Newly disclosed court records indicate that the sister of Bryan Kohberger, the man convicted of murdering four University of Idaho students, was slated to testify for the prosecution had his case proceeded to trial. This detail emerged following Kohberger’s decision to accept a plea agreement.
Amanda Kohberger, one of the defendant’s two sisters, was named on the prosecution’s witness list. Documents unsealed in mid-October show that Bryan Kohberger agreed to plead guilty shortly after his sister was added to that list. She was also included on a separate list of potential witnesses for the defense, intended to speak in mitigation during a potential sentencing phase.
Kohberger formally entered guilty pleas to four counts of first-degree murder and a burglary charge in early July. He later received four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus an additional ten years for burglary, thereby avoiding a trial and the death penalty.
During the emotional sentencing hearing in late July, Amanda Kohberger and her mother were present in the courtroom. Observers noted their visible distress as the sentences were handed down. Reports indicated that Kohberger did not acknowledge his family members as he was led from the court.
Prior to her brother’s arrest in connection with the 2022 killings, Amanda Kohberger had pursued a career in education and had a brief stint in film, appearing in a minor thriller over a decade ago. Following her brother’s arrest, it was reported that both she and her other sister lost their jobs.
In a statement released after Bryan Kohberger’s 2023 arrest, the Kohberger family expressed profound sadness and a commitment to cooperating with authorities while emphasizing the presumption of innocence. The family has largely remained out of the public eye since the conviction.
The plea agreement brought a formal end to a case that shocked the nation, with the judge at sentencing describing the profound and lasting devastation inflicted upon the victims’ families.
