Bryan Kohberger Sentenced to Life Without Parole for University of Idaho Student Murders

Bryan Kohberger was sentenced to four consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole for the murders of four University of Idaho students, following an emotional sentencing hearing in Boise on Wednesday. The sentence comes after Kohberger, 30, pleaded guilty earlier this month to the November 13, 2022, killings of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin at their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho.

Kohberger, a former criminology PhD student at Washington State University, was also given an additional 10-year sentence for burglary and ordered to pay over $270,000 in fines and civil penalties. His plea deal spared him the death penalty, a decision that split victims’ families: some expressed relief to avoid prolonged legal proceedings, while others voiced anger that capital punishment was off the table.

At the three-hour hearing, more than a dozen family members delivered powerful impact statements, describing the devastation and grief caused by the loss of the four young students. Photos of the victims were displayed as families recounted their lives and dreams, with many in the courtroom moved to tears. Judge Steven Hippler called Kohberger a “faceless coward” and noted that he had shown no remorse or explanation for his actions.

Prosecutors detailed evidence including DNA, cellphone records, surveillance video, and online purchase histories that linked Kohberger to the crime scene. Kohberger himself declined to address the court, simply stating, “I respectfully decline,” when asked if he would make a statement.

Judge Hippler concluded, “This incomprehensible and senseless act of malevolence has inflicted immeasurable grief and loss. No parent should ever endure the burial of their child … Mr. Kohberger’s fleeting notoriety ends here.”

With this verdict, Kohberger will spend the rest of his life in prison, with no chance of parole or appeal, closing a harrowing chapter for the victims’ families and the community of Moscow, Idaho.