Post by : Meena Ariff

Photo: Reuters

Former criminology student Bryan Kohberger has decided to plead guilty to killing four college students in Idaho in 2022. By pleading guilty, he will avoid getting the death penalty. This information was shared by the family of one of the victims.

Bryan Kohberger, who is 30 years old, was studying for his doctorate in criminal justice at Washington State University. His university is in Pullman, Washington, which is just about 13 km away from Moscow, Idaho. The four students he killed were studying at the University of Idaho.

Earlier, Kohberger had pleaded not guilty to the charges of first-degree murder. The incident happened on November 13, 2022. Three young women, who were roommates, and a young man, who was dating one of them, were stabbed to death in their off-campus house.

The victims were:

• Ethan Chapin, 20 years old, from Conway, Washington
• Xana Kernodle, 20 years old, from Avondale, Arizona
• Madison Mogen, 21 years old, from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
• Kaylee Goncalves, 21 years old, from Rathdrum, Idaho

All four students had multiple stab wounds. Two other women who were in the house at that time survived.

The family of Kaylee Goncalves said that they received a letter from the prosecutors telling them about Kohberger’s decision to plead guilty. According to the letter, Kohberger has agreed to get four life sentences, one after another, and he has given up his right to appeal.

The letter also mentioned that Kohberger’s sentencing could take place in late July if he pleads guilty in a hearing planned for Wednesday.

However, the Goncalves family is unhappy with this deal. They said that the plea deal was done secretly and in a hurry, without asking the victims’ families for their opinion. They were also upset that they were informed just one day before the hearing, making it difficult for them to arrange to be at the courthouse.

Kohberger’s trial was supposed to start on August 18. His lawyer and the Idaho attorney general’s office have not commented on this matter yet. A court official also said they do not have any more information to share.

This crime shocked the small college town of Moscow. Kohberger was arrested a few weeks after the murders. At that time, he was in Pennsylvania visiting his family. Later, he was brought back to Idaho to face the charges.