An Idaho judge has sentenced Bryan Kohberger to multiple terms of life in prison for the brutal stabbing murders of four University of Idaho students. This sentencing comes just weeks after Kohberger accepted a plea deal that eliminated the possibility of the death penalty. District Judge Steven Hippler stated, “I remand the defendant to the custody of the Idaho State Board of Corrections for him to be imprisoned in an appropriate facility... where he will remain until he dies.”
For the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20, Judge Hippler ordered Kohberger, now 30, to serve life sentences without parole consecutively for each killing. In addition to the life sentences, he imposed a fine of $50,000 and a civil penalty of $5,000 for each victim. Kohberger was also given a 10-year sentence for a related burglary charge.
The sentencing hearing took place in an Ada County courtroom in Boise, where several friends and family members of the victims expressed their grief and anxiety. Many of them voiced a lingering question that has yet to be answered: What drove a graduate student to commit such a heinous act against four young adults, leaving two of their roommates unharmed?
The first impact statements were delivered by the roommates of the slain students. Bethany Funke had her statement read by a friend, while Dylan Mortensen spoke about the debilitating anxiety she has experienced since the tragic events. “Kohberger took away my ability to trust the world around me,” Mortensen said tearfully. “I made escape plans everywhere I went: If something happens, how do I get out? What can I use to defend myself? Who can help?”
Mortensen described the panic attacks that have plagued her since that fateful night, stating, “They slam into me like a tsunami, out of nowhere. I can't breathe. I don't think. I can't stop shaking.” The hearing lasted over two and a half hours and was livestreamed to the public.
Many speakers chose not to address Kohberger directly, focusing instead on their emotional turmoil and cherished memories of their loved ones. However, Kaylee Goncalves's father, Steve Goncalves, decided to confront the confessed killer. “Today you've lost control,” he said, staring directly at Kohberger. He emphasized how his family and community quickly banded together to assist investigators in capturing his daughter's murderer, whom he labeled as “careless and foolish.”
“The world is watching because of the kids, not because of you,” Goncalves added. “Nobody cares about you.”
The plea deal Kohberger accepted required him to forfeit his right to appeal or request leniency. He formally pleaded guilty on July 2, but provided no explanation for his actions. During the change-of-plea hearing, Judge Hippler asked Kohberger if he was pleading guilty because he was indeed guilty, to which Kohberger responded affirmatively.
Some family members of the four students expressed dissatisfaction with the plea deal, criticizing it for failing to provide an explanation or motive for the murders. “Today was the day for answers, the day to find out what happened,” the Goncalves family stated, highlighting their ongoing anguish over the loss of their loved ones.
The tragic events unfolded in the early hours of November 13, 2022, when the four college students were murdered in their off-campus residence on King Road. Goncalves, Mogen, Kernodle, and Chapin had been out socializing on the night of the attack. While two other roommates were present in the home, they were left unharmed.
The four students returned home around 2 a.m. and were in their rooms by 4 a.m., shortly after which a DoorDash order was delivered to Kernodle. Mortensen, who lived on the second floor, reported hearing strange noises and crying after 4 a.m. She described seeing a masked man walking by her door, and immediately locked herself in, reaching out to her roommates in fear.
At the time of the murders, Kohberger was a Ph.D. student in criminology at Washington State University, located approximately 10 miles from the University of Idaho. His white Hyundai Elantra was captured on surveillance cameras near the crime scene around the time of the stabbings. The vehicle was seen attempting to park or turn around in front of the students’ home.
Further investigation revealed that Kohberger's phone disconnected from the local network around the time of the murders, only to reconnect later on a highway leading back to Pullman. In addition, DNA evidence linked him to a knife sheath found at the crime scene. This sheath, discovered next to Mogen's body, bore a distinctive insignia.
Following the accumulation of physical and digital evidence, Pennsylvania law enforcement arrested Kohberger, bringing closure to a case that has deeply affected the local community and beyond.
