BOISE, Idaho — Bryan Kohberger, the man convicted in the brutal 2022 killings of four University of Idaho students, was sentenced Thursday to four consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole. The sentencing, which took place at the Latah County Courthouse, concludes one of the most closely watched murder cases in recent U.S. history.
Kohberger, 29, showed little emotion as Judge John Judge delivered the sentence, calling the crimes “unspeakably cruel.” The victims — Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin — were fatally stabbed in an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho, in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022.
The sentencing followed heart-wrenching impact statements from victims’ families. Alivea Goncalves, sister of Kaylee, addressed Kohberger directly: “You are a cold-blooded killer who has shown no remorse.” Families of all four victims demanded the maximum sentence. According to The Times of India, prosecutors said the murders were “meticulously planned,” and Kohberger had stalked the home for weeks before the attack.
“There is no rehabilitation for this kind of evil,” said Bill Thompson, the Latah County prosecutor.
Kohberger, a former criminology PhD student at nearby Washington State University, was arrested in December 2022 at his parents’ Pennsylvania home. DNA evidence, cell phone records, and surveillance footage linked him to the crime. His motive remains unclear, but investigators believe the killings were targeted. Court documents referenced chilling online searches and weeks of surveillance conducted by Kohberger prior to the attack.
The Victims: Four Lives Lost
The victims — all in their early 20s — were remembered by loved ones as bright, kind, and full of promise. Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, lifelong best friends, were both seniors. Xana Kernodle and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin were juniors. Two surviving roommates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, were unharmed but have cooperated throughout the investigation.
Moscow Police Department and the Idaho State Police led the months-long probe, assisted by the FBI. Public interest in the case surged online, with many questioning, “Why did Bryan Kohberger do it?” Though prosecutors stopped short of citing a definitive motive, the evidence presented painted a disturbing picture of obsession and control.
Kohberger will serve his sentence at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, where he will remain under permanent protective custody. His attorneys have not indicated whether he plans to appeal.
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