The father of University of Idaho murder victim Kaylee Goncalves is speaking out against the plea deal offered to Bryan Kohberger, accusing prosecutors of rushing the agreement and ignoring victims’ families in the process.
“We were not prepared for this — we had no idea that this was going to happen,” Steve Goncalves told ABC News, just hours after the deal was announced.
Kohberger, who is charged with the brutal stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students — Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin — will now avoid the death penalty under the terms of the plea deal. Instead, he will serve four consecutive life sentences for murder and receive the maximum 10-year sentence for burglary.
The agreement comes just weeks before the trial was set to begin, with opening arguments scheduled for August 18.
Families Caught Off Guard
According to Steve Goncalves, the idea of a plea deal was only mentioned at the end of a meeting with prosecutors last Friday.
“Up until that point, we had never even considered it,” he said. “It was described to me as, like, due diligence. We’re going to look at this option, see if it could fit.”
But Goncalves says families were never formally consulted on what justice should look like for their children.
“At the very least, justice should begin with a conversation with the families,” he said. “We didn’t get that.”
Prosecutors Cite Trial Risks
In a letter sent over the weekend, Latah County prosecutors told families they were planning to offer Kohberger a deal that would remove the death penalty in exchange for guilty pleas. The letter, reviewed by ABC News, said the decision was made after considering the risks of a lengthy trial — including the possibility of a mistrial, hung jury, or even acquittal — as well as the emotional toll and years of appeals that would follow a capital sentence.
Still, Goncalves is outraged that prosecutors were willing to negotiate at all.
“We can’t just let people come from other states, kill our kids while they’re sleeping, and then sit down and make a deal with them,” he said. “It’s sad, it’s disgusting, and I can’t pretend like this is justice.”
Trial Abruptly Ends
On Monday, families received a second letter notifying them that Kohberger had accepted the plea and would formally enter guilty pleas at a change-of-plea hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
“All of a sudden, the trial’s over,” Goncalves said. “Two and a half years of your life — just over.”
He added that the abrupt timing left his family scrambling to emotionally prepare and even make travel plans.
“A miracle has to happen in 24 hours for me to get justice,” he said.
Prosecutors Defend Decision
In Monday’s letter, prosecutors called the plea deal a “sincere attempt to seek justice” and said families’ input had weighed heavily in the process. They argued the agreement would deliver finality and spare the families a long legal battle, noting that Kohberger would waive all rights to appeal and pay restitution for funeral and crime victim expenses.
Sentencing is expected to take place in late July, assuming Kohberger follows through with the plea on Wednesday.
But for Steve Goncalves, none of it brings closure.
“It’s the opposite of what we wanted. It’s the opposite of what the majority of the families wanted,” he said. “We deserved more time, more respect, and a real shot at justice.”
