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Bryan Kohberger Faces Sentencing. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired July 23, 2025 - 13:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Welcome to CNN NEWS CENTRAL. I'm Brianna Keilar, alongside Jim Sciutto in for Boris today.

And we are beginning with some breaking news. It is an emotional day in court, and we are monitoring this right now. The families affected by the killings of those four University of Idaho students brutally murdered at their off-campus home back in 2022 are speaking directly to the killer ahead of his sentencing.

Bryan Kohberger to the killings after taking a plea deal earlier this year. Despite that guilty plea, it's still unclear the motive, why he did it.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: Listen one thing that has stood out in this -- and I have been speaking to Steve Goncalves, the father of Kaylee Goncalves, one of the victims since these horrible murders happened -- is, they're deliberately belittling Kohberger in the courtroom, saying, you don't matter.

Quoting Kaylee's older sister, Olivia, earlier, she said: "Let me be very clear. Don't ever try to convince yourself you matter just because someone finally said your name out loud."

And that was one of the most powerful moments, was when Steve Goncalves physically turned the podium in the courtroom to face Kohberger, whereas the other witnesses who were testifying were facing the courtroom to make it clear, I'm talking to you, buddy, in effect.

And it's just the strength that we heard from the victims, two surviving roommates as well, who gave heart-wrenching accounts of what they have endured since that horrific bloody evening.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BETHANY FUNKE, SURVIVOR: That was the worst day of my life and I know it always will be. I am still here and I got to live. I still think about this every day. Why me? Why did I get to live and not them? I have not slept through a single night since this happened. I constantly wake up in panics terrified someone is breaking in or someone is here to hurt me or I'm about to lose someone else that I love. The fear never really leaves.

DYLAN MORTENSEN, SURVIVOR: He took away my ability to trust the world around me. What -- he shattered me in places I didn't know could break.

I had to sleep in my mom's bed because I was too terrified to close my eyes, terrified that if I blinked, someone might be there. And then there are the panic attacks, the kind that slam into me like a tsunami out of nowhere. I can't breathe. I can't think. I can't stop shaking.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: And throughout it, at least I haven't seen him react, Bryan Kohberger, the murderer there, just almost stone-faced as he heard this.

KEILAR: I will say he's incredibly stoic and has been through all of the proceedings when we have seen him, but during Kaylee Goncalves's sister's victim impact statement, his eyes did seem to be responding quite a bit. He did -- she did seem to get under his skin.

SCIUTTO: Well, coming up now will be Xana Kernodle's mother, Cara Northington. She's speaking now. Let's listen in.

CARA NORTHINGTON, MOTHER OF XANA KERNODLE: ... is greater than any evil in this world, for God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of the sound mind.

I do not fear you or even let you rent space in my head anymore. This forgiveness has released me from any and all evil you have inflicted on me and my family. It has allowed me to let our lord deal with you.

You have accepted a deal that will prevent you from receiving the death penalty. Nothing man can do to you can ever compare to the wrath of God. Inevitably, you will stand before our lord and will have to answer to him over the sins you have committed in murdering our children.

I pray you come to the end of yourself before that day. Whether you like it or not, heaven is for real and so is hell. The innocent life of Xana that you stole from myself and my family and the destruction of this -- and the destruction it has caused, I am washing my hands of you and turning you over to my lord and savior, Jesus Christ, whom vengeance belongs to.

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In closing, I want to read a passage from the Bible, Ephesians 6, King James version.

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the lord and then in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand the wiles of the devil, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood -- for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand an evil day -- that ye may be able to stand an evil day."

I'm not going to share memories of Xana or any more of the goodness of her with you, because I do not want that to be in your head. I don't want it to be in your head. You don't deserve that. You don't deserve our good memories that we have.

I do pray for you. I pray that you come to the end of yourself. I pray that, before this life is over, that you ask our lord and savior in your heart to forgive you. I do pray for that, but, after today, I wash my hands of you, and you are no longer a thing.

Thank you.

JUDGE STEVEN HIPPLER, ADA COUNTY, IDAHO, JUDICIAL COURT: Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't believe the state has any other victim impact statements.

HIPPLER: OK. All right, the state can argue.

BILL THOMPSON, LATAH COUNTY, IDAHO, PROSECUTOR: Thank you, Your Honor.

Just as a housekeeping matter to start, there will be the issue of restitution. That is -- the documentation is being gathered. And we ask the court would defer that for 30 days so we can present it in an orderly fashion and make sure it's comprehensive for everyone.

HIPPLER: Any objection to leaving restitution open 60 days? All right.

THOMPSON: Thank you, Your Honor.

I think it's necessary and appropriate to share, including the court, the background that brings us in front of Your Honor today for these proceedings. As the record reflects and as everybody in this courtroom knows, the defendant has pleaded guilty to all five counts charged in the indictment.

