Bryan Kohberger may escape the death penalty if the judge accepts a plea deal opposed by victims’ families

Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of the brutal 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, may plead guilty in a last-minute deal that has left victims’ families blindsided, divided, and demanding answers.

The proposed plea would spare Kohberger from the death penalty in exchange for admitting to the stabbing deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. But the decision has ignited a firestorm, especially from the Goncalves and Kernodle families, who say prosecutors promised them the deal wasn’t on the table — then changed course in a matter of days.

Steve Goncalves, Kaylee’s father, said he left a Friday call with prosecutors believing they would press on with the death penalty. “We didn’t wait two and a half years for this,” he said, furious after learning of the plea deal by email that Sunday.

The offer reportedly came after Kohberger’s defence team suffered a string of courtroom defeats. Judges rejected attempts to introduce an alternate suspect and blocked his alibi due to lack of credible witnesses.

Goncalves and Kernodle argue the deal is not only rushed but secretive — and lacks conditions that would force Kohberger to explain his motive, timeline, or method. “We deserve to know the how and the why,” said Jeff Kernodle, Xana’s father. “Otherwise, this nightmare just drags on forever.”

Still, not all families oppose the agreement. Madison’s father, Ben Mogen, expressed acceptance, saying the plea deal may allow his family to begin healing without reliving the trauma of a trial. Ethan’s mother, Stacy Chapin, told CNN affiliate KHQ her family will appear in court Wednesday to support the deal.

Judge Steven Hippler must now decide whether to approve the agreement at Wednesday’s hearing in Latah County District Court. Legal experts say Hippler may require Kohberger to speak in detail about the crimes before accepting the plea — a key issue for families desperate for answers.

University of Idaho law professor Samuel Newton said the judge will likely press Kohberger to confirm he understands what he’s giving up: the right to trial, the right to appeal, and potentially, the chance to ever tell his side again. “He’d have to own it,” Newton said. “But if this is an Alford plea, it gets murkier.”

An Alford plea allows a defendant to plead guilty without admitting guilt, accepting conviction because the evidence would likely result in one. It’s a legal grey area, but experts say prosecutors would likely refuse a deal unless Kohberger acknowledged responsibility outright.

Kohberger’s team has not confirmed whether they plan to pursue an Alford plea. But if accepted, the court could hear a detailed factual record from prosecutors before requiring Kohberger to say “guilty” aloud — a move that still carries the weight of a conviction.

One more issue has irked families: the possibility Kohberger might profit from his story in future books or interviews. Goncalves called for a ban on any financial gain from the murders, but the current deal does not appear to include such a clause.

The crime shocked the nation: four students killed in the dead of night inside an off-campus house on November 13, 2022. After a lengthy investigation, Kohberger, a criminology PhD student, was arrested in Pennsylvania.

Now, nearly two years later, families remain fractured over whether justice should come with a confession, a trial — or simply closure.

“We need more than just a guilty plea,” Goncalves said. “We need the truth.”