In a surprising and emotional moment during Bryan Kohberger’s sentencing, a family member of one of the victims, Xana Kernodle, said she forgave the man who brutally killed four University of Idaho students in 2022.
Kohberger, 30, appeared in court on Wednesday where he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The convicted killer, a former criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University, had earlier pleaded guilty in a deal to avoid the death penalty.
Despite facing the grieving families of the victims—Kernodle, Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, and Ethan Chapin—Kohberger offered no explanation for the crimes. When given the opportunity to speak in court, he declined.
“I have forgiven you”
Amid the heartbreak and anger, one victim’s aunt delivered a message of unexpected grace.
“Bryan, I’m here today to tell you I have forgiven you, because I no longer could live with that hate in my heart,” she said in court. “And for me to become a better person, I have forgiven you. And any time you want to talk and tell me what happened, get my number. I’m here. No judgment.”
Kohberger’s family—his mother and sister—sat silently in the courtroom and wept as the sentence was read.
Lingering Questions Remain
Although Kohberger has now been sentenced, many questions surrounding the case are still unanswered. Authorities say cellphone data shows he had been in the victims’ neighborhood several times before the murders, but they have yet to find any clear connection between him and the victims or the two surviving roommates.
Prosecutors say he tried to cover his tracks by cleaning his car thoroughly after the crime. He had also purchased a military-style knife and sheath from Amazon, according to police, but the weapon was never recovered.
“This case has haunted our community,” said Idaho State Police Lt. Darren Gilbertson after the hearing. “We still haven’t found any direct link between Kohberger and the victims.”
While some family members expressed fury and demanded justice—one father calling Kohberger a “complete joke”—others, like Kernodle’s aunt, chose to release their pain in a different way: through forgiveness.
