Kohberger pleads guilty to Idaho student murders, avoids death penalty

Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in a last-minute plea deal that spares him the death penalty. Under the agreement, finalized just weeks before trial, Kohberger admitted to four counts of first-degree murder and accepted four life sentences without the possibility of parole.

He also waived his right to appeal. In exchange, prosecutors dropped their pursuit of the death penalty.

Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson confirmed the deal in a letter to victims’ families on Monday, June 30, saying it would guarantee a conviction and spare them decades of appeals. The judge accepted Kohberger’s plea during a July 2 hearing in Boise. Kohberger admitted he planned and carried out the stabbings but offered no motive.

What new evidence did prosecutors reveal during the hearing?

During the plea hearing, prosecutors presented the most detailed timeline yet of Kohberg’s movements leading up to the murders. Kohberger’s cellphone data showed he had visited the neighborhood of the victims’ home at least 23 times before the murders.

On Nov. 13, 2022, surveillance footage captured his car circling the area. Prosecutors revealed for the first time in open court that Kohberger turned off his phone from 2:54 to 4:48 a.m., shortly before entering the King Road house through a sliding glass door — a detail that had been previously disclosed in court filings.

Inside, he fatally stabbed Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves on the third floor. Prosecutors said he encountered Xana Kernodle in a hallway and killed her as well. Kohberger also stabbed Kernodle’s boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, in her bedroom.

A knife sheath left at the scene contained DNA matching Kohberger, and authorities later linked him to the crime using genetic material collected from his family’s trash in Pennsylvania. Prosecutors said Kohberger had meticulously cleaned his car and apartment in the weeks after the killings.

How have victims’ families responded to the deal?

Reactions among the victims’ families have been divided. The families of Mogen and Chapin expressed relief, saying they hoped to begin healing. In contrast, the Goncalves and Kernodle families voiced frustration over the deal. 

Kaylee’s father, Steve Goncalves, said outside court, “They let my daughter down.” The Goncalves family urged Judge Steven Hippler to reject the plea unless Kohberger confessed fully, explained his actions and revealed the location of the murder weapon.

Will the public ever learn Kohberger’s motive?

Prosecutors said they could not confirm Kohberger intended to kill all four victims, but argued the evidence showed a clear plan to commit murder. The plea deal does not compel Kohberger to explain his motive.

Much of the case file remains sealed and it’s unclear whether additional information will be released after sentencing, scheduled for July 23.

While legal experts say the deal avoids a lengthy trial and appeals, it leaves many unanswered questions. Kohberger can still speak publicly or publish his account, though prosecutors haven’t said whether any conditions were placed on future disclosures.