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Bryan Kohberger's Confession Was Expected. This Courtroom Bombshell Wasn't
Bryan Kohberger's Confession Was Expected. This Courtroom Bombshell Wasn't

Yahoo

time26 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Bryan Kohberger's Confession Was Expected. This Courtroom Bombshell Wasn't

Here's what you'll learn when you read this article: Bryan Kohberger confessed to killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022. An Idaho prosecutor shared new details about the evidence against the former criminology student during Kohberger's plea hearing. Kohberger will be sentenced in late July, but one punishment won't be considered. Bryan Kohberger has now been convicted in the University of Idaho student murders. The one-time criminology Ph.D. student appeared in court Wednesday and pleaded guilty to killing Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin in November 2022. He also admitted to one count of felony burglary. The case ignited intense interest from the start, but in the years since, authorities and Kohberger have shared little about that night partially as a result of a judge-imposed gag order. His motive for the fatal stabbings remains unknown, but Wednesday's hearing did shed light on a few more details of the case. Providing an overview of the state's evidence, Latah County prosecutor Bill Thompson shared that Kohberger, now 30, had owned the apparent murder weapon for about eight months before the killings. In March 2022, he purchased a Ka-Bar knife and sheath from Amazon while living in Pennsylvania. That sheath was later found at the Moscow, Idaho, home where Kohberger killed Goncalves, Mogen, Kernodle, and Chapin. DNA on the sheath matched Kohberger's. An even bigger revelation followed when Thompson said the knife remains missing. Authorities didn't recover it while searching Kohberger's apartment in nearby Pullman, Washington, where he had moved in late June 2022, nor at his office. 'Spartan would be a kind characterization,' Thompson said in describing the places. 'There was virtually nothing there. Nothing of evidentiary value was found.' That search occurred several weeks after the murders. The knife also wasn't in Kohberger's white Hyundai Elantra, which had been spotted on surveillance cameras near the crime scene on the morning of the murders. By the time authorities examined the car, it 'had been meticulously cleaned inside,' Thompson said. 'It was actually pretty much disassembled internally,' the prosecutor said. 'There was a bucket of cleaner right beside it. I think we can all look to our own cars, you know in those compartments in the doors you can try to keep 'em clean where you put stuff, there's always some degree of crud in there—they were spotless.' Kohberger's trial in the death penalty case was set to begin next month. Then, suddenly, he changed course at the end of June and agreed to a plea deal. In exchange for admitting to the crimes, he will be spared the death penalty and is likely to spend the rest of his life in prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled to begin on July 23 at 9 a.m. local time. During Wednesday's court appearance, Kohberger was seemingly calm as he answered the judge's yes-or-no questions and entered his plea. Time will tell if he decides to open up about why he committed the gruesome acts and what he did with the murder weapon. You Might Also Like Nicole Richie's Surprising Adoption Story The Story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Her Mother Queen Camilla's Life in Photos

Chilling theories on Bryan Kohberger's motive as prosecutor makes cryptic statement about 'intent'
Chilling theories on Bryan Kohberger's motive as prosecutor makes cryptic statement about 'intent'

Daily Mail​

time3 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Chilling theories on Bryan Kohberger's motive as prosecutor makes cryptic statement about 'intent'

