Bryan Kohberger Reacts to Being Told He’ll Get “Big Ds” in Prison

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Kaylee Goncalves’ family didn’t hold back.

In connection with Bryan Kohberger being handed a life sentence for the 2022 murders of University of Idaho students, Kristi Goncalves, mother of Kaylee, delivered a powerful victim impact statement containing a heartfelt message penned by one of Kaylee’s sisters.

In the Ada County District courtroom on July 23, she shared a brief message with Bryan: “Our youngest daughter, Aubrie, wants to convey this: ‘Although you excelled with As in high school, you’ll likely receive failing grades, or Ds, in prison.’

As Bryan, the 30-year-old who will serve four consecutive life sentences for the tragic deaths of Kaylee, Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, and Xana Kernodle, I maintained an unyielding composure, my arms firmly resting on the chair. My eyes remained fixed, blinking sparingly as I listened intently to every word spoken.

Kristi spent time pondering Bryan’s situation within prison, saying to him, “You’re about to step into a realm where people won’t care about your identity and will never show you respect.

She stated, “Your memory will fade, cast aside, utilized and wiped out, she said. “You’ll forever be labeled as a loser and utter failure. As those prison doors close behind you, may the sound reverberate within you throughout your insignificant existence. May it serve as a reminder of what we all understand: you amount to nothing.

Besides the other relatives of the deceased who spoke out, Kaylee’s sister Alivea Goncalves opted to ridicule Bryan. It was his DNA found on a knife sheath, a crucial piece of evidence implicating him in the crime.

She stated at the podium, “Your efforts were not impressive; rather, they were disappointing. Despite your months of preparation, my sister and a simple tool exposed your inadequacies… The most unsettling aspect about you is how remarkably ordinary you’ve become. In reality, you lack intelligence. You’re clumsy, unrefined, sluggish, careless, feeble, untidy.

As for Bryan, he chose not to comment further in a respectful manner. However, this decision sparked anger among the audience when one relative of a victim, as reported by NBC News, exclaimed, “Well, isn’t that a shock!

For more on Bryan Kohberger’s case, keep reading.

The individuals named as Kaylee Goncalves (aged 21), Madison Mogen (also 21), Xana Kernodle (at the age of 20), and Ethan Chapin (who was also 20) were students at the University of Idaho, residing in an apartment situated off-campus together.

On November 12, 2022, just before their bodies were discovered, Goncalves and Mogen were at a sports bar nearby, while Kernodle and Chapin attended Chapin’s fraternity party. By 2 a.m. on the 13th of November, all four roommates, along with Chapin, had returned to their three-story rental house.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d put it this way: I, Goncalves, am nearing the end of my undergraduate journey at the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences, majoring in general studies. Come December, I’ll be walking across the stage and then off to Austin, Texas, where I’ve landed a job at a marketing firm – a fact shared by my friend Jordyn Quesnell with The New York Times.

Mogen, a marketing student, has been close friends with Goncalves since the 6th grade. According to family friend Jessie Frost, she intends to relocate to Boise following graduation. This information was disclosed to The Idaho Statesman.

At that point, Kernodle was a marketing major in her junior year, as announced by the university. Kernodel and Chapin, who specialized in recreation, sport and tourism management, had been together since the spring, according to their neighbor, Ellie McKnight, as reported by NBC News.

On the day of the murders, two housemates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, were at home. Text messages unsealed on March 6, 2025, revealed that Mortensen and Funke attempted to reach their other roommates after Mortensen spotted a masked individual wandering through their residence on November 13th, as indicated in documents obtained by TopMob News.

“No one is answering,” Mortensen texted Funke at 4:22 a.m. “I’m rlly confused rn.”

She persistently contacted her roommates, encouraging them to reply. At 4:32 a.m., she messaged Goncalves saying, “Please respond,” and later at 10:23 a.m., she asked, “Are you awake?

11:58 a.m. saw a 911 call being made following the discovery of an unresponsive Kernodle, as detailed in a supplementary report acquired by TopMob News. In the transcript, a woman identified as A1 provided the operator with a rundown of the present circumstances.

She stated over the phone that one of the roommates, presumably due to excessive drinking the previous night, is still unconscious and unresponsive. They also mentioned that someone, presumably a stranger, was spotted inside their residence during the night.

