Bryan Kohberger Submits Guilty Plea For Murder of Four University of Idaho Students

For Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, the night of November 12th, 2022 kicked off at a local fraternity party. As the hours rolled by, the friend group would split up, eventually coming back together to their shared apartment sometime in the early morning hours. 

The next morning, the four young adults were found dead from “extensive” stab wounds. Law enforcement quickly sprung into action, which resulted in a crime scene DNA match to Bryan Kohberger. And now, nearly three years after their brutal murders, Kohberger has confessed to the crime. 

Crime Scene Evidence 

Based on the victim’s fatal wounds, investigators knew they were looking for a large knife, which led them to finding a knife sheath with DNA. But finding DNA doesn’t mean anything if the suspect isn’t in the police’s database. With no positive matches, law enforcement went back to the drawing board and looked for additional evidence. 

Cameras surrounding the area of the crime scene caught a white Hyundai Elantra leaving the vicinity around the estimated time of the murder. Police scoured through the registration records for thousands of cars and suddenly, their DNA evidence got a hit. 

All it took was one relative of Kohberger submitting their DNA to an ancestry site. From here, law enforcement made a small pool of suspects — but only one had a white Hyundai Elantra: Bryan. 

What Does A Guilty Plea Mean For Kohberger’s Case?

Originally, Kohberger’s case was to be tried in August 2025. He was facing the death penalty if he was convicted of the crime. Kohberger’s guilty plea submission spares him from the death penalty and avoids a lengthy and expensive legal trial. 

In exchange for his confession to the crime, Kohberger will serve life in prison with no possibility of parole. Although law enforcement never recovered the murder weapon, the prosecution was prepared to present the DNA evidence, surveillance footage of the car, and cell phone records to confirm Kohberger’s connection to the crime.

It’s hard to say why Kohberger acted the way he did — without a trial, we don’t know why he took the lives of Mogen, Goncalves, Kernodle, and Chapin. While Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial and prepared for his case to go to trial with defense attorneys, it’s possible that as the date approached, Kohberger was less confident that he could escape the death penalty. 

Mixed Emotions From The Victims’ Families

Regardless of Kohberger’s legal outcomes, an entire community tragically lost four young individuals. No amount of justice served can bring back the lives that were lost due to Kohberger’s actions. 

Upon the plea deal announcement, the Mogen family issued a statement that they are relieved to leave the courtroom and start healing from the death of their daughter.

But the Goncalves family feels as though the justice system failed them. Many of the questions they have about their child’s death remain unanswered and with a plea deal, Kohberger escaped having to answer these questions in court. 

Consult With A Criminal Defense Attorney At Hickey & Hull

Everyone who was involved in the Bryan Kohberger case had legal representation to protect their best interests in court. Whether you are a victim seeking justice or the accused looking for representation, you need a reliable Arkansas attorney on your side.

Scheduling an initial consultation with Hickey & Hull is easy — just talk to our online agent or contact one of our five offices directly to get started. Let our team focus on the legal details while you devote your attention to the things that matter.