After nearly three years of high-stakes legal drama, Bryan Kohberger—the man accused of brutally killing four University of Idaho students—is expected to plead guilty today in a Boise courtroom.
It’s a moment the victims’ families, the public, and the media have waited for since November 2022.
Instead of facing a lengthy capital murder trial, Kohberger has chosen to admit guilt in exchange for life in prison without parole.
But this move has triggered mixed emotions, unanswered questions, and public outrage.
The Shocking Plea Deal That Changed Everything
Kohberger’s defense team reached out to prosecutors just days ago, initiating talks about a possible plea deal.
It came after their legal strategy—blaming another unnamed suspect and citing an autism diagnosis to argue against the death penalty—fell apart in court.
On Monday, Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson made the offer: admit guilt and avoid the death penalty.
If Judge Steven Hippler approves the deal at today’s hearing, Kohberger could be sentenced before the end of July.
What the Judge Will Ask Kohberger in Court
During the hearing at 11 a.m. MDT at the Ada County Courthouse, Judge Hippler is expected to ask Kohberger a direct and chilling question: did he “willfully, unlawfully, deliberately with premeditation and with malice aforethought” stab the four students to death?
If Kohberger answers “yes,” he’ll formally accept responsibility for the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin.
This would mark the first time Kohberger has spoken publicly in court—at his arraignment, he stood silent while a not guilty plea was entered for him.
Families Divided and Furious Over the Outcome
While some families support the plea as a way to avoid dragging the case out even longer, others are livid.
Kaylee Goncalves’s father, Steve, has been especially vocal.
He criticized the prosecution, accusing them of taking the decision away from a jury and calling the deal a betrayal of justice.
“They failed us,” he said, demanding the judge reject the agreement.
A Courtroom Full of Emotion
Outside the courthouse this morning, reporters and onlookers lined up well before sunrise.
Inside, seats have been reserved for the victims’ families, as well as Kohberger’s own parents—who issued their first public statement since his arrest, asking for privacy and “responsible judgment.”
As the world watches, the courtroom will bear witness to a man admitting to one of the most shocking crimes in recent American memory.
Disturbing New Evidence Surfaces
Earlier this year, a batch of evidence was unsealed, including 17 panicked text messages exchanged between survivors Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, sent just minutes after the stabbings.
The texts, followed hours later by a 911 call, captured the confusion and horror in the immediate aftermath.
These messages, along with newly released details from the 911 call, paint a terrifying picture of what unfolded in that Moscow, Idaho home.
Kohberger Once Tried to Shift the Blame
In a last-minute effort to escape the death penalty, Kohberger’s defense team tried to cast doubt on his guilt.
They even pointed the finger at a different, unnamed suspect—an “alternate perpetrator” they claimed was responsible for the crime.
But the argument didn’t hold up, and the strategy failed.
Faced with the reality that execution remained on the table, Kohberger chose to plead guilty instead.
The Prosecutor Under Fire
Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson, who’s been in office since 1992, has come under scrutiny.
Some local residents and even victims’ families accused him of going soft on Kohberger or making a deal to avoid a lengthy trial and retirement complications.
There’s speculation that Thompson, who is in his late 60s or early 70s, didn’t want to take on years of appeals in such a massive case.
His office has not commented further.
Legal Loopholes Still Lurk in the Background
While the deal takes the death penalty off the table and waives Kohberger’s right to appeal, some experts say there’s still a chance—however slim—that future legal moves could bring the death sentence back into play.
For now, the plan is life behind bars, with no parole and no appeals.
A Criminology Professor’s Haunting Question
One particularly unsettling twist in the case involves Dr. Katherine Ramsland, Kohberger’s former professor and an expert in forensic psychology.
She once called him a promising student.
But after his arrest, she began to wonder: could her academic work have somehow inspired him?
It’s a question she’s been forced to wrestle with—one that adds a chilling layer to a case already filled with tragedy.
What Happens Next?
If Judge Hippler accepts the plea today, Bryan Kohberger will officially be convicted of one of the most horrific campus killings in U.S. history.
He’ll spend the rest of his life in prison.
But the families of the victims—and the public—may never get full answers about what happened that night.
And for many, that lack of closure is the hardest part of all.