As a lifestyle consultant, I’d like to share some insight about the recent events involving Bryan Kohberger, who found himself at the center of a tragic situation. Kohberger, a doctoral candidate at Washington State University, was apprehended and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary following the discovery of the gruesome deaths of Gonclaves, Mogen, Kernodle, and Chapin. Over a month passed before his arrest on December 30th in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Subsequently, he was transported to Idaho on January 4th, 2023, for further legal proceedings.

In relation to the link between him and the murders, it appears that DNA traces were discovered on a sheath from a knife, which was abandoned at the crime scene. This information was made public by prosecutors in court documents back in June 2023, as reported by NBC News.

When the DNA didn’t find a match in the FBI database, authorities decided to search public ancestry websites to compile a list of possible suspects, as stated in the documents. Upon discovering that Kohberger had traveled to his parents’ home in Monroe County, local officials then scrutinized their trash and discovered DNA links between it and the one found on the sheath.

Currently, no specific reason for the attack has been disclosed, as a court order prohibits most parties connected to the case from making public statements. Nevertheless, some details about their original arguments have emerged from recently unveiled documents. (NBC News reported this)

In a motion obtained by TopMob News, lawyers for Kohberger requested to dismiss the death penalty sentence. This is because Kohberger, who could have been sentenced to death if found guilty on all charges, has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). They argued that executing someone with ASD would go against the Eighth Amendment’s ban on “cruel and unusual punishment.

As a devoted supporter, I’d express it this way: I’ve observed that Kohbereger tends to think in a very structured manner, he often focuses excessively on certain subjects, breaks down information bit by bit instead of seeing the whole picture, has difficulties in forward planning, and seems to lack self-awareness regarding his actions and feelings.

In essence, the argument states that Mr. Kohberger’s Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) prevents him from behaving in ways society considers normal. Consequently, there is a grave concern that he might face execution not based on his guilt or culpability, but rather due to his disability.

Initially, Judge entered a ‘not guilty’ plea for Kohberger at his May 2023 arraignment since he remained silent. Despite this, his trial was initially scheduled for Oct 2, 2023, but he voluntarily relinquished his right to a swift trial in August 2023.

The commencement of his trial, originally planned for Ada County (over 300 miles away from Latah County, the location of the murders), has been scheduled for August 11, 2025.

Back in September 2024, I, a fervent admirer of justice, was elated when Judge John Judge granted the appeal from Brian Kohberger’s defense team. The reasoning behind this decision was to avoid any potential prejudice that might arise if the trial were to take place in Latah County itself.

In the ongoing trial, Judge Steven Hippler of Ada County refused the defense’s plea to exclude crucial DNA and other types of evidence such as mobile phone and email records, CCTV footage, previous Amazon transactions, and DNA samples from being presented in court.

On June 30, 2025, Kohberger’s murder trial was unexpectedly halted when he accepted a plea bargain from the prosecutors. In this agreement, Kohberger consented to admit guilt on four charges of murder and one charge of burglary, relinquish his right to appeal, and request a lighter prison term.

On July 2, 2025, he admitted his guilt in court when asked if he intentionally, illegally, purposefully, and with planning, caused the deaths of all four victims with ill-will and premeditation.

A selfie taken by Kohberger the day after the murders occurred was presented in March 2025. This picture shows him standing in front of a shower with a thumbs up gesture, and it aligns with the description given by a witness referred to as “D.M.” in court documents. The witness stated that the suspect had bushy eyebrows.

In a conversation with Fox and Friends, I, as Kaylee’s father, Steve Gonclaves, expressed my feelings about a certain image, referring to it as a “trophy.

According to Gonclaves, he’s aware of the sequence of events, specifically that the individual was back at the crime scene, having recently arrived. It struck him that no one had dialed 911 yet.

In simpler terms, he explained that for him, it’s like a small token of victory, signifying ‘I managed to slip through unnoticed.’

In a 2025 Dateline documentary delving into the murders, I, a former classmate, shared an account of an odd text I received from Kohberger following our encounter at a party, which marked the beginning of our acquaintanceship.

Holly expressed that she felt somewhat compelled to converse with him due to his apparent discomfort, similar to how a PhD student might feel who is new to a gathering, unsure of others, yet making an effort to socialize and forge friendships.

The following day, Holly said she received a text from him, which she described as overly formal. 

Hey there, I believe we discussed hiking trips yesterday. I really love going on those, so if you’d be up for it, do let me know! Cheers!

In a different part of the Dateline documentary, it was discovered that Kohberger’s online browsing had contained searches for Ted Bundy, Britney Spears’ song “Criminal”, and the phrase “Murders at University of Idaho.

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2025-07-23 23:54