Bryan Kohberger to plead guilty to killing 4 University of Idaho students, multiple media report

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://apnews.com/article/kohberger-idaho-students-killed-91eeb98eebd3d9b007e4a5cae0f81030

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Bryan Kohberger has agreed to plead guilty to murdering four University of Idaho students as part of a deal with prosecutors to avoid the death penalty, multiple media outlets reported Monday.

The news was delivered to families of the victims in a letter from prosecutors, according to ABC News. A change of plea hearing was set for Wednesday. Kohberger’s trial had been set to begin in August.

Kohberger, 30, is accused in the stabbing deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves at a rental home near campus in Moscow, Idaho, in November 2022. Autopsies showed the four were all likely asleep when they were attacked, some had defensive wounds and each was stabbed multiple times.

(snip)

In Idaho, judges may reject plea agreements, though such moves are rare. If a judge rejects a plea agreement, the defendant is allowed to withdraw the guilty plea.

[UTUSN]

1. Questions: Why has it taken so long for this ahole to be tried? - and

why make a deal with him? - and why does he want to live in prison forever, waiting for the times to change and make oopsies aOK?

[Irish_Dem]

2. The trial was going to start and he faced the death penalty.

[John1956PA]

4. Yes. The prosecution has a strong case. As I mention below, a tinge of embarrassment may be motivating him.

[Irish_Dem]

6. Facing certain and imminent death has a way of focusing the mind.

[H2O Man]

15. Right.

He is a coward. His crime was an act of cowardice.

[John1956PA]

3. Many will disagree with me, but I think he was motivated in part to avoid embarrassment for his parents.

At trial, the horrible (to put it mildly) details of the murders would be publicized. I realize he has next-to-no conscience, but I think he would be too ashamed to have his actions scrutinized all over the web.

[Irish_Dem]

8. I don't know enough about this guy to opine if he has shame/embarrassment capability.

Or cares enough about his parents to spare them embarrassment.

The one thing that might fit is that he was a law enforcement student as I recall?
Even a graduate student in the field.

He could be embarrassed about how sloppy he was at the crime scene.
Many law enforcement officers get away with their crimes.
They know how to clean up the scene and not contaminate it.

So he failed on that score.
A narcissistic psychopath might be embarrassed about that.

[UTUSN]

9. Something about wanting to impress a female professor

[Irish_Dem]

10. He sounds psychotic.

Killing four young female nursing students is going to impress a female professor?
Probably not.

[UTUSN]

13. Impressing about his brilliance in perfect crap

Last edited Mon Jun 30, 2025, 09:38 PM - Edit history (1)

[Irish_Dem]

14. Yes some of the serial killers are the same way.

They see themselves as brilliant and try to impress the public and LE with their crimes.

[Prairie Gates]

22. There's no public evidence about his motive

None.

Of course, people are free to speculate.

[Irish_Dem]

25. Crime scene investigation often involves making a psychological profile of the killer.

It is based on sound scientific theory.

You can piece together the psychology of the killer based on crime scene
evidence and facts.

And you can develop some hypotheses based on data.

Speculation is the basis of science.
Almost every single invention you benefit from began with someone speculating.

[Prairie Gates]

26. Yes, that's all very nice

Like I said, we really don't know anything about what motivated this guy. Perhaps we will find out more if he allocutes. Perhaps not. Speculation is also, of course, satisfying.

[UTUSN]

27. I didn't make up what I saw in credible reporting somewhere

[UTUSN]

29. Here's the professor now free to talk, wondering whether she triggered him

?si=VOR00CAGA_X0hZkK

[Prairie Gates]

30. She's also speculating

Like I said, there's no evidence of his motive at all.

I think the professor would agree that she is merely wondering. She hasn't done any of the work needed to establish anything under any standard of evidence, legal or academic. Her guess on this point is as good as yours.

[UTUSN]

31. No, her personal, first hand and professional insight is far more weighty than mine and yours.

[Prairie Gates]

33. She hasn't done any research on this particular person

She has no idea what his motive is. You do not understand what an academic specialty actually is. She did years of research including well-crafted interviews constituting knowledgeable qualitative research methods when it comes to BTK and others. She has not interviewed Mr. Kohberger at all, nor conducted anything resembling professional research on him. She had him in some classes. That's it. She can speak to her experience but not to his motives. Her guess is as good as yours.

[UTUSN]

36. Not waiting for your "research" - buh bye

[Prairie Gates]

37. Third time's a charm

[UTUSN]

38. Does something for ya

[Irish_Dem]

17. I thought all victims were women.

But yes Ethan is a male name.

So there was a male victim.

[Rebl2]

23. It was

was three women and a man from what I understand

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. Multiple victims, multiple agencies investigating, change of venue.

why make a deal with him?

Quick resolution, spares painful testimonies and evidence going public; it's possible the prosecution doesn't feel like it's a slam dunk on some level

and why does he want to live in prison forever, waiting for the times to change and make oopsies aOK?

People generally have a pretty strong self-preservation instinct.

[UTUSN]

28. Multiple victims/agencies/venue - thanks

[UTUSN]

32. "strong self-preservation instinct" - if only those four kids could have had the plea

Plus, the ahole's SMILE is sickening.

[dem4decades]

7. The evidence doesn't go public?

[Irish_Dem]

11. Some murderers may like the details to go public.

They think they are so clever.

[dem4decades]

19. This guy especially, he really thought he was so smart.

I don't want the grisly details, but I would like to hear the GPS info, and other evidence they had.

[Irish_Dem]

24. Yes I hope some of it will be released.

[Prairie Gates]

12. Most of the evidence is already known through filings

Some issues are sealed, but there's really not a treasure trove of secret evidence. The case against him is already mostly public through the various filings.

He definitely committed these murders. It's unlikely that we will ever know why, or how he chose these victims, which is the only real mystery here.

[Brainfodder]

18. Heard long ago, his phone tracked is what made this case CAKE.

Him looking JUST LIKE A PSYCHO and the degree he was working on.
DeeDaDee
2.5 years later:
Hey everyone I know it looks bad and all that but yeah I did it please don't kill me?
My guess, ego and wanted to experience it and thought he wouldn't get caught like most idiot killers.

[dem4decades]

20. You'd think a guy like that would be interested in the death penalty too. He be a real expert then.