Bryan Kohberger pleads guilty to Idaho murders
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
Bryan Kohberger pleads guilty to Idaho murders
Bryan Kohberger pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. In exchange, he will serve four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. A formal sentencing date has not yet been set. The case has drawn national attention since the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022, when four students — Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Kaylee Goncalves — were found stabbed to death.
Bryan Kohberger has pleaded guilty to the murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022.
On Wednesday at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Judge Steven Hippler approved a plea agreement that spares Kohberger, 30, from the death penalty. In exchange, he will serve four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.
As part of the agreement, Kohberger pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary.
A formal sentencing date has not yet been set.
IDAHO MURDERS TIMELINE: BRYAN KOHBERGER PLEA CAPS YEARSLONG QUEST FOR JUSTICE
The case has drawn national attention since the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022, when four students — Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Kaylee Goncalves — were found stabbed to death in an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho.
Kohberger, a former Ph.D. criminology student at nearby Washington State University, was arrested in Dec. 2022 after a cross-country investigation.
Image 1 of 4 next
Image 2 of 4 prev next
Image 3 of 4 prev next
Image 4 of 4 prev
According to court documents, DNA from a knife sheath left at the crime scene matched Kohberger’s, and cellphone data placed him near the victims’ house multiple times before the killings. Surveillance footage also captured a white Hyundai Elantra in the area.
BRYAN KOHBERGER EXPECTED TO OFFICIALLY PLEAD GUILTY: WHAT’S NEXT
Image 1 of 2 next
Image 2 of 2 prev
Kohberger was indicted by a grand jury in May 2023 and had initially pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors later announced their intent to seek the death penalty, citing the heinous nature of the crimes.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
However, on Wednesday, Kohberger agreed to a plea.
Bryan Kohberger admits to murders of 4 University of Idaho students in plea deal
Bryan Kohberger pleaded guilty to four counts of murder. He will avoid the death penalty and be sentenced to four consecutive life terms. Victims’ families expressed mixed reactions to the plea deal. The Goncalves family criticized prosecutors for moving forward with a plea deal despite their objections and just weeks before the trial was scheduled to begin in August. The sentencing, where victims’ families will address him, is scheduled for July 23.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Kohberger admitted to fatally stabbing Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves in an off-campus home near the university in November 2022.
Without expressing any emotion, Kohberger also admitted to the burglary charge in the indictment.
Under the terms of the deal, which was accepted by the judge, Kohberger will avoid the death penalty and be sentenced to four consecutive life terms. He also waived his right to appeal.
Families of the victims expressed mixed reactions to the agreement. The Goncalves family criticized prosecutors for moving forward with a plea deal despite their objections and just weeks before the trial was scheduled to begin in August.
RELATED STORY | Family of Idaho murder victim slams plea deal: ‘Shocking and cruel’
“The introduction of this plea deal, just weeks before the scheduled trial, is both shocking and cruel,” Kaylee’s sister, Aubrie, said.
By contrast, Madison Mogen’s father supported the decision, telling the Idaho Statesman that it would help prevent emotional wounds from being reopened.
“The plea deal the prosecution has proposed is one that punishes the perpetrator of this horrendous crime, protects the public from further harm and allows all of us who knew these four young people the time to grieve without the anxiety of the long and gruesome trial, years of appeals and the potential for mistakes along the way,” Ben Mogen said.
Kohberger’s sentencing, where victims’ families are expected to address him, is scheduled for July 23.
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/us/bryan-kohberger-pleads-guilty-idaho-murders