I'm flying to Idaho in the morning.
The plea hearing for Bryan Kohberger that makes it official is Wednesday at 11am.— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) July 1, 2025
Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, is set to plead guilty in a deal that will spare him the death penalty. The plea agreement comes as a shock to the victims’ families, who are furious over the unexpected development. Under the proposed deal, Kohberger will plead guilty to four counts of murder in exchange for a life sentence.
The agreement, which must be approved by a judge, also requires Kohberger to waive all rights to appeal. The family of Kaylee Goncalves, one of the victims, expressed outrage over the plea deal.
Goncalves family says they are "beyond furious at the state of Idaho" and that the Bryan Kohberger plea deal was "unexpected."
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) June 30, 2025
In a statement, they said, “After more than two years, this is how it concludes, with a secretive deal and a hurried effort to close the case without any input from the victims’ families on the plea’s details.”
BREAKING: Sources tell @KING5Seattle that Idaho student murders suspect Bryan Kohberger has accepted a plea deal.
Will not go to trial. Death penalty off the table.
MORE: https://t.co/Ahu0HZPHae— Jake Whittenberg (@jwhittenbergK5) July 1, 2025
Kohberger, a former criminology PhD student at Washington State University, was arrested in December 2022, more than a month after the brutal stabbings of Goncalves, 20, Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Madison Mogen, 21, in their off-campus home.
The arrest was largely based on DNA evidence, including a sample found on a knife sheath near one of the victims’ beds.
Kohberger’s plea deal controversy
The legal proceedings have been marked by delays and contentious motions, with the defense challenging DNA evidence and seeking venue changes.
The Goncalves family has expressed frustration over the prolonged process, describing it as a “hamster wheel of motions, hearings, and delayed decisions.”
Recent rulings had narrowed Kohberger’s defense options, with the judge rejecting the defense’s alternate perpetrator theory and barring them from submitting an official alibi. These developments set the stage for a trial that will no longer take place due to the plea agreement. In a letter to the victims’ families, prosecutors defended the plea deal as a sincere attempt to seek justice, ensuring that Kohberger will spend the rest of his life in prison.
However, the Goncalves family remains unsatisfied, with Kaylee’s sister Aubrie stating, “Bryan Kohberger facing a life in prison means he would still get to speak, form relationships, and engage with the world. Meanwhile, our loved ones have been silenced forever.”
The plea hearing is set for Wednesday, and the agreement still requires judicial approval. As the community of Moscow, Idaho, continues to heal, this latest development marks a significant step in the long journey toward justice for the victims and their families.
