Full Confession From Idaho College Student Murderer Released After He Avoids Death Penalty

Bryan Kohberger's full one-page murder confession has been released by county officials, but it didn't provide an explanation or motivation behind his crimes. Kohberger admitted to breaking into an off-campus house near Idaho State University, stabbing and murdering four college students in November of 2022.

Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, suffered stab wounds from a knife not yet recovered. Kohberger's DNA was found on the knife sheath lying next to Mogen's body.

In the document published by the Fourth Judicial District Court, Kohberger admits to four counts of premeditated first-degree murder, as well as one count of burglary.

Kohberger was a student at Washington State University 10 miles away, with no apparent connection to the University of Idaho student victims. He is set to hear formal sentencing on July 23.

The self-confessed murderer signed a plea deal accepting life in prison without the possibility of parole, avoiding a trial and possible execution by firing squad.

Although Kohberger was a criminology PhD student, he left a trail of evidence after his killing spree. Along with the DNA on the scene, officials also found security camera footage of his car and cellular tower records before and after the murders.

Had the trial gone forth, as it was set to next month, the jurors would decide whether Kohberger received the death penalty or life in prison. The Goncalves family publicly opposed Kohberger's plea deal.

In a statement, the Goncalves family asked the courts to "require a full confession, full accountability, location of the murder weapon, confirmation the defendant acted alone, [and] the true facts of what happened that night."

"We deserve to know when the beginning of the end was," the statement said.