Following Bryan Kohberger 's confession to the brutal stabbings of four Idaho college students, one lingering question still remains: why did he kill them? Speculation has been mounting about his motive after new details emerged of Kohberger's apparent fascination with crimes and serial killers, his troubled childhood and his alleged obsession with one of the victims, Madison Mogen, 21. Over the course of the two-plus-year investigation into the slayings, authorities have been unable to find any digital connection between Kohberger and his four victims - Mogen, Ethan Chapin, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20. There is also no known connection between Kohberger and the two surviving roommates, Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen. All of this continues to fuel the mystery as to the motive, why he chose the victims and who may have been the intended target that fateful night. But prosecutor Bill Thompson perhaps dropped the biggest clue so far that could point to Kohberger's motive, during the plea hearing on Wednesday. Thompson said: 'We will not represent that he intended to commit all of the murders that he did that night, but we know that that is what resulted.' If the prosecution believes that Kohberger didn't intend to commit all four murders, it begs the question: which of the slayings were targeted? Here are four possible motives that could have led to the horrid murders. 'OBSESSION' WITH MADDY MOGEN The prosecution's hint that Kohberger only had one intended target on the fateful night has ramped up the speculation that he was trying to kill Maddy Mogen. Sources close to the investigation previously told Dateline that Mogen was believed to be Kohberger's target - based in part on the path the killer allegedly took after entering the three-story student home. As a result, the other three students' deaths may have been collateral after he found Goncalves sleeping in Mogen's bedroom - before being intercepted by Kernodle, chasing her down the stairs, and killing her and boyfriend Chapin. Kohberger was also rumored to have been obsessed with Mogen, although there is no official confirmation from authorities on this. The 21-year-old worked as a waitress at the Mad Greek restaurant in Moscow, which served vegan-style cuisine matching Kohberger's strict dietary requirements. Howard Blum, who wrote a book about the murders last year, suggested he may have first seen Mogen at the restaurant. 'The restaurant was the only one in town to serve the sort of vegan dishes that Kohberger's relatives told me he preferred. It was also where Mogen worked as a waitress,' Blum told Dateline. 'Did they talk? Did he ask her out? The prosecution and the defense have agreed that there is no evidence of any interaction – either in person or on social media. 'But I believe that wouldn't have been necessary for Kohberger to become infatuated with 21-year-old Mogen's pretty face, long blonde hair and sparkling personality. Obsessions came easily to him. He was, after all, a recovering heroin addict.' Also last year, Goncalves' parents claimed to have found a social media account that bared Kohberger's name and linked him to Mogen. 'You would go to Maddie's Instagram account and look at her pictures, and he liked them,' Kristi Goncalves told 48 Hours in January 2024. 'He had liked them. Bryan's name was under a lot of Maddie's pictures. Liked her pictures, liked that picture and that picture, and that picture, and that picture. 'So, he was actively looking at the Instagram account.' Kristi also alleged the account - which she says was deleted around the time of Kohberger's arrest - was following her daughter's page as well. Sources said the killer went straight up to Mogen's room on the third floor, but found her best friend Goncalves also sharing her bed. After killing the best friends, he returned downstairs where he is believed to have encountered Kernodle. Not anticipating to run into her, Kohberger went on to kill Kernodle and her boyfriend Chapin. There is nothing to suggest he knew the victims, only the theory that he might have crossed paths with Mogen prior. KEEN INTEREST IN SERIAL KILLERS Kohberger had an infatuation with infamous serial killers, so much so that he studied them in college. Chilling internet searches revealed that