It was an emotional and defiant day in court as the family of Kaylee Goncalves, one of the four students murdered in the horrific Idaho killings, finally got their chance to speak directly to the man accused of taking her life—Bryan Kohberger.
At Kohberger’s sentencing hearing in Boise, Idaho, Kaylee’s loved ones didn’t hold back.
What unfolded was a raw, heartbreaking, and at times blistering series of statements that left the courtroom shaken.
Alivea Goncalves Faces the Killer
Kaylee’s sister, Alivea Goncalves, stood tall and fierce as she delivered a powerful impact statement that left no doubt about how she viewed her sister’s killer.
Fixing her eyes on Kohberger, she demanded, “Sit up straight when I talk to you.” There was no fear in her voice—only fire.
“I won’t stand here and give you what you want,” she said.
“I won’t give you tears. Instead, I will call you what you are: a sociopath, a psychopath, a murderer.”
A Scathing Takedown of Kohberger’s Ego
Alivea didn’t stop there. She ripped into Kohberger’s perceived intelligence and ego, calling him “a textbook case of insecurity disguised as control.”
“You spent months preparing, and still all it took was my sister and a sheath,” she said.
“You’re as dumb as they come. Stupid, dumb, weak, dirty.”
In a bold move, she even used Kohberger’s own academic research against him—specifically referencing the disturbing Reddit survey he once conducted for his criminology studies at DeSales University.
“You Picked the Wrong Family”
Alivea wasn’t the only one who had words for Kohberger.
Kaylee’s father, Steve Goncalves, also delivered a gut-punching statement.
Standing just feet from the man accused of murdering his daughter, he said: “Today, you have no name.
Even the media calls you BK. That’s all you are.”
Mocking Kohberger’s education, he added, “A Master’s degree? You’re a joke, a complete joke.”
Reading from his phone, he told Kohberger, “You picked the wrong family—and we are laughing at you.”
Despite the heavy atmosphere, the courtroom broke into applause at several points during the statements.
A Family United in Defiance
Kristi Goncalves, Kaylee’s mother, also stood up to address the man who shattered her world.
She reminded Kohberger that the damage he caused stretched far beyond that night and that house in Moscow, Idaho.
“You left a trail of devastation far beyond that house,” she said.
She didn’t shy away from expressing her disappointment that Kohberger wouldn’t face the firing squad.
Still, she made a chilling remark: “Your fellow inmates are anxiously awaiting your arrival.”
Kaylee’s youngest sister, Aubree, had her words delivered through their mother.
With biting sarcasm, she said: “You might be getting A’s, but you’ll be getting big D’s in prison.”
No Answers, No Remorse
Throughout the emotional testimonies, Kohberger sat completely still—showing no expression, no reaction.
He gave no hint of remorse, no acknowledgment of the pain his actions had caused.
This hearing marked what could be the final opportunity for the 30-year-old PhD student to speak, to explain why he entered that off-campus house and took four lives.
But Kohberger remained silent.
Family Rejects Plea Deal, Demands Justice
The Goncalves family had already made it clear—they were not in favor of any plea deal.
In fact, Steve Goncalves was seen protesting outside the Ada County Courthouse during a hearing earlier this month, holding firm in his belief that justice must be fully served.
What happens next in the legal process may be uncertain, but one thing is crystal clear:
Kaylee Goncalves’ family refuses to let her memory be defined by silence, and they made sure her voice was heard—loud and unapologetic—through theirs.