Bryan Kohberger was sentenced on Wednesday to four consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole for the stabbing murders of four University of Idaho students, following a plea agreement that spared him from the death penalty. Kohberger, 30, will also serve an additional 10-year sentence on a related burglary charge. District Judge Steven Hippler imposed the sentence in an Ada County courtroom in Boise.

“I remand the defendant to the custody of the Idaho State Board of Corrections for him to be imprisoned in an appropriate facility…where he will remain until he dies,” Judge Hippler declared during the sentencing.

The victims, Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20, were brutally killed in their off-campus residence on November 13, 2022. The shocking nature of the murders, along with Kohberger's methodical planning and the lack of a clear motive, drew widespread attention.

Emotional victim impact statements marked Wednesday’s sentencing hearing. Surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen described enduring debilitating anxiety since the night of the murders. "What he did shattered me in places I didn't know could break," Mortensen testified, detailing ongoing panic attacks and an inability to feel safe. Another roommate, Bethany Funke, also provided a statement read by a friend.

Steve Goncalves, father of Kaylee Goncalves, directly confronted Kohberger during his statement. “Today you've lost control,” he told the defendant, characterizing Kohberger as careless and foolish. “Nobody cares about you."

Kohberger had pleaded guilty on July 2 under a deal that prohibited appeals or leniency requests. Despite the guilty plea, Kohberger offered no explanation for his actions, leaving families and the community grappling with unanswered questions. Speculation had surfaced that Kohberger might use his silence strategically, possibly seeking future media attention.

Judge Hippler strongly condemned any notion of Kohberger capitalizing on notoriety. “In my view, the time has now come to end Mr. Kohberger's 15 minutes of fame,” the judge stated firmly. “It's time that he be consigned to the ignominy and isolation of perpetual incarceration."

Kohberger was identified through DNA evidence, digital tracking, and surveillance footage. Authorities linked a knife sheath left at the scene to Kohberger through DNA retrieved from trash at his family’s Pennsylvania home. Surveillance cameras and cellphone records meticulously tracked his movements on the night of the murders.