Bryan Kohberger Accepts Plea Deal in Idaho Student Murders

Bryan Kohberger, the suspect in the 2022 killings of four University of Idaho students, has agreed to a plea deal to avoid the death penalty, according to two sources close to the case who spoke to Fox News Digital on Monday.

Kohberger, 30, is accused of fatally stabbing Madison Mogen (21), Kaylee Goncalves (21), Xana Kernodle (20), and Ethan Chapin (20) during a pre-dawn home invasion on November 13, 2022.

Families Blindsided by Sudden Plea Deal

The Goncalves family released a scathing statement hours after the plea was announced, revealing they had only been "vaguely" informed of a possible deal on Friday—only to learn it was finalized by Sunday.

"The death penalty is an illusion in the criminal justice system," the family said in a statement through attorney Shanon Gray. "It serves as a bargaining chip for the State, yet even when applied, endless appeals prevent justice. Pleading guilty shouldn’t take years to resolve—this is a systemic failure."

They criticized prosecutors for notifying them via email and giving them just one day to arrange travel for a hearing set for July 2 in Boise—despite living over seven hours away in Rathdrum.

Outcry from Victims’ Families

Kim Kernodle, Xana’s aunt, told TMZ that relatives strongly opposed the deal when prosecutors first mentioned it over the weekend.

The families also expressed frustration over investigative missteps, a restrictive gag order, and pressure from university officials throughout the case.

The Evidence Against Kohberger

Investigators found a Ka-Bar knife sheath with Kohberger’s DNA near Mogen’s body. At the time of the murders, Kohberger was a criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University, just 10 milesfrom the crime scene in Moscow, Idaho.

Why the Deal?

Legal experts say the plea spares Kohberger the death penalty—Idaho recently reinstated the firing squad as an execution method—while ensuring he never leaves prison.

"By pleading guilty, Kohberger avoids a trial, a potential death sentence, and years of appeals," said Boise defense attorney Edwina Elcox. "He will spend his life behind bars, and the families won’t endure a painful trial."

Unanswered Questions

Prosecutors had fought to keep the death penalty as an option, making the sudden deal a surprise. Some speculate Kohberger may have provided a confession or key details about the murders.

"If we don’t get the ‘why,’ this is the most incomprehensible deal ever," said retired NYPD inspector Paul Mauro.