Kohberger was accused of killing four University of Idaho students in 2022
Bryan Kohberger has accepted a plea deal in the murder of four college students at the University of Idaho, sparing him the death penalty, reports ABC News.
A letter was sent to the victim’s families regarding the deal, said the outlet, which stated Kohberger will be sentenced to four consecutive life sentences and waives all right to appeal.
“This resolution is our sincere attempt to seek justice for your family,” prosecutors stated in the letter. “This agreement ensures that the defendant will be convicted, will spend the rest of his life in prison, and will not be able to put you and the other families through the uncertainty of decades of post-conviction, appeals. Your viewpoints weighed heavily in our decision-making process, and we hope that you may come to appreciate why we believe this resolution is in the best interest of justice.”
Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, were stabbed to death in their off-campus apartment on Nov. 13, 2022. Kohberger, who was a graduate student at Washington State University at the time of the murders, was arrested in December 2022 as the sole suspect in the case. Kohberger was linked to the crime through DNA found on a knife sheath, and in May 2023, he was indicted by a grand jury on charges of murder. The judge entered not guilty pleas on Kohberger’s behalf after he chose to “stand silent” rather than enter a plea at the time.
In April, a judge ruled that Kohberger could still face the death penalty if convicted, despite a recent autism diagnosis. Prior to news of the plea deal, a jury selection was scheduled to begin on Aug. 4, while opening arguments had been set for Aug 18.