Kohberger made several searches related to infamous serial killer Ted Bundy. Bundy was put to death for a string of murders including the killings of female students in a sorority house in Florida. Kohberger also penned a chilling 12-page essay detailing how to handle a crime scene that was eerily similar to the Idaho murders, a recent court filing revealed. The essay, which he submitted in 2020 as part of his criminal justice Master's degree at DeSales University, depicted a crime scene where a white woman was found murdered at a trailer park after being stabbed to death with a knife. In the essay, Kohberger also outlined the protective gear - including gloves, 'fiber-free' overalls and special boots - worn by crime scene investigators to avoid leaving DNA and prints at the scene. Prosecutors argued the essay showed Kohberger's extensive knowledge of crime scenes. He graduated from DeSales in summer 2022, mere months before the murders. His former professor Dr. Katherine Ramsland, a top serial killer expert, expressed her fears that she may have inspired Kohberger's crime. Rasmland initially refused to believe he could be capable of killing, even after his arrest. But as she investigated the case more, she began to believe he may be responsible. 'We know that there's always a risk that we're attracting somebody that's going to do something terrible,' she told NewsNation on Tuesday. 'I know, everyone in this field knows that we could have students who might become offenders but we also know the vast majority of our students will not and will go into a field like law enforcement that will make the world better,' she added. CHILDHOOD 'TRAUMA' Kohberger came from a troubled childhood - that may have laid the groundwork for an unstable adulthood before he committed the gruesome quadruple murder. When he was a child, Kohberger was involved in a car accident, though the details of the incident - including when and where it occurred - remain a mystery. It is also unclear if Kohberger suffered any injuries in the accident. But, the filing states that the incident is documented in the defense's reports from mental health experts and that his family members could have testified about the apparent trauma he endured. Along with the car crash, which was listed under 'trauma history,' Kohberger's past drug abuse was also mentioned - as prosecutors revealed family members and mental health professionals could have spoken on this evidence. As a teenager, Kohberger struggled with heroin addiction and was once arrested for stealing and selling his sister's iPhone. According to 2014 court records, Kohberger's dad Michael called police to report his then-19-year-old son for stealing the cell phone. Michael told police the teen had drug abuse issues. Several former friends and high school classmates also spoke out about his heroin use following his arrest in December 2022. Rich Pasqua told The New York Times that he and Kohberger would use heroin together in 2013 and 2014, while both working at a local pizza store in his home state of Pennsylvania. Pasqua also described Kohberger as socially awkward and said he was bullied in high school over his weight. Kohberger eventually kicked his drug habit following a stint in rehab, turning his attentions to studying criminology. Prosecutors reveal that Kohberger's educational, family and religious history were also explored by his team. After killing best friends Mogen and Goncalves, Kohberger returned downstairs where he is believed to have encountered Kernodle - killing her and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin (pictured together in July 2022) RANDOM ACT OF CHILLING VIOLENCE The final chilling theory as to why he chose to kill the four that night could be that it was a random act of violence. Kohberger could have just decided to walk into the house that night to kill the teens, but again, it is unclear why he would have chosen that home specifically. Kohberger's apparent attitude toward women has also come under the spotlight. His phone was allegedly used to search for pornography along with terms like 'passed out', 'forced', 'drugged' and 'sleeping' in the weeks around November 2022 -the same time the gruesome murders took place. A stash of images on his device allegedly included bikini-clad female students.

