In a dramatic courtroom development, the man accused of the 2022 killings of four University of Idaho students has pleaded guilty to all charges.
Bryan Kohberger, 30, entered the plea on Wednesday, July 2, in a Latah County court. The former criminology student admitted to the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, who were fatally stabbed in an off-campus residence in Moscow, Idaho, in November 2022. Kohberger also pleaded guilty to a felony burglary charge.
The plea agreement, reached just weeks before his scheduled trial, spares Kohberger the possibility of the death penalty. As part of the deal, he was sentenced to four consecutive life terms for the murders, plus an additional 10 years for burglary. The terms of the agreement bar any appeal of the convictions.
The sudden resolution of the high-profile case elicited mixed reactions from the victims’ families. While some relatives expressed relief that a lengthy and painful trial was avoided, others voiced profound disappointment that the case will not proceed to a public jury trial.
One family publicly criticized the prosecution’s decision, stating they felt failed by the justice system and that their loved one deserved a full trial. Other families supported the plea, stating it ensures punishment, protects the public, and allows them to grieve without enduring years of legal proceedings.
Kohberger had previously entered a not-guilty plea, which was formally changed during the hearing. The motive for the attacks remains publicly undisclosed. The house where the crimes occurred was demolished last year.
