Bryan Kohberger’s Guilty Plea Shocks Victim Families Before Sentencing

Moscow, Idaho — Bryan Kohberger, 30, faced a judge on July 23, 2025, after pleading guilty to murdering four University of Idaho students in November 2022. The plea deal spared Kohberger from facing the death penalty but left families with many unanswered questions.

Kohberger’s plea means he will serve four life sentences without parole, a decision that has been met with mixed emotions from the victims’ families. Steve Goncalves, father of victim Kaylee Goncalves, described it as a “deal with the devil,” expressing frustration over the lack of motive revealed in the court.

The tragic events unfolded on the night of November 13, 2022, when Kohberger allegedly broke into a rental house and fatally stabbed Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves. His arrest came weeks later on December 30 at his family home in Pennsylvania, after authorities linked him to the crime through DNA found on a knife sheath and surveillance footage of a white Hyundai Elantra matching his car.

Kohberger is expected to address the court during allocution, offering him one last chance to explain his actions or express remorse. However, legal analysts doubt he will provide any answers, leaving families to grapple with the uncertainty surrounding the motive for the murders.

Victim impact statements will be presented in court, allowing family members to share the profound effect of the loss on their lives. Ben Mogen, father of Madison Mogen, voiced a sense of relief over avoiding a lengthy trial but lamented the absence of clarity over his daughter’s death.

The College community, which had already been shaken, mourned deeply as they sought answers in the wake of such violence. Despite Kohberger’s guilty plea, many questions remain, particularly about why he targeted these students and how he managed to evade capture for so long.

Judge Steven Hippler has indicated that the sentencing hearing may stretch into two days as families wait to hear how Kohberger will be held accountable. The case has captivated the nation, reflecting broader concerns around crime and safety in small towns.