Bryan Kohberger Returned to Scene Before Bodies Were Found — Then Took a Grinning Selfie
Bryan Kohberger Returned to Scene Before Bodies Were Found — Then Took a Grinning Selfie

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Bryan Kohberger Returned to Scene Before Bodies Were Found — Then Took a Grinning Selfie

Bryan Kohberger confessed to the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20 in court on Wednesday Prosecutor Bill Thompson laid out the case against Kohberger, saying Kohberger returned to the crime scene just hours after the murder and then took a selfie making a thumbs-up gesture when he got home Kohberger is set to be sentenced on July 23, with the plea deal calling for four life sentences plus 10 years on a burglary charge, all to be served consecutivelyBryan Kohberger pleaded guilty to the murders of four University of Idaho students on Wednesday. He confessed in the Boise courtroom to the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20. After admitting to those crimes, which took place on Nov. 13, 2022, Judge Steven Hippler called on Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson to lay out the details of the case against Kohberger. Thompson shared many details of the case which had been previously known, including video footage of a car similar to Kohberger's near the scene of the crime on the night of the murders and his purchase on Amazon of the same weapon used in the murders. Another key detail shared by Thompson was the fact that Kohberger returned to the murder scene just a few hours after brutally stabbing his four victims to death, but before their bodies had been discovered by their surviving roommates. Thompson said that Kohberger's phone was tracked to the residence at around 9 a.m. and remained there for approximately 10 minutes before he returned to his dormitory at Washington State University in Pullman. Once back at his dorm, the normally stoic Kohberger took a selfie of himself grinning while making a thumbs-up gesture. Kohberger and his attorney appeared in court just two days after striking a deal with prosecutors. In exchange for Kohberger's guilty plea on four counts of murder and one count of burglary, the prosecution agreed not to seek the death penalty and instead recommended a term of four life sentences for each murder plus 10 years for the burglary to be served consecutively. Kohberger also waived his right to file an appeal. His sentencing has now been scheduled for July 23, at which time he is set to learn his fate. The decision to make a deal with Kohberger has divided the victims' families, with the Mogen and Chapin families coming out in support of the deal and Kernodle and Goncalves families saying they wanted the case to go to trial. Read the original article on People

