In a stunning courtroom confession, Bryan Kohberger admitted to the brutal slayings of four University of Idaho students, revealing the calculated steps he took to evade justice.
According to the Daily Mail, in a plea deal that shocked many, Kohberger, 30, confessed on July 2, 2025, to the November 2022 murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, accepting a life sentence without parole to avoid the death penalty, with sentencing set for July 23, 2025.
The tragic events unfolded on November 13, 2022, at an off-campus residence located at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho. Kohberger, then a criminal justice graduate student at Washington State University, broke into the home and fatally stabbed the four students.
The victims, Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, were close friends and part of the university’s Greek system. According to prosecutor Bill Thompson, Kohberger first attacked Mogen and Goncalves on the third floor of the house. He then encountered Kernodle as he was leaving and killed her before fatally stabbing Chapin, who was sleeping in Kernodle’s bed.
Thompson clarified that while Kohberger intended to kill, he did not plan to murder all four victims before entering the home. Two other roommates in the house were unharmed during the attack, though no explanation for their safety has been provided. At the time of the murders, Kohberger was completing his first semester at Washington State University and worked as a teaching assistant in the criminology program. His background in criminal justice added a chilling layer to the crime, as Thompson noted during the hearing.
“The defendant has studied crime,” Thompson said. “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 took extensive measures to cover his tracks after the killings. He scrubbed his apartment and office clean, disassembled parts of his car, and even changed his vehicle registration to Washington State.
Additionally, online records revealed that he had purchased a military-style knife and sheath months before the incident, similar to one found at the crime scene. He later bought another sheath to replace the one left behind, though the actual murder weapon remains missing.
Investigators used cellphone data and surveillance footage to place Kohberger in the victims’ neighborhood multiple times before the murders. The data also confirmed his presence in the area on the night of the attack. Authorities noted he had visited the location at least a dozen times before the tragic event.
FBI agents ultimately linked Kohberger to the crime through DNA evidence. A Q-Tip found in the garbage outside his parents’ home in Pennsylvania matched DNA on the knife sheath left at the scene. Weeks after the murders, Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ residence in Pennsylvania. The arrest marked the end of an intense manhunt for the suspect behind the horrifying crime.
On July 2, 2025, Kohberger pleaded guilty during a hearing attended by over 100 people in person and nearly 12,000 via livestream. He answered affirmatively when asked if he was responsible for the deaths of the four students. During the hearing, Kohberger remained unemotional, staring intently at the judge and prosecutor without reacting to the families or proceedings. He spoke closely with his lead attorney, Anne Taylor, before being led back to jail without handcuffs or shackles. The victims’ families displayed a range of emotions, with some shedding tears and others bowing their heads as Kohberger confirmed his guilt. The plea deal, finalized just over a month before the scheduled August 2025 trial, deeply divided the families.
The Goncalves and Kernodle families opposed the deal, expressing frustration with the process. Steve Goncalves, Kaylee’s father, criticized the lack of consultation, saying, “He didn't even negotiate with us.” “He's not going to take accountability,” Steve Goncalves added. He dismissed the notion of justice in the four life sentences, stating, “No, of course not.” The Chapin and Mogen families, however, supported the plea. Madison Mogen’s family, through attorney Leander James, called it the best outcome for all involved, expressing hope for healing.
Judge Steven Hippler addressed the controversy surrounding the plea, emphasizing that the court could not force prosecutors to pursue capital punishment. “This court cannot require the prosecutor to seek the death penalty, nor would it be appropriate for this court to do that,” he said. Hippler also noted he learned of the plea agreement on June 30, 2025, just days before the hearing. He stressed that public sentiment would not sway his rulings.
“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,” Hippler affirmed. He reiterated his commitment to base decisions solely on facts and law.
Sentencing for Kohberger is set for July 23, 2025, at 9 a.m. local time at Ada County Court. Following the plea, the trial was vacated, and summoned jurors were informed they would not need to attend. Court documents related to the case will remain sealed until after the sentencing. This measure aims to maintain the integrity of the legal process during this highly publicized case. As the sentencing date approaches, the case continues to evoke strong emotions and debate. The lack of a known motive or connection between Kohberger and the victims leaves many questions unanswered, while the plea deal offers a resolution for some and frustration for others.