The families of Bryan Kohberger‘s murder victims are taking legal action.
A week following the Moscow Police Department making public approximately 200 photos from within the off-campus residence where last year’s killings took place, the families of Madison Mogen and Ethan Chapin – two of the four college students who were tragically murdered by Kohberger – initiated a lawsuit against the city of Moscow, Idaho.
Leander James, the attorney for Mogens and the Chapins, shared with NewsNation on August 18 that by the sentencing, they had reached a stage where they found some closure and began to find a way to move forward. However, they were suddenly confronted with this flood of unpleasant information being released.
Although James admitted that certain details might inevitably leak into public domain, he stated that his clients are filing lawsuits with the aim of preventing the dissemination of additional graphic images related to the incident site.
In my opinion, what’s being presented here seems to be off-base. I value openness and the public’s right to information, but it appears to me that we might have crossed some boundaries in this instance.
Currently, due to an emergency restraining order secured by Karen Laramie (Mogen’s mother) on August 12th, the city of Moscow has temporarily halted the dissemination of pictures and videos captured within the victims’ bedrooms that were taken thereafter, as reported by officials.
To address the concerns voiced by the families of the victims, city authorities explained that they had disclosed the crime scene photographs-ranging from ordinary college living scenes to disturbing images of blood-stained walls-in accordance with a “freedom of information law requirement”.
In my expert opinion as a lifestyle advocate, I’d like to clarify that the judge presiding over the injunction has determined that the vast majority of the information made public did not unjustifiably infringe upon anyone’s private life. However, certain redacted portions of videos and photographs, particularly those containing previously unreleased bodycam footage, could potentially breach privacy boundaries at this moment in time.
The crime scene photographs were made public about a month following Kohberger’s confession to the murders of Mogen (age 21), Chapin (age 20), Xana Kernodle (also 20), and Kaylee Goncalves (also 21), which was part of a plea bargain.
In relation to the murders, a 30-year-old individual received four life sentences, each term being non-parolable. Additionally, he was imprisoned for ten more years due to his burglary conviction.
During his sentencing, Kohberger chose to remain silent, leading Judge Steven Hippler to label him as one of the worst offenders.
Regardless of his guilty plea, the judge stated that he’s shown no signs of remorse, redemption, or understanding of the harm he’s inflicted. There’s been no indication of regret in his actions.
For more details about the Idaho murders, read on.
The individuals in question – Kaylee Goncalves (age 21), Madison Mogen (also 21), Xana Kernodle (aged 20), and Ethan Chapin (who was 20) – were students at the University of Idaho, residing together in an apartment off-campus.
On November 12, 2022, Goncalves and Mogen spent their evening at a local sports bar, while Kernodle and Chapin attended a party at Chapin’s fraternity. By 2 a.m. on November 13, the four roommates along with Chapin returned to their three-story rental home.
Goncalves, who was a senior, majored in general studies at the College of Arts and Humanities. It was anticipated that she would graduate in December. Afterward, she planned to move to Austin, Texas, to start working at a marketing company, as reported by her friend Jordyn Quesnell to The New York Times.
Mogen, a marketing student, has been close friends with Goncalves since their sixth-grade years. After graduation, it was reported by family friend Jessie Frost to The Idaho Statesman that she had plans to relocate to Boise.
As a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase that sentence as follows: Back then, I was a diligent marketing major at university, and my dear companion Chapin, with a focus on Recreation, Sport and Tourism Management, was by my side. Our close neighbor, Ellie McKnight, shared with NBC News that our romantic journey began in the spring season.
On the fateful day of the murders, two housemates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, were present at home. Text messages, previously sealed until March 6, 2025, suggest that Mortensen and Funke attempted to reach their roommates on November 13, following Mortensen’s sighting of a masked individual moving about the house, as per documents acquired by TopMob News.
“No one is answering,” Mortensen texted Funke at 4:22 a.m. “I’m rlly confused rn.”
I persistently made efforts to connect with my roommates, encouraging them to get back to me. At 4:32 in the morning and later at 10:23, I reached out to Goncalves, saying, “Pls respond” and then followed up with, “Are you awake?
Around 11:58 a.m., a 911 call was made following the discovery of Kernodle being unresponsive. According to an extra motion acquired by TopMob News, a woman identified as A1 in the transcript explained the present state of affairs to the operator.
She mentioned over the phone that one of the roommates is still unconscious from being heavily intoxicated last night, and they found an unknown man in their house last night.
Bryan Kohberger, who faced charges for four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary, was a doctoral student at Washington State University. Approximately one month following the discovery of the bodies belonging to Gonclaves, Mogen, Kernodle, and Chapin, Kohberger was arrested on December 30 in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. He was then transported to Idaho on January 4, 2023.
It was through DNA evidence found on a knife sheath at the crime scene that officials linked him to the murders, as reported by NBC News in their June 2023 court documents.
When the DNA didn’t align with anyone in the FBI database, authorities cross-checked it against public ancestry websites to compile a list of possible suspects, as stated in the court documents. Upon discovering that Kohberger had visited his parents’ home in Monroe County, local authorities sifted through their garbage and identified DNA links between it and the one found on the sheath.