Cold-blooded steps Bryan Kohberger took to cover up the Idaho murders are revealed for the first time
Cold-blooded steps Bryan Kohberger took to cover up the Idaho murders are revealed for the first time

Daily Mail​

time3 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Cold-blooded steps Bryan Kohberger took to cover up the Idaho murders are revealed for the first time

Bryan Kohberger meticulously tried to cover his tracks after he brutally murdered four Idaho college students in cold blood, prosecutors have now revealed. Kohberger, 30, was cold and emotionless as he confessed to murdering Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Xana Kernodle, 20, as well as Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20, on November 13, 2022. He spoke calmly during his plea hearing Wednesday, answering 'yes' as he was asked plainly whether he murdered the four students. Investigators had long claimed that Kohberger broke into the off-campus home and stabbed to death Mogen and Goncalves, before then killing Kernodle and Chapin. But for the first time ever, prosecutors have laid bare before the court the actions he took in the aftermath of the slayings. Kohberger's apartment and office were scrubbed clean when investigators searched them, and his car had been 'pretty much disassembled internally', prosecuting attorney Bill Thompson told the plea hearing Wednesday. He also changed his car registration to Washington State after the four killings. FBI agents were able to link Kohberger to the killings after collecting DNA samples from the garbage outside his parents' Pennsylvania home, where he was living at the time. Investigators determined that DNA left on a Q-Tip belonged to the father of the person who left DNA on the knife sheath found at the crime scene. 'The defendant has studied crime,' Thompson told the court. 'In fact, he did a detailed paper on crime scene processing when he was working on his PhD, and he had that knowledge skillset.' KOHBERGER PLEADS GUILTY TO IDAHO MURDERS Bryan Kohberger pleaded guilty to murder Wednesday in the brutal stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students in 2022. His plea deal was a shock to the victims' families, some of whom are furious that it was ever offered to him. He took the deal to avoid the death penalty - accepting instead a life without parole sentence - after years of delays and stalling. The world still does not know why he did it - and he may never have to confess to it. As Kohberger entered his guilty plea, some of the victims' loved ones looked down while others craned to see him. Judge Steven Hippler accepted Kohberger's plea and said he will be sentenced at Ada County Court on July 23 at 9am local time (11am EST). 'The trial will be vacated and the jury commissioner will get words to those who were summoned that they won't be required to attend,' Hippler added. Documents in the court file won´t be unsealed until after sentencing. Kohberger remained unemotional as he confirmed to the judge that he stabbed the four victims almost three years ago. Hippler addressed Kohberger, wearing a gray shirt and dark tie, directly to explain the possible penalties to the crime that he is set to plead guilty to. Kohberger confirmed to the judge that he was pleading guilty' freely and voluntarily' because he was, in fact, guilty, and not because he had some other incentive. The families of his victims maintained stoic expressions across the courtroom from Kohberger as he gave his short, affirmative answers to the judge. Hippler wasted no time to address the controversy around the decision to offer Kohberger a plea to avoid the death penalty - a decision that one victim's family has vehemently opposed. 'This court cannot require the prosecutor to seek the death penalty, nor would it be appropriate for this court to do that,' Hippler said. He also addressed criticisms that the families were not given time to weigh in on the plea deal. 'I, like everyone else, learned of this plea agreement Monday afternoon and had no inkling of it beforehand. Once I learned of the defendant's decision to change his plea in this case it was important that I take the plea as soon as possible.' Hippler said his court received numerous emails and phone messages ahead of the hearing, during which the judge could accept or reject the plea agreement. He said the efforts by members of the public were inappropriate and also said that no external opinions would influence his decision. 'Court is not supposed to, and this court will never, take into account public sentiment in making an opinion regarding its judicial decisions in cases. I always will make decisions based on where the facts and the law lead me, period,' the judge said. Kohberger watched without reaction as the judge issued his warning. They waited with somber, quiet expressions. At least 100 people were in attendance in the courtroom, and nearly 12,000 people tuned in to watch a livestream of the proceeding. The accused killer spoke intently with his lead attorney Anne Taylor for a few moments before he was led out of court and back to jail. Noticeably, Kohberger was not handcuffed or shackled for the hearing. STATE DETAILS KOHBERGER'S HORRIFIC CRIME Kohberger previously pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and burglary charges in a gruesome multiple homicide in 2022, but on Wednesday accepted the state's plea deal. He looked on coldly as Latah County prosecutor Bill Thompson laid out