Bryan Kohberger told class 'victim’s family should have a say' on death penalty: docs
Newly released Idaho State Police documents reveal that killer Bryan Kohberger once voiced support for capital punishment during a classroom discussion, telling fellow students that "the victim’s family should have a say" in whether the death penalty is imposed.
The comment was disclosed in a police interview with one of Kohberger’s Washington State University classmates, included among more than 500 pages of investigative records released Monday.
"[Redacted student] stated that there was a discussion in class about victimization of students on college campuses, specifically in regards to stalking. Kohberger forced himself into the discussion and reported he was in support of the death penalty and made statements that the victim’s family should have a say as to whether or not the death penalty is imposed," according to the interview.
The document trove spans the early stages of the probe — when detectives had few leads — through Kohberger’s arrest and the eventual discovery of DNA evidence tying him to the crime scene. Despite his remarks, Kohberger ultimately accepted a plea deal in the Idaho student murders, avoiding the death penalty and taking four consecutive life sentences plus additional years, a move that split the victims’ families between those who welcome closure to those who say justice was thwarted.
The families of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, were split on whether to support the last-minute plea deal that saved Kohberger from the death penalty for the 4 a.m. home invasion attack on Nov. 13, 2022.
Goncalves' family members expressed significant opposition to the plea deal, saying they were not properly consulted or involved in the plea deal process. Following the plea deal, they said they were treated as adversaries rather than victims' families, saying that they learned of the deal through an email, not a phone call.
"We’ve believed in the process. We’ve had faith in the system. But at this point, it is impossible not to acknowledge the truth: the system has failed these four innocent victims and their families," Aubrie, Goncalves' 18-year-old sister, wrote on the family's Facebook page.
"These are not just names or headlines. Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, and Xana Kernodle were beautiful human beings who touched countless lives," she continued. "They are not just 'The Idaho Four.' They were sons, daughters, siblings, and friends — real people with real dreams. They deserve to be remembered for who they were in life, not only for the tragedy of their deaths. But before that can truly happen, they deserve justice. Nothing less.
"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. That reality stings more deeply when it feels like the system is protecting his future more than honoring the victims’ pasts."
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Prior to her son’s quadruple murders, Kohberger's mother, Maryann, wrote that she was against the death penalty.
In April 2008, she penned a piece for the Pocono Record in which Maryann stated she did not support it because "State-sanctified murder is still just that – murder."
"It would seem that some believe they have the divine power to tell others what to think," she wrote.
The Kernodle, Chapin and Mogen families publicly supported the plea agreement, expressing relief and a desire for emotional closure over the prolonged ordeal.
Cara Northington previously told Fox News Digital that while she initially felt disappointment over the agreement, she changed her stance.
"At first I was upset. I felt like I will never get answers now, but now I really see The Lord's hand in it," Northington told Fox News Digital. "I now can see that God is protecting us from further torment and trauma."
While the plea deal didn't require Kohberger to explain himself, it puts the case to rest, she said.
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Chapin’s parents, Jim and Stacy, told The Today Show they felt immediate relief.
"If I could physically do a handstand, I'd probably do one, because I am so ready," Jim Chapin told the outlet. "I'm ready for my kids to move on. I'm ready for us to move on. I mean, it's been almost 2½ years, and it's, just, it's over."
Similarly, the Mogen family, speaking through their attorney, said that they supported the plea "100 percent."
"We support the plea agreement 100 percent," their attorney said. "We ask that others respect our belief that this is the best outcome possible."