The family of Kaylee Goncalves is deeply dissatisfied with Bryan Kohberger's apparent plea agreement, as revealed by the 30-year-old's intentions to plead guilty for the brutal slayings of Kaylee and three fellow University of Idaho students in 2022. This bombshell development was shared by Kaylee's family and their legal representative on June 30.
"Our anger towards the State of Idaho knows no bounds. They have betrayed our trust," the Goncalves family posted on their Facebook page on June 30. "Please grant us some time to process this unexpected turn of events. We are immensely grateful for your unwavering love and support."
Shanon Gray, the family's attorney, confirmed to NBC News that a plea deal had indeed been "offered and accepted." According to a letter sent to the victims' families and obtained by ABC News, in exchange for prosecutors withdrawing the death penalty as an option, Kohberger will face four consecutive life sentences for the murder charges and an additional maximum penalty of 10 years for burglary. Crucially, this agreement precludes him from appealing his conviction.
Kohberger stands accused of fatally stabbing Kaylee Goncalves, 21, her roommates Madison Mogen, 21, and Xana Kernodle, 20, along with Kernodle's boyfriend Ethan Chapin, 20, in the wee hours of November 13, 2022. Initially, a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf by a judge.
The victims' families first learned of the plea deal through a letter from Moscow Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson, as reported by the Idaho Statesman. The letter expressed empathy for the families' ordeal and stated, "This resolution represents our genuine effort to secure justice for your family. This agreement guarantees that the defendant will be convicted, will spend the remainder of his life behind bars, and will spare you and the other families the ordeal of decades-long post-conviction appeals."
However, Xana's aunt, Kim Kernodle, expressed her family's dissatisfaction with the state's decision to offer a plea deal, telling TMZ, "They were not acting out of consideration for us."
The trial's opening statements were scheduled to commence on August 18. Kohberger, a former criminal justice student at Washington State University, was apprehended on December 30, 2022, following an intense multi-agency manhunt that culminated at his family's Pennsylvania home.
Authorities linked Kohberger to the murders through cell phone data, security footage, and DNA found on a knife sheath at the crime scene. According to Thompson's letter, Kohberger is slated to appear in court for a plea change hearing on July 2, with prosecutors anticipating his sentencing later that month.