a detailed timeline of what took place inside off-campus house shared by five women. Thompson confirmed that Kohberger went up to the third floor of the residence at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho, killing Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves. Xana Kernodle was still up at that time and, as Kohberger was coming down the stairs or leaving, he encountered her. He killed her and then her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, who was sleeping in her bed. Kohberger stared expressionlessly as he listened to Thompson. Thompson choked up as he finished his comments, laying out the timeline for the murders. He said that Bryan Kohberger intended to kill - but did not intend to murder all the victims - before entering the home. VICTIMS' FAMILIES BREAK DOWN IN COURT The victims' family members were seen choking back emotion as the judge asked Bryan Kohberger whether he murdered each of their loved ones. Madison Mogen's father Ben Mogen hung his head and his legs shook as the judge asked Kohberger if he admitted to stabbing his daughter to death. He wiped his eyes with a hanky after his daughter's killer pleaded guilty to the heinous crime. Kaylee Goncalves' mother Kristi Goncalves, who was flanked by several family members, cried as the judge asked Kohberger if he had murdered her daughter and Kohberger replied in the affirmative. Bryan Kohberger showed no emotion as he confirmed he was 'guilty' on all charges. He did not appear to look at the public gallery at all - where the families of the loved ones he slaughtered sat wiping their eyes and choking back tears. GONCALVES FAMILY LASHES OUT AT PLEA DEAL OUTSIDE OF COURT Kaylee Goncalves' heartbroken father, Steve, said the plea deal tabled ahead of Kohberger's trial would not serve justice to his family. 'They (prosecutors) made a deal with Kohberger. He was the only person who was considered,' Steve Goncalves told reporters outside the courthouse on Wednesday. 'He didn't even negotiate with us. He could have just pretended and lied, but he didn't even pretend.' Goncalves said his daughter's accused killer needs to admit that 'he did it on his own and nobody else was responsible' so he would no longer have 'supporters'. 'He's not going to take accountability,' the anguished father added. When asked whether he thought four life sentences was justice, Goncalves said: 'No, of course not.' Reporters asked Goncalves what he thought about the families of some other victims feeling relief over news of the plea deal. 'Well, that's good enough for their kids, doesn't mean it's good enough for mine,' he said. GUILTY PLEA CAME AFTER FAILED EFFORTS TO STRIKE DEATH PENALTY Bryan Kohberger's attorneys had done what they could to spare his life. They tried to bar prosecutors from seeking the death penalty in the quadruple murder on an array of grounds - that it would violate standards of decency or flout international law, that prosecutors had failed to provide evidence properly, that their client's autism diagnosis reduced any possible culpability. They challenged the legitimacy of DNA evidence and sought permission to suggest to a jury that someone else committed the crime. None of it worked. And with Kohberger's quadruple-murder trial set to begin next month, they turned to a final option: a plea deal to avoid execution. KOHBERGER FAMILY BREAKS SILENCE The Kohberger family has issued a statement ahead of Bryan Kohberger's plea hearing today. The family, in a statement published by NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin, said: 'In light of recent developments, the Kohbergers are asking members of the media for privacy, respect, and responsible judgment during this time. 'We will continue to allow the legal process to unfold with respect to all parties and will not release any comments or take any questions. 'We ask that you respect our wishes during a difficult time for all those affected.' This is the first ever comment the family has made since the one statement issued when he was first arrested. Daily Mail Crime Correspondent Rachel Sharp went to Kohberger's parents' residence in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania on Monday but no one was home. It's unclear if the family had already been informed about the plea deal and were already on their way to Boise. They did appear in court on Wednesday. FAMILIES DIVIDED OVER PLEA DEAL The bombshell plea deal came in the 11th hour - coming just over a month before Bryan Kohberger was due to go on trial in August. And it has divided the families of the victims Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves and Ethan Chapin. On the one hand, the families of Goncalves and Kernodle have publicly slammed the agreement reached between prosecutors and Kohberger. The Goncalves family blasted the prosecutor's office for making 'a deal with the devil', spoke of their sense of betrayal by the state of Idaho and revealed plans to stage a protest outside the courthouse today. Kernodle's aunt Kim Kernodle similarly told TMZ that the family had vehemently opposed the deal when it was suggested by prosecutors - and voiced her confusion given the state had previously told them they had enough for a conviction. Although the Goncalves family opposed the agreement and said they would seek to stop it, they also argued that any such deal should require Kohberger to make a full confession, detail the facts of what happened and provide the location of the murder weapon. 