Content Warning: This article touches on the topic of murder which may be triggering for some readers.
Nearly three years after the brutal deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Ethan Chapin, their killer, Bryan Kohberger, was finally sentenced on July 23, 2025.
What has happened with Bryan Kohberger?
He was served four consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole.
It was an outcome reached after he pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty.
The sentencing, however, hasn’t brought full closure to the grieving families, who are still grappling with the absence of a motive.
The unwavering silence of the 30-year-old criminology student throughout the proceedings has been a source of immense pain and frustration for those left behind.
After the judge offered the stony-faced killer an opportunity to give an insight into his motive in court, he answered simply, “I respectfully decline.”
During the emotionally charged hearing, the victims’ loved ones had the opportunity to speak out.
One of the most powerful statements came from Alivea Goncalves, sister of victim Kaylee, who delivered a stirring speech directly to Kohberger that, she later said, was “fuelled by seeing the rage on his face”.
“The truth is, the scariest part about you is how painfully average you turned out to be. The truth is, you’re as dumb as they come, stupid, clumsy, slow, sloppy, weak, dirty,” she told the killer in court, ending her statement by saying that if he hadn’t attacked them in their sleep, “Kaylee would have kicked your f**king a**.”
Kaylee’s father, Steve, also joined in, delivering an unforgiving statement to his daughter’s killer.
After turning the court podium to face Kohberger, he said, “Police officers tell us within minutes they had your DNA. Like a calling card. You were that careless. That foolish. That stupid. Master’s degree? You’re a joke. Complete joke.”
Before handing down the sentence, Judge Steven Hippler addressed Kohberger directly. He described him as a “faceless coward” and praised the immense courage of the victims’ families.
The judge also noted that while he couldn’t legally force Kohberger to reveal his motive, he doubted any explanation would be truthful.
What happened at the University of Idaho?
Court documents and details from the hearing indicate that Xana Kernodle may have been awake when Kohberger entered the house through a sliding glass door.
She had just received a food delivery around 4am and was on her phone at 4.12am. Prosecutors believe shortly after her food delivery, Kohberger entered the house to begin his killing spree.
He made his way up to the third floor of the off-campus rental home that the students shared, fatally stabbing Madison and Kaylee.
A security camera near Xana’s room picked up the barks of Kaylee’s dog as well as some distorted voices and presumed whimpering, followed by a loud thud at 4.17am.
As Kohberger was either coming down the stairs or leaving, he encountered Xana, who had been awake during the attack on her housemates. He ended up killing Xana and Ethan, who had been asleep in her room.
Prosecutors say that as Kohberger was exiting the property, one of the surviving roommates caught a glimpse of him as she peeked out of her bedroom.
Unaware of the horror that had just unfolded, she began texting the other surviving roommate in the house and their friends, who, tragically, were already beyond help.
“Come to my room,” texts between surviving housemates Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke read. “Run.”
Later that morning, after numerous attempts to contact the others to no avail, the two survivors called 911, seeking help for an “unconscious person”.
How did they find Bryan Kohberger?
After the bodies were found, police scanned surveillance footage from the street and noticed Kohberger’s white Hyundai Elantra drive by the house three times before the attacks, and then approach on the fourth time.
Phone records also showed he neared the victims’ house at least 12 times before the fatal night, with visits as far back as the previous August.
On December 7, 2022, police announced to the public that they were looking to speak with the driver of the Hyundai Elantra that was seen near the victims’ house.
Eight days later, Kohberger and his father were stopped by police over a speeding violation while driving the same make of vehicle. The officer had no evidence at the time to link him to the murders.
Detectives later obtained trash from his father’s home, and linked the DNA found there to the knife sheath that Kohberger accidentally left at the crime scene.
He was then arrested and charged with the murders on December 30, 2022.
Is there a book about the Idaho Murders?
Bestselling author James Patterson and prize-winning journalist Vicky Ward wrote and released a true crime book called The Idaho Murders (titled The Idaho Four in the US).