Under oath before Your Honor, he has admitted that the charges against him are true. He has reassured the court that he has not been coerced or threatened to make those admissions. And Your Honor did an extraordinary job in taking the pleas back on July 2. We appreciate the court's discipline and insight.

The defendant has also waived appeal on the multitude of rulings from this court and Your Honor's predecessor in Latah County on dozens, literally dozens of motions seeking to dismiss the case, seeking to control or limit evidence, seeking to offer evidence that would not be appropriate. And we appreciate the court's consistent rulings based on the law, based on the facts.

As Your Honor will recall, on June 18, just really not that long ago, we appeared before this court for arguments on what became of the defendant's final motions to this court, motion where they wanted to offer evidence suggesting that other people were responsible for the defendant's actions, and the motion seeking essentially an indefinite continuance of the trial.

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It was readily apparent to all of us in the courtroom from Your Honor's comments that those motions were not going to be granted. So we returned to Moscow and continued with what we had been working on for months in preparation for trial. We had no qualms about going to trial if trial was what was necessary and appropriate.

The following week after we were in court, we were approached by the defense with an inquiry about a possible plea. And I can tell the court this is the first suggestion ever that there was any consideration, because indeed the defense had maintained from the beginning that Mr. Kohberger, the defendant, was factually innocent.

It's clear that the reality of the evidence and the case that had been investigated and prepared and that we were ready to present in court became a reality. Our reaction, among other things, was to reach out to all the families. And, in fact, later that week, on Thursday and Friday of that last week of June, we met with representatives by teams, virtual meetings with representatives of all the families.

And we talked about the status of the case and the upcoming trial and things that related to the trial. And we also let them know that there had been an inquiry about whether there might be an offer for a plea. And we asked the family members for their thoughts and feelings. And they were candid. And they have been candid since.

And we respect that. And we understand, recognize and acknowledge that there was a difference of opinion among representatives of the different families. We understand that. One of the challenges of this case, one of the unique things about this case is, we have multiple victims, each unique unto themselves, their families and friends unique unto themselves, and all of them entitled to their opinions, all of them entitled to their thoughts.

Over the following weekend, our prosecution team, very skilled attorneys who were personally as well as professionally deeply invested in this case, met and we talked. And the decision was reached to start with, were there to be any sort of plea offer or discussion, there's only one possibility. And that would be for the defendant to plead guilty straight up to all charges.

There would be no bargaining about counts. There would be no bargaining about reduced sentences, and so we made the proposal to the defense that if the defendant was willing to plead guilty up front to all five counts as charged and waive appeal of the court's myriad decisions during the past 2.5-plus years on all these motions that would have consumed years, if not decades of time in the future.

By the end of the weekend, we were notified that the defendant was prepared to plead guilty as charged and factually acknowledge his responsibility in court for these horrible crimes. Obviously, those discussions and negotiations were confidential.

And as Your Honor noted, I believe, that was necessarily so, because, if the defendant had decided not to plead guilty, it would have been devastating to our jury pool for there to be public information that there had been even consideration by either party to a plea resolution. And protecting the prospective integrity of trial after so many years was paramount.

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So, the end of the weekend came. We notified the victims' families of what had occurred. We recognize -- I recognize and acknowledge personally and I respect the fact that, of these fine, suffering people, not everybody agreed with the decision we make. I accept that. It's my responsibility at the end.

I recognize that that's the duty of the office that I hold. So, now it is time for the judicial system to impose final judgment and close the door on this chapter of these tragedies. As the court is aware, by the agreement of the parties, it is the state's prayer -- perhaps have the (INAUDIBLE) turned on. Thank you.

That, on count one, the felony burglary, the court sentences the defendant to the maximum period of 10 years fixed in custody of the Idaho -- excuse me -- Idaho Department of Correction.

And on count two, that the court sentence the defendant to fixed life for the murder of Maddie Mogen. On count three, that the court sentence the defendant to fixed life for the murder of Kaylee Goncalves. On count four, that the court sentence the defendant to fixed life for the murder of Xana Kernodle.

On count five, that the court sentence the defendant to fixed life for the murder of Ethan Chapin. And the state say further prays that these sentences be ordered to run consecutively, back to back, not at the same time, to recognize and respect the unique individuality of each of these beautiful young people whose lives were taken brutally and for no reason.

And, hopefully now, as we have heard earlier this morning, it is time to afford the families and the friends and the community in the state of Idaho and the nation and the world to move forward. We can't undo and we can never undo the horror of what occurred on the early morning hours of November 13, 2022, at 1122 King Street in Moscow, Idaho.

For a long time, the presiding district judge in Latah County was John Stegner, who eventually became a member and a justice of the Idaho Supreme Court. And Judge -- Justice Stegner often observed that even God cannot change the past. But everyone in this room has the ability to take themselves forward.

