When the shocking murders of four University of Idaho students rocked the community back in 2022, everyone was desperate to understand why something so terrible happened.
One of the victims, Kaylee Goncalves, left behind her grieving father, Steve Goncalves, who has been seeking answers ever since.
Now, more than three years later, Steve is opening up about troubling new details that might shed light on the motive behind the killings.
Disturbing Online Habits Raise Questions
Steve revealed that Bryan Kohberger, the criminology graduate student charged with the murders, had “weird porn fetishes” that may explain why the crime occurred.
According to Steve, sources close to the investigation told him about some of Kohberger’s disturbing online searches, including phrases like “drunk passed out girls” and “gagging girls.”
Steve shared with NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield that many people who followed the trial were outraged and contacted the family, sharing what they knew about Kohberger’s digital activity.
This, he says, suggests a sexual motivation behind the murders — a detail that prosecutors have publicly denied.
Prosecutors Deny Sexual Motive, But Family Disagrees
During Kohberger’s plea hearing on July 2, where he admitted to the murders to avoid the death penalty, Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson was clear: there was no sexual assault involved.
Thompson stated on record that no evidence suggested any sexual component to the killings.
But Steve Goncalves isn’t convinced. “I don’t care what Thompson said,” he told reporters.
He suspects the truth is more complicated and that the timeline prevented a full sexual assault from occurring during the crime.
Clues from the Crime Scene and Coroner’s Report
Steve pointed out that some of the details from Kohberger’s online activity mirrored elements found at the crime scene.
He also mentioned something chilling that Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt told him — that Kaylee had injuries around her mouth, as if someone tried to silence her.
Demonstrating on air, Steve described how it looked like someone had pressed on Kaylee’s mouth to keep her quiet.
This adds a layer of complexity to the case and challenges the official narrative that sexual assault wasn’t involved.
Frustration Over Lack of Transparency
Despite the gag order being lifted, Steve says the families still don’t have the full picture of what happened that night.
This lack of transparency has made it difficult for them to deliver fully informed victim impact statements ahead of Kohberger’s sentencing.
“You only get one chance to be a victim’s advocate and speak your truth,” Steve said.
“But they’re not letting us know exactly what happened. It’s just terrible.”
Sentencing Looms, Families Struggle to Move Forward
Bryan Kohberger, now 30, is set to be sentenced to life in prison this Wednesday under the plea deal.
Steve has been outspoken against the agreement and revealed he won’t be attending the sentencing.
“Why are you defending somebody who just killed four people?” he asked.
“We’re just glad to be done with it and want to move on.”