Currently, the reason behind the attack remains undisclosed due to a court-imposed restriction that limits those involved in the case from making public statements. Nevertheless, recently unveiled documents offer some understanding of their initial line of defense.
lawyers for Kohberger, in a motion they obtained from TopMob News, argued to dismiss the death penalty. Their reasoning was that if found guilty on all charges, Kohberger – who previously faced the death penalty – has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). They believe executing someone with ASD would contradict the Eighth Amendment’s ban on “inhumane and uncommon punishment.
His lawyer contended that Kohbereger’s thought process is unusually inflexible, he tends to fixate on certain subjects, approaches information fragmentedly, finds it challenging to look ahead, and shows limited understanding of his own actions and feelings.
In essence, the statement asserts that due to Mr. Kohberger’s Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), he may not be able to behave according to societal norms. This could potentially lead to an injustice, where he might face execution not for his wrongdoing but rather because of his disability. In simpler terms, it suggests that Mr. Kohberger’s ASD might cause him to behave differently from societal expectations, which could misunderstand his actions and lead to unfair treatment in the justice system.
Initially, Brian Kohberger’s lawyer allowed a judge to enter a ‘not guilty’ plea on his behalf during the May 2023 arraignment as he remained silent. Despite his trial being scheduled for October 2, 2023, Kohberger chose to forego a speedy trial in August 2023.
The start of his trial, initially planned for Ada County some 300 miles away from Latah County, the location of the murders, was scheduled to commence on August 11, 2025.
In simpler terms, back in September 2024, Judge John Judge of Latah County had decided to grant a request from Brian Kohberger’s legal team for a change of venue due to concerns about potential bias among local residents, should the trial take place in Latah County.
In the ongoing trial, Judge Steven Hippler of Ada County refused the defense’s plea to exclude crucial DNA findings, as well as cell phone and email data, surveillance videos, past Amazon transactions, and DNA proof from consideration.
The trial for Kohberger’s murder case was unexpectedly halted on June 30, 2025, following a plea agreement he accepted from the prosecutors. In agreeing to this deal, Kohberger confessed his guilt in four counts of murder and one count of burglary. Additionally, he relinquished his right to appeal and requested a less severe prison sentence.
On July 2, 2025, he admitted his guilt in court when asked by the judge if he intentionally and illegally caused harm to all four victims with premeditated ill-intent and deliberate forethought, to which he responded affirmatively with a simple “yes.
On March 2025, a selfie taken by Kohberger the day following the murders emerged, featuring him posing in front of a shower with a thumbs up gesture. This image aligns with the description given by witness D.M., who stated in court documents that the suspect had “bushy eyebrows.
In response to an interview on Fox and Friends, Steve Gonclaves, who is the father of the victim named Kaylee, commented on a particular image by referring to it as a “memento” or “souvenir”.
In my role as a dedicated follower, I can share that I’m aware of the sequence of events. Upon his return to the crime scene, it became clear to him that no one had yet made the call to 911.
In his own words, “For him, it’s a small token indicating, ‘I managed to pull this off without getting caught.’
In a 2025 Dateline documentary on the murders, a past schoolmate of Kohberger’s shared an account of a “strange” text she got from him following their meeting at a party.
Holly admitted that she felt slightly compelled to talk to him, as he appeared somewhat uncomfortable. It seemed natural for a Ph.D. student, perhaps new to the gathering and eager to connect socially and build friendships.
The following day, Holly said she received a text from him, which she described as overly formal.
Hey there! I believe we discussed the exciting hiking trips yesterday, don’t we? As a huge enthusiast of this outdoor adventure, I can’t wait to hear your plans if any. Looking forward to your reply and thanks in advance for sharing the details! 🌄💪
In another part of the Dateline documentary, it was discovered that Kohberger’s web history contained queries about Ted Bundy, Britney Spears’ song “Criminal,” and the phrase “Murders at the University of Idaho.
At a court hearing held on July 2, 2025, in Idaho, after agreeing to a plea bargain that eliminated the death penalty, Kohberger admitted his guilt for the murders of Goncalves, Mogen, Kernodle, and Chapin, as well as one charge of burglary, all of which had taken place earlier.
When Judge Hippler asked Kohberger whether he intentionally, illegally, purposefully, and with premeditation and malice, he had killed each victim, his response was a decisive “Yes” to all inquiries.
By accepting the plea bargain, Kohberger has relinquished his opportunity to challenge the verdict or request a less severe prison term, as reported by Hippler.
Despite both the Goncalves and Kernodle families strongly opposing the plea bargain that removed the possibility of capital punishment, Thomas Kohberger was legally sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison on July 23, 2025.
In simple terms, Judge Hippler handed down four life sentences for Brian Kohberger, served one after another, with no chance of parole for each murder charge. Additionally, he was fined $50,000 for each murder charge and an extra $5,000 to be paid to the families of the victims. For the burglary charge, Kohberger received a 10-year sentence and a $50,000 fine.
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2025-08-20 00:47