Bryan Kohberger to plead guilty to killing University of Idaho students
Share this @internewscast.com

A change of plea hearing was set for Wednesday, but the families have asked prosecutors to delay it to give them more time to travel to Boise.

MOSCOW, Idaho — In a move to avoid the death penalty, Bryan Kohberger has agreed to plead guilty to the murder of four University of Idaho students, as negotiated in a deal with prosecutors. This information was shared by an attorney representing one of the victim’s families on Monday.

Shanon Gray, who is the legal counsel for the family of Kaylee Goncalves, confirmed that the families were notified of the agreement earlier in the day via email and letter from the prosecutors, resulting in distress for his clients.

Expressing their anger, Goncalves’ family stated in a Facebook post, “We are beyond furious at the State of Idaho. They have failed us. Please give us some time. This was very unexpected.”

A change of plea hearing was set for Wednesday, but the families have asked prosecutors to delay it to give them more time to travel to Boise, Gray said. Kohberger’s trial was set for August.

Kohberger, 30, is accused in the stabbing deaths of Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen at a rental home near campus in Moscow, Idaho, in November 2022. Autopsies showed the four were all likely asleep when they were attacked, some had defensive wounds and each was stabbed multiple times.

Kohberger, then a criminal justice graduate student at Washington State University, was arrested in Pennsylvania weeks after the killings. Investigators said they matched his DNA to genetic material recovered from a knife sheath found at the crime scene.

In a court filing, his lawyers said Kohberger was on a long drive by himself around the time the four were killed.

The killings shook the small farming community of about 25,000 people, which hadn’t had a homicide in about five years. The trial was moved from rural northern Idaho to Boise after the defense expressed concerns that Kohberger couldn’t get a fair trial in the county where the killings occurred.

In the letter to families, obtained by ABC News, prosecutors said Kohberger’s lawyers approached them seeking to reach a plea deal. The prosecutors said they met with available family members last week before deciding to make Kohberger an offer.

“This resolution is our sincere attempt to seek justice for your family,” the letter said. “This agreement ensures that the defendant will be convicted, will spend the rest of his life in prison, and will not be able to put you and the other families through the uncertainty of decades of post-conviction, appeals. Your viewpoints weighed heavily in our decision-making process, and we hope that you may come to appreciate why we believe this resolution is in the best interest of justice.”

In Idaho, judges may reject plea agreements, though such moves are rare. If a judge rejects a plea agreement, the defendant is allowed to withdraw the guilty plea.

Earlier Monday, a Pennsylvania judge had ordered that three people whose testimony was requested by defense attorneys would have to travel to Idaho to appear at Kohberger’s trial.

The defense subpoenas were granted regarding a boxing trainer who knew Kohberger as a teenager, a childhood acquaintance of Kohberger’s and a third man whose significance was not explained.

A gag order has largely kept attorneys, investigators and others from speaking publicly about the investigation or trial.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
A blindfolded man's fingers being amputated by a circular saw.

How Iran is Silencing Critics: Neighbors Spying, Mass Executions, and Restricting Communications After Loss to Israel

TYRANNICAL leaders in Iran have demanded citizens act as undercover informants to…
Tucker Carlson Iran Interview Sparks Conservative Debate

Tucker Carlson’s Interview on Iran Ignites Conservative Discussion

Tucker Carlson’s interview with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ignited a fierce…
Trump Slaps New Reciprocal Tariffs on Imports From Japan, South Korea, Gives Both Countries a Deadline

Trump Imposes New Reciprocal Tariffs on Japanese and South Korean Imports, Sets Deadline for Compliance

President Donald Trump on Monday announced his administration will impose “reciprocal” 25…
Trump imposes new 25% tariffs on Japan, South Korea

Trump announces new 25% tariffs on Japan and South Korea

Trump’s moves have raised fears that economic growth would slow to a…
Amy Schumer has slashed the price of her Brooklyn townhouse

Amy Schumer Reduces Asking Price for Brooklyn Townhouse

After being on the market for three months, comedian and actress Amy…
Man killed after opening fire at US Border Patrol facility in Texas

Shooter shot dead at Texas Border Patrol station

One officer was injured in the shooting but it’s unclear if they…
'America Party' proves Elon Musk needs a political time-out

“Elon Musk Requires a Political Break, as Demonstrated by ‘America Party'”

Uncharacteristically, Elon Musk is doing a dumb thing.  This weekend, his threat…
People running from bulls during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain.

Man Injured by 1,260lb Bull at Notorious Pamplona Bull Run; Stampede Leaves Eight More Injured

A MAN has been gored by a 1,260lb beast at the notorious…
The attitude Nets' quintet of rookies are bringing as they begin to jell

The Emerging Cohesion and Spirit of the Nets’ Rookie Quintet

While it’s too early to officially name the Nets’ extraordinary lineup as…
Escaped lion chases, mauls mom and two young kids: video

Lion Escapes Zoo, Attacks Mother and Her Two Children: Caught on Video

Wild video shows an escaped lion attacking a mother and her two…
Mike Brown brings 'championship pedigree' to Knicks as head coach's hire made official

Mike Brown Officially Joins the Knicks, Bringing His Championship Experience as Head Coach

Mike Brown is officially in the fold, and not a minute too…
Parents' desperate chase foils Brooklyn kidnapper's sinister plot

Frantic Parents Thwart Brooklyn Child Kidnapping Attempt

An attempted kidnapper who snatched a 6-year-old from a bustling Brooklyn street…