BOISE, Idaho – The longstanding University of Idaho homicide case has taken a significant turn: Bryan Kohberger, the former criminology Ph.D. student from Washington State University who is accused of murdering four undergraduates in 2022, is anticipated to plead guilty upon his return to court on Wednesday after accepting a plea deal.
The agreement requires Kohberger to plead guilty in exchange for four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, waiving all appeals, and avoiding the death penalty, as per sources familiar with the case.
A formal change of plea hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. local time on Wednesday at Boise’s Ada County Courthouse. Should the judge accept the agreement, sentencing is expected to occur by the end of July, concluding one of Idaho’s most high-profile criminal cases.
Here’s a timeline of the events leading up to Kohberger’s plea deal.
Ethan Chapin, Kayle Goncalves, Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle, who were stabbed to death Nov. 13. (Fox News)
Idaho families react to plea deal:
Steve Goncalves told NewsNation Monday the plea deal decision is “anything but justice.” He further commended law enforcement for their work in investigating the case, noting that “the failure was at the court level.”
“The fault is in leadership and the people that you place this evidence upon. They were weak,” Goncalves said.
Members of Kernodle’s family also condemned the plea deal. Her aunt, Kim Kernodle, told TMZ that relatives were vehemently opposed to the idea when Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson’s office first raised it over the weekend.
However, Chapin’s family indicated in a statement that they are “in support of the plea bargain” and will be present in Boise on Wednesday.
