Bryan Kohberger Pleads Guilty in University of Idaho Student Murders, Sentenced to Life Without Parole
BOISE, Idaho – Bryan Kohberger, the man charged in the brutal slayings of four University of Idaho students in 2022, has officially pleaded guilty as part of a deal that spares him the death penalty. The plea was entered Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, where Judge Steven Hippler approved the agreement.
Under the terms of the plea deal, Kohberger, 30, admitted to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. In return, he will serve four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. The plea marked a major turning point in a high-profile case that captured national attention for nearly three years.
Kohberger, a former criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University, was arrested in December 2022 following a cross-country investigation. Authorities linked him to the crime using DNA evidence found on a knife sheath at the scene, cellphone records placing him near the victims’ home, and surveillance footage of a white Hyundai Elantra in the area.
The victims — Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Kaylee Goncalves — were discovered stabbed to death on November 13, 2022, in their off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho.
Kohberger's parents were present in court during the hearing, with his father visibly distressed as Judge Hippler accepted the plea. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 23, 2025.
Mixed Reactions from Victims’ Families
Following the court proceedings, the family of Madison Mogen delivered a heartfelt statement through their attorney, Leander James:
“We now embark on a new path. We turn from tragedy and mourning… to the light of the future. We have closure. We embark on a path of hope and healing. We invite all of those who have mourned with us to join us.”
In contrast, Kaylee Goncalves’ father, Steve Goncalves, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the outcome. He declined to attend the hearing but spoke to reporters outside the courthouse:
“He's going to own this,” Goncalves said, referencing Judge Hippler. “He needs to protect those other surviving victims and make [Kohberger] say that he acted alone. Nobody else was responsible.”
When asked if he believed justice was served, Goncalves responded bluntly:
“No, of course not. It’s daycare.”
Timeline of the Idaho Student Murders Case
The case began in the early hours of November 13, 2022, when the four students were found dead in their home. It took weeks of investigative work, DNA testing, cellphone tracking, and surveillance analysis before Kohberger was identified as a suspect and arrested.
In May 2023, a grand jury indicted Kohberger. He initially pleaded not guilty, but prosecutors later announced they would pursue the death penalty due to the “especially heinous” nature of the crimes.
Now, with Kohberger’s guilty plea officially recorded, the legal chapter is drawing to a close, while the emotional aftermath continues for the victims' families and the Moscow community.