Plea Deal Reached in Idaho Student Murders, Families Divided on Outcome

Thu Oct 23 2025 03:46:01 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Bryan Kohberger pleads guilty to the murders of four Idaho students, avoiding the death penalty, but leaving many questions unanswered.

In a shocking turn of events, Bryan Kohberger has pleaded guilty to the murders of four college students in Idaho as part of a plea deal to evade the death penalty. While some families see it as a path to closure, others express disappointment over unresolved details of the case.

In a significant development in the case of the tragic murders of four Idaho college students, Bryan Kohberger, a former PhD criminology student, has announced his guilty plea as part of a plea deal aimed at avoiding capital punishment. The shocking event took place in the small town of Moscow, Idaho, in November 2022, where the lives of Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, and Madison Mogen were brutally taken. The two survivors, Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen, managed to escape the violence.

During a formal court hearing presided over by Judge Steven Hippler, Kohberger acknowledged his guilt in response to the judge's inquiry, despite having initially pleaded not guilty. This plea agreement includes waiving his rights to appeal or request leniency, with the judge detailing the charges—specifically one count of burglary, potentially leading to a 10-year prison term, along with four counts of first-degree murder, each punishable by life imprisonment. A sentencing date has been set for July 23, where it is anticipated Kohberger will be sentenced to life behind bars.

While this plea deal ensures that Kohberger avoids the death penalty, it also closes the door on many unanswered questions, including his motivations behind the heinous act. Prosecutors disclosed that evidence indicates Kohberger had meticulously planned the attack, having purchased the murder weapon—allegedly a knife—approximately eight months prior to the incident. However, without the weapon recovered at the scene, speculation continues to swirl around the details of the crime.

Emotional reactions were evident during the hearing, with both families and attendees divided over the plea agreement. Steve Goncalves, father of victim Kaylee, expressed profound disappointment over the decision, articulating feelings of betrayal for the lack of a complete confession. In stark contrast, the family of Madison Mogen publicly supported the plea deal, citing a need for closure and gratitude toward those who stood by them through the ordeal.

Kohberger was apprehended weeks after the murders at his family home in Pennsylvania, with investigators linking him to the scene via DNA evidence found on a leather knife sheath. His defense team had previously attempted to argue against the death penalty based on an autism diagnosis but had little success in altering the course of the legal proceedings.

Idaho remains one of several U.S. states that upholds capital punishment, although the last execution took place in 2012, reflecting ongoing national debates around the death penalty and its use in high-stakes criminal cases.