Bryan Kohberger Pleads Guilty to Idaho Student Murders, Accepts Life Without Parole

BOISE, Idaho — Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of brutally killing four University of Idaho students in a 2022 off-campus stabbing spree, has officially pleaded guilty and will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

In a dramatic turn at the Ada County Courthouse on Wednesday, Kohberger, 30, accepted a plea deal that spares him the death penalty. In exchange, he will serve four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, along with an additional charge of felony burglary.

Judge Steven Hippler approved the plea agreement, bringing an emotional close to one of the nation’s most closely watched murder cases in recent years. Formal sentencing has been scheduled for July 23.

🕯️ Remember the Victims:

On Nov. 13, 2022, the quiet college town of Moscow, Idaho was rocked when students

• Ethan Chapin,
• Madison Mogen,
• Xana Kernodle, and
• Kaylee Goncalves

🧠 Who Is Bryan Kohberger?

Kohberger was a criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University, located just across the border from the crime scene.

🔍 A months-long investigation linked him to the murders using:

• DNA evidence found on a knife sheath at the scene 🧬🔪
• Cellphone data placing him near the house
• Surveillance footage showing a white Hyundai Elantra near the home around the time of the attack 🚗📹

He was arrested in December 2022 after a dramatic cross-country manhunt.

Initially pleading not guilty, Kohberger was indicted by a grand jury in May 2023. Prosecutors had previously stated their intent to seek the death penalty, citing the "heinous, atrocious, and cruel" nature of the crimes.

This story remains active. Stay with MainEvent.News for continuing coverage as the sentencing date approaches.