'We deserve to know when the beginning of the end was,' they wrote in a Facebook post. Steve Goncalves, left the courthouse before Kohberger entered the courtroom. 'I´m just getting out of this zoo,' he told reporters. On the other hand, family members of Chapin and Mogen have voiced their support for the deal that would put Kohberger behind bars for life. The family of Chapin - one of three triplets who attended the university together - supports the deal, their spokesperson, Christina Teves, said Tuesday. Attorney Leander James read a statement from Mogen´s mother and stepfather after the guilty pleas that said they supported the agreement with the prosecutors. 'While we know there are some who do not support it, we ask that they respect our belief that this is the best outcome for the victims, their families and the state of Idaho,' the family said. 'We now embark on a new path,' they said. 'We embark on a path of hope and healing.' The 21-year-old's father Ben Mogen previously told the Idaho Statesman that he supports the deal because it 'punishes the perpetrator of this horrendous crime, protects the public from further harm and allows all of us who knew and loved these four young people the time to grieve without the anxiety of the long and gruesome trial, years of appeals and potential for mistrials along the way.' PROSECUTOR BREAKS DOWN IN COURT The prosecutor who handed Bryan Kohberger a plea deal to allow him to avoid the death penalty broke down in court Wednesday as he read the victim's names. Bill Thompson choked up as he laid out the timeline of the shocking murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022 at the hearing on Wednesday. 'On November 13, 2022, excuse me...,' Thompson said, growing emotional as he reached for a sip of water and a colleague patted him on the back. He then broke down again as he read the names of Kohberger's victims, Ethan Chapin, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Madison Mogen, 21. FAMILIES SOB AS KOHBERGER REMAINS STOIC As his victims' loved ones sobbed in the courtroom, Bryan Kohberger showed no emotion and stared ahead. He stared intently at the judge - and then the prosecutor - as they spoke about his horrific crimes and the senseless violence that he inflicted upon the four young students. Madison Mogen's father Ben Mogen hung his head and his legs shook as the judge asked Kohberger if he admitted to stabbing his daughter to death. Kaylee Goncalves' mother Kristi Goncalves, who was flanked by several family members, cried as the judge asked Kohberger if he had murdered her daughter and Kohberger replied in the affirmative. The Goncalves family previously vented their fury at Thompson after he offered Kohberger the plea deal that spared him the death penalty. They declared on Facebook that the State of Idaho 'failed us' as they hit out at prosecutors for failing to notify them that a plea deal was going through. 'We weren't even called about the plea; we received an email with a letter attached,' family members said in a statement. 'That's how Latah County's Prosecutor's Office treats murder victims' families. 'Adding insult to injury, they're rushing the plea, giving families just one day to coordinate and appear at the courthouse for a plea on July 2.' GRUSOME CASE THAT SHOCKED THE NATION The Idaho college killings grabbed headlines around the world and set off a nationwide hunt, including an elaborate effort to track down a white sedan spotted on surveillance cameras repeatedly driving by the rental home. Police said they used genetic genealogy to identify Kohberger as a possible suspect and accessed cellphone data to pinpoint his movements the night of the killings. At the time, Kohberger was a criminal justice graduate student at nearby Washington State University who had just completed his first semester and was a teaching assistant in the criminology program. Kohberger was arrested in Pennsylvania, where his parents lived, weeks later. Prosecuting attorney Bill Thompson said investigators recovered a Q-tip from the garbage at his parents' house to match Kohberger's DNA to genetic material recovered from a knife sheath found at the crime scene. Online shopping records showed that Kohberger had purchased a military-style knife months earlier - as well as a sheath like the one found at the scene. The county prosecutor said the murder weapon has not been found and revealed new details about how Kohberger tried to cover up the killings. Kohberger bought another knife sheath to replace the one he left at the crime scene and scrubbed his apartment and office, Thompson said. His car had been 'pretty much disassembled' and he changed his car registration, Thompson said. 'The defendant has studied crime,' Thompson said. 'In fact, he did a detailed paper on crime scene processing when he was working on his Ph.D., and he had that knowledge skill set.' No motive has emerged for the killings, nor is it clear why the attacker spared two roommates who were in the home. There also was no indication he had a relationship with any of the victims, who all were friends and members of the university's Greek system. Authorities have said cellphone data and surveillance video show that Kohberger visited the victims' neighborhood at least a dozen times before the killings, and that he traveled in the same area that night. Kohberger's lawyers said he was simply on a long drive by himself around the time the four were killed.

