Bryan Kohberger pleads guilty to Idaho student murders, avoids death penalty

UPDATED: Jul 3, 2025 01:00 IST

Bryan Kohberger, a graduate student in criminology, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students in November 2022. The plea deal allows him to avoid the death penalty in exchange for four life sentences without the possibility of appeal.

The killings took place in Moscow, Idaho — a community that hadn’t seen a homicide in five years.

The victims — Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin — were found stabbed multiple times in a rental house near campus.

As reported by the Associated Press, autopsy reports showed some had defensive wounds. Prosecutors said Kohberger killed Mogen and Goncalves first, then encountered Kernodle and her boyfriend Chapin. Kernodle was awake at the time, while Chapin was asleep.

During the court hearing, family members of the victims grew emotional as the judge read out each murder charge. Some wept, while others stared at Kohberger, who showed no visible reaction. He confirmed his understanding of the plea and its conditions.

The case attracted nationwide attention, leading to an intensive investigation. Surveillance footage captured a white sedan repeatedly passing the crime scene. Genetic genealogy and cellphone data were instrumental in identifying Kohberger. He was arrested in Pennsylvania weeks later, with DNA evidence from a knife sheath at the scene linking him to the crime. Investigators also found records showing he had purchased a military-style knife months earlier.

Authorities have not established a motive for the attack. Kohberger had no known personal connection to the victims. However, surveillance and cellphone data indicated he had visited the neighborhood multiple times before the crime.

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With inputs from Associated Press