BOISE, Idaho — During Wednesday’s sentencing for confessed killer Bryan Kohberger – the family of Kaylee Goncalves did not hold back.
Each one detailed how the 2022 murders of Kaylee, her roommates Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle, and Xana’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin – changed their lives.
Steve Goncalves, Kaylee’s father
Kaylee’s father stepped up to the microphone first.
He chose to address Kohberger directly.
“Today we are here to finish what you started,” he began. Today, you’ve lost control. Today, we are here to prove to the world that you picked the wrong families, the wrong state, wrong police officers, the wrong community.”
Steve went on to explain how the families of the victims got together and chose not to use his name – and instead refer to him by his initials, “BK.”
“Today, you have no name,” Steve said.
Steve walked through portions of the investigation, stating that it didn’t take long for law enforcement to begin putting pieces of the puzzle together.
“Within hours, we had your white car on camera. We knew from the very beginning we had you,” he said to Kohberger.
Steve rattled off a series of insults, calling him “careless.”
“Master’s Degree? You’re a joke. A complete joke,” he said.
Kohberger sat in silence as Steve read his statement aloud. He ended by thanking the court and law enforcement.
“God bless all the men and women that worked on this case and all the hard work that you did. You allowed us to grieve and get through this.”
Kristi Goncalves, Kaylee’s mother
Kaylee’s mother, Kristi also chose to share her victim impact statement herself.
“For a long time, I didn’t think I’d find the words low enough to meet you where you are,” she began – addressing her daughter’s confessed killer.
She said that he stole her peace and she no longer recognized parts of herself as a result of the murders.
“As a person working on a PhD in criminal justice, you really didn’t think this through. You’re really not that good,” she said, insulting Kohberger.
As she read her statement, he sat emotionless.
“You’re a joke in this courtroom,” she continued. “I wish I could crown you with a jester hat to complete your orange jumpsuit.”
Kristi went on to call him an “absolute failure” and said he would be soon entering a place where no one would care who he is.
“You are officially the property of the State of Idaho,” she said. “Hell will be waiting.”
Alivea Goncalves, Kaylee’s big sister
One of Kaylee’s siblings also chose to speak Wednesday.
Alivea, her big sister, said she was there not to speak in grief, but to speak in truth.
“The truth about Kaylee and Maddie? They would’ve been kind to you,” she said to Kohberger. “In a world that rejected you, they would’ve shown you mercy.”
Alivea told him that she refused to stand in front of him and offer him tears or trembling.
“I won’t feed your beast,” she said. “I will call you what you are. Sociopath, psychopath, murderer.”
Alivea said she spent many hours writing down what she wished she could say to Kohberger about how his actions had hurt her and her family.
Instead of reading those aloud to him, she said that Kaylee and Maddie would want her to be strong.
“Sit up straight when I talk to you,” Alivea commanded.
She went on to ask Kohberger a series of questions:
“Why did you choose my sisters?”
“What were Kaylee’s last words?”
“If you were smart, do you think you’d be here right now?”
“What’s it like to need this much attention to feel real?”
She called Kohberger “desperate” and a “wannabe,” and said he was a “textbook case of insecurity.”
Alivea told him that nobody was scared or intimidated by him.
“You spent a month preparing, and all it took was my sister and a sheath,” she said, referencing the knife sheath left behind at the crime scene. Court documents state that the DNA found on it matched Kohberger’s.
Kohberger’s sentence
Once all victim impact statements were read during Wednesday’s sentencing, Judge Steven Hippler asked Kohberger if he would like to say anything. He “respectfully declined.”
Judge Hippler sentenced him to four consecutive life sentences for each murder count and 10 years in prison for the burglary charge.
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