Chilling moment emotionless Bryan Kohberger pleads guilty to Idaho students' murder & judge admits deal blindsided him
Chilling moment emotionless Bryan Kohberger pleads guilty to Idaho students' murder & judge admits deal blindsided him

The Sun

time5 hours ago

  • The Sun

Chilling moment emotionless Bryan Kohberger pleads guilty to Idaho students' murder & judge admits deal blindsided him

BRYAN Kohberger has pleaded guilty to the murders of four University of Idaho students on Wednesday, bringing an abrupt end to the years-long mystery behind the slashing deaths. Families of the victims cried out in protest after the 30-year-old disgraced graduate student struck a deal with prosecutors, as even the judge admitted the decision blindsided him. 6 6 6 Dressed in khakis and a shirt and tie, Kohberger entered the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, to admit to murdering Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, on November 13, 2022. When quizzed about the crime, the stone-faced killer spoke in public for the first time and solemnly answered the judge's questions with yes or no. At one point, the judge point-blank asked, "Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty?" and Kohberger responded, "Yes" without showing any emotion. He admitted to devising a sick plot that ended with him bursting into a Moscow home at 4 am while wearing a mask and brutally stabbing the students to death with a military grade knife. The stunning U-turn came after Kohberger maintained his innocence for months, despite cops saying they uncovered DNA evidence, cellphone records, and other clues tying him to the scene when he was arrested six weeks after the killings. Kohberger's lawyers were preparing to present alternate theories on what happened that bloody night when the trial began in August, and even the judge admitted he had no idea the proceedings would come to a halt. In Wednesday's hearing, Judge Steven Hippler apologized to the families for the rushed meeting, and said he wasn't made aware of the plea change until Monday afternoon. The judge started the hearing by rebuking the public for calling his office and attempting to influence the court's decision. He defended prosecutors and said that it was up to their office to decide what charges they wished to pursue. Families of victims wiped their tears as they listened to his responses, while Steve Goncalves, Kaylee's dad, refused to enter the building as an act of protest against the deal. Kohberger's parents had a sad look on their faces, but didn't cry while their son revealed the truth behind the slayings, according to NewsNation's Brian Entin. Kohberger's plea means that he will dodge what was expected to be a lengthy, high-profile trial. Outraged family members of the victims have blasted the move, as they hoped Kohberger would be forced to explain himself in front of a jury. Legal experts now speculate that he could keep his motives under wraps as part of the deal.. Aubrie Goncalves, Kaylee's 18-year-old sister, described the last-minute move as "shocking and cruel" and said her family is "beyond furious" at how the deal was handled. Under Idaho law, prosecutors must consult with the family of victims before they can come to an agreement with a defendant. However, the Goncalves family claims they were just sent an email with the details. "What the families of Ethan, Kaylee, Maddie, and Xana have endured over the past 2 year and a half is beyond comprehension," Aubrie wrote in a statement on Monday. 6 6 She said the "system has failed" the victims and their families as they held onto hope Kohberger would face justice in his trial scheduled to start in August. "The introduction of this plea deal, just weeks before the scheduled trial, is both shocking and cruel," Aubrie wrote. The heartbroken sister said that she is "not asking for vengeance" but wanted "accountability" and "dignity for our loved ones." "And we are asking—pleading—for a justice system that truly lives up to its name," she said. Other families had different reactions to the news and said that they hope to finally move on once proceedings are over. Ben Mogen, Madison's dad, said that he was relieved to hear of the deal and hopes that other families can put the tragedy behind them. "If you get that quick death sentence, you don't have to spend decades thinking about how terrible you made the world," he told CBS News. "We get to just think about the rest of lives and have to try and figure out how to do it without Maddie and the rest of the kids." University of Idaho murders timeline On November 13, 2022, a brutal home invasion claimed the lives of four University of Idaho students. Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, were stabbed to death in a Moscow, Idaho, off-campus home. A six-week manhunt ensued as cops searched for a suspect. On December 30, 2022, Bryan Kohberger, 30, was arrested at his parents' home in Pennsylvania - 2,500 miles away from the crime scene. He was taken into custody and charged with four counts of first-degree murder. Kohberger, a former criminal justice student at Washington State University, was linked to the crime scene through phone records, his car's location, and DNA evidence found at the home where the murders took place. The house was demolished in December 2023 despite backlash from the victims' families. Kohberger was held at Latah County Jail where he awaited trial. On September 9, 2024, an Idaho judge ruled to move the upcoming murder trial out of Moscow after Kohberger's lawyer argued that the town was prejudiced against him. The trial was expected to start in August 2025. But on June 30, 2025, Kohberger struck a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to the charges, according to court filings. The move was blasted by the victims' families, who wanted Kohberger to face justice through a trial. HAUNTING CRIME Kohberger was working towards a Ph.D. in criminology at nearby Washington State University when he attacked the young students. According to his phone records, which NBC's Dateline obtained, he obsessively looked up female students on Instagram, including sorority girls who were friends with some of the victims. Former classmates say that Kohberger struggled in school and was even disciplined for how he treated people in his cohort. In a response to the trial chaos, Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson penned a letter sharing his hopes that the families could now be at peace. "We cannot fathom the toll that this case has taken on your family," he said in the note seen by the Idaho Statesman. "This resolution is our sincere attempt to seek justice for your family. "This agreement ensures that the defendant will be convicted, will spend the rest of his life in prison, and will not be able to put you and other families through the uncertainty of decades of post-conviction appeals" Kohberger is expected to be sentenced in a month, and victims will be able to read impact statements to the suspected killer.

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