And we want the judicial system to afford them the opportunity today to do that. From today forward, our memories should be focused on these innocent victims whose lives were taken, on their families, on their friends, on the community. The court has heard discussion, talk today, reminisces today about a

special family that our victims shared, not just their natural, legal and biological families, not just their university family within their sororities, for example, but this family.

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This is the picture taken on November 12, 2022, of the special family of 1122 King Road. And you can see all six of these dynamic, vibrant, loving, special, innocent faces taken together just across the street from their residence and barely 12 hours before four of them would be brutally murdered in their sleep.

They have been described consistently as being bright, caring, vivacious, with futures we can only imagine now. But they were and they remain a special family that I think we should all recognize and appreciate.

So it's time to move forward. There have been a number of statements directed specifically at the defendant today. I have one last thought. After Your Honor imposes judgment and sentences the defendant to spend the rest of his life in prison, in other words, sentence the defendant to die in prison, he's going to stand up in the belly chains and the leg irons that he's wearing today.

And he's going to be escorted into the custody of the Idaho Department of Corrections. And the door will close behind him forever. That is the closure that we seek, that all of these people, these loving friends and family deserve, so that we can move forward.

Thank you, Your Honor.

HIPPLER: Thank you.

All right, does the defense have evidence to present today?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No evidence, Your Honor.

HIPPLER: All right.

Does the defense wish to make argument today?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your Honor, we do not wish to make argument. Mr. Kohberger, along with his legal team, is prepared for the court to enter judgment (OFF-MIKE)

HIPPLER: All right, Mr. Kohberger, you have an opportunity to make a statement. If you wish to, I take it you are declining.

BRYAN KOHBERGER, DEFENDANT: I respectfully decline.

HIPPLER: Please.

All right, let me start this morning by acknowledging and thanking those that have come here today in support of their loved ones. And I appreciate your courage and your strength. And I hope that you are able to move on as best as possible.

I thank counsel for the professionalism that they have exhibited throughout this case. It's been my great honor to preside in this case and to help bring, to the extent possible, some resolution and hopefully justice to this case.

During the quiet morning hours of November 13, 2022, a faceless coward breached the tranquility of six beautiful young people and senselessly slaughtered them, four of them.

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Who committed this unspeakable evil was unknown for several weeks, but due to the killer's incompetence and outstanding police work by numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, the person that slithered through that sliding glass door at 1122 King Road now stands before the world and this court unmasked.

This unfathomable and senseless act of evil has caused immeasurable pain and loss. No parent should ever have to bury their child. This is the greatest tragedy that can be inflicted upon a person. Parents who took their children to college in a truck filled with moving boxes had to bring them home in hearses lined with coffins.

The loss this killer inflicted was not just the death of these people's children, siblings, grandchildren, as we have heard today. It has ripped a hole in their soul, destroying a special part of their very essence.

Any person who is a parent defines themselves foremost as such. It is their existence and purpose of being, and it has been stolen from these parents. None of us have experienced the loss these victims have in the unspeakable way that they have, and therefore none of us can, nor should we question the way in which they have handled their loss, whether that be in private mourning, removed as far as possible from this media circus, or in front of a camera demanding retribution with the loudest megaphone.

I have listened intently to the stories and pain that have been shared today with great awe at the courage and resilience of the surviving family members of those wonderful children. I have listened also to the surviving roommates, both in person and through their friends.

And I can't think of how, frankly, courageous they have been, despite the hell that they have faced by uncaring people who have come up with all kinds of crazy theories about two kids simply being kids.

The parents, siblings and other family members who have spoken today are designated as victims in our legal system. But, going forward, I hope that they can shed that label, as it gives too much power to the evil that condemned them to that role. They are and should be known as survivors, fighters and foremost as witnesses to the tremendous lives of value and unbounded promise of these four young people.

But those speaking today and those who did not speak, but who carry the same burden, this same loss, now carry forward the memories of these now perpetually young people, these forever children. These survivors carry the responsibility of ensuring that the voices of these children, Maddie, Kaylee, Xana and Ethan, are never forgotten and the positive impacts that they have had on so many lives are never minimized and that the love they shared, the light that they shined onto others is forever celebrated.

As we sit here today, this case is ending and we are now certain who committed these unspeakable acts of evil, but we don't know and what we may never know is why.

I share the desire expressed by others to understand the why. But, upon reflection, it seems to me -- and this is just my own opinion -- that by continuing to focus on why, we continue to give Mr. Kohberger relevance. We give him agency. We give him power.

The need to know what is inherently not understandable makes us dependent upon the defendant to provide us with a reason. And that gives him the spotlight, the attention and the power he appears to crave. Yet, even if I could force him to speak, which, legally, I cannot, how could anyone ever be assured that what he speaks is the truth?