Families Outraged Over Bryan Kohberger Plea Deal That Sidesteps Their Fight for Justice

 

Victims’ families call out prosecutors over rushed plea deal for Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger

In a shocking turn of events that has left victims’ families reeling, Bryan Kohberger—the man accused of brutally murdering four University of Idaho students in 2022—may now escape a death penalty trial after being offered a controversial plea deal by Latah County prosecutors.

The agreement, quietly proposed over the weekend and set to be reviewed in court on July 2, would allow Kohberger, 30, to plead guilty to four counts of murder and one count of burglary in exchange for life in prison without the possibility of parole.

But what truly stings for the families of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin is not just the deal itself—but how it was delivered.

“We Got a Letter, Not a Phone Call”

The Goncalves family, vocal advocates for a full trial and capital punishment, said they weren’t given the courtesy of a phone call. Instead, they received an email with an attached letter—just days before the plea hearing.

“That’s how Latah County’s Prosecutor’s Office treats murder victims’ families,” the family wrote in a public statement. “Adding insult to injury, they’re rushing the plea, giving families just one day to coordinate and appear at the courthouse.”

Steven Goncalves, Kaylee’s father, expressed his frustration live on NewsNation, pleading with the judge to reject the plea and insisting that the decision does not reflect the will of the victims’ families.

“This isn’t justice,” he said. “This is just one person making a decision—not a jury, not a community, not the families.”

His daughter Aubrie called the deal “shocking and cruel,” and said it “feels less like an act of justice and more like an afterthought.”

To all the Internet, crime and law experts, who believed Bryan Kohberger was innocent with a mountain of evidence against him. This is why you are on the Internet and you’re not attorneys. He took a plea deal because he’s guilty as sin. pic.twitter.com/9h4kAFEFtS

— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) June 30, 2025

Prosecutors Say They Were Trying to Spare Pain

The letter, signed by Prosecutor Bill Thompson and Deputy Ashley Jennings, argues that the decision was not made lightly. According to the document, avoiding a lengthy trial and decades of appeals was a way to “spare” families from more emotional suffering—including graphic crime scene evidence that would likely be shown in court.

But that reasoning hasn’t held up with some family members.

Xana Kernodle’s aunt, Kim Kernodle, reportedly broke into tears upon hearing the news, telling TMZ that prosecutors misrepresented the situation. “They weren’t trying to spare us,” she said. “We know the graphics. We’ve prepared for this.”

According to Kim, the prosecution never mentioned dropping the death penalty when they last met on Friday—despite confirming they had more than enough evidence for a conviction.

A Case Built on DNA, Surveillance, and Suspicion

Kohberger, a former criminology Ph.D. student, has been held in custody since December 2022. He was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania after being tied to the crime through DNA found on a knife sheath left at the scene.

Surveillance video captured his white Hyundai Elantra near the victims’ off-campus house multiple times before and during the night of the murders. Cellphone records also showed that his phone connected to a tower near the crime scene 23 times before the attacks.

Prosecutors claim Kohberger went upstairs to target Mogen and Goncalves first, then attacked Kernodle and Chapin as they encountered him. Surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen told police she saw a masked man with “bushy eyebrows” that night, matching Kohberger’s appearance.

Court documents also reveal that Kohberger purchased a balaclava and a Ka-Bar knife months before the murders—both items that played a central role in the investigation.

Defense Strategy Unravels, Leading to Sudden Plea

Sources close to the case say Kohberger’s defense team had recently suffered a series of legal setbacks. Their attempts to name alternative suspects were dismissed by the judge, who called the argument “wild speculation” and said it had “no connection to the case.”

Adding to their woes, the defense reportedly called the wrong witness to testify and had others express confusion over why they were subpoenaed at all. These stumbles may have contributed to the defense’s eagerness to reach a deal.

The families, however, see the deal as a betrayal—especially given how long they’ve waited for justice. “After more than two years, this is how it concludes,” the Goncalves family lamented. “With a secretive deal and a hurried effort to close the case without any input from the victims’ families.”

Looking Ahead: The Court Date That Could Change Everything

Kohberger is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, July 2, where Judge Steven Hippler is expected to sign off on the plea deal—unless the families’ protests sway the court.

If Kohberger refuses the deal at the last minute, the trial remains scheduled for August.

In the meantime, the families continue to urge the public to stand with them. Steven Goncalves made a passionate appeal to those with influence: “If anyone knows Judge Hippler, tell him to put his foot down.”

Whether or not Kohberger takes the plea, the case underscores a painful truth: justice is never as simple—or as fair—as many victims’ families hope. What prosecutors see as a “resolution,” grieving families may see as surrender.

And as the July 2 hearing looms, one question remains: Will Idaho’s justice system honor the voices of the families left behind?