Idaho Murder Motive: The family of an Idaho murder victim comes out after the gag order in the Bryan Kohberger case was removed. “We still don’t know the motive”
The parents of an Idaho college student who was brutally murdered in 2022 say they still don’t know why Bryan Kohberger killed their daughter, even after pleading guilty to escape the death sentence.
Steve and Kristi Goncalves, whose daughter Kaylee was one of four University of Idaho students stabbed to death in November 2022, told “CBS Mornings Plus” on Friday that they are still seeking answers.
“We still don’t know the motive,” stated Steve Goncalves. “I don’t believe they want people to know their motivation.
I don’t believe they want people to know when he initially appeared on their radar.
The family’s attorney, Shannon Gray, said that “motive was always an issue” in the case.
Kohberger pled guilty earlier this month to murdering Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin at their off-campus rented house.
The plea agreement protected him from the death penalty, instead ensuring him life in jail without the possibility of release.
The victims’ families were split over the plea agreement, with the Goncalves family arguing that life in jail is insufficient retribution.
The Goncalves family said earlier this month that the plea agreement was “unexpected” and that the state had “failed” them.
The lawyers requested that the plea agreement “require a full confession, full accountability, location of the murder weapon, confirmation the defendant acted alone, & the true facts of what happened that night.”
Following Kohberger’s guilty plea to the killings on July 2, prosecutors went over the evidence they would have presented in court if the case had gone to trial. However, they did not name a motivation.
The Goncalves family claims they know more about the case than the wider public since a gag order was just recently removed.
The family’s counsel intends to obtain discovery papers from prosecutors, such as police reports, pictures, and investigation files, which might reveal further information about the case.
“We don’t know any more than pretty much everybody else,” Kristi Goncalves said. “With this gag order being lifted, it will allow us to know more of what happened to our daughter.”
Steve Goncalves said he wanted to hear basic details about his daughter’s murder before writing a victim impact statement, such as how many times she was stabbed and if she was suffocated.
“I think by hiding the truth, we’re protecting our killers,” said the man. “We have to show the ugliness of what this person did.”
Steve Goncalves thinks Kohberger, who has a master’s degree in criminology, may still wield power behind bars by assisting other offenders with legal issues and creating legal documents for other prisoners.
“He understands that he may prepare legal documents for other convicts and provide favors. “He can still have an impact,” remarked Steve Goncalves. “He’ll still be allowed to do interviews.
He’ll still be allowed to assist other convicts with tasks. Get them medications; all of this will help him have a better and more meaningful existence on the inside.”
Kaylee’s parents characterized Kohberger as having “zero remorse” and behaved “like a robot, a killing robot” in court.
“Perhaps he might walk in there and say, ‘I went in there for one reason: I lusted.
Steve Goncalves remarked, “I had a moment when I was drunk or on drugs, and everything went crazy.” “That would make more sense.”
Kohberger is scheduled to be sentenced on July 23.