts
As the news of the plea deal began to be shared online, the Goncalves family, through their Facebook page, confirmed that the plea existed, to their dismay.
“It’s true! We are beyond furious at the State of Idaho. They have failed us. Please give us some time. This was very unexpected. We appreciate all your love and support,” the Goncalves family wrote.
The Goncalves family, in a follow-up post, clarified that prosecutors talked to them on Friday about the “possibility” of a plea deal. However, the Goncalves family refused the idea.
“It was very nonchalant and barely discussed as the majority of the conversation was surrounding the upcoming trial,” the Goncalves family wrote. “NOTHING in our conversation prepared us for the next steps.”
Then, on Sunday, the family received an email regarding the plea deal being offered and accepted. As a result, they were left “scrambling,” and they stated that they had “lost the war.”
The family would go on to criticize the Latah County Prosecutor’s Office in another statement.
“Latah County should be ashamed of its Prosecutor’s Office,” the Goncalves family added. “We weren’t even called about the plea; we received an email with a letter attached. That’s how Latah County’s Prosecutor’s Office treats murder victims’ families.”
Despite the devastating news, the family remains strong, saying that “it is not over until a plea is accepted.”
Alleged Murderer
On November 13, 2022, Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin were found stabbed to death in an off-campus rental home. Specifically, it is believed that the four victims were killed between 3 and 5 a.m.
On December 30, 2022, Bryan Kohberger was arrested and charged in connection with the deaths. Court records obtained by NewsNation revealed that authorities identified Kohberger as the suspect through DNA evidence, cellphone records, and his vehicle.