Bryan Kohberger sentencing: What are the charges against the Idaho murders suspect?

Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger is set to be sentenced on Wednesday, July 23, in a Boise, Idaho, courtroom.

Published on: Jul 23, 2025, 22:01:28 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger is set to be sentenced on Wednesday, July 23, in a Boise, Idaho, courtroom. The 30-year-old former PhD student of criminology is accused of stabbing Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves to death in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022, at a rental home near their campus in Moscow, Idaho.

Bryan Kohberger sentencing: What are the charges against the Idaho murders suspect? (Kyle Green/Pool via REUTERS) (via REUTERS)

Kohberger recently pleaded guilty to all counts in the horrific murders of the young students, sparing him from the death penalty. The plea deal infuriated family members of some of the victims, including Kaylee’s parents.

What are the charges against Bryan Kohberger?

Kohberger was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. He faces a life sentence for each of the four counts of first-degree murder, and 10 years on a burglary charge.

The sentencing began with a victim impact statement from surviving roommate Bethany Funke. Many others spoke in court, including the other surviving roommate, Dylan Mortensen, as well as family members of the victims.

Madison’s father, Ben Mogen, choked up as he said, “Maddie was my only child. … I thought we would have the rest of our lives together to be together and know each other, and I really took her for granted.”

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Ben also read aloud the last Father’s Day card Madison wrote him. The card read, “Happy Father’s Day. I hope you have the best day. I can’t wait till we can hang out again soon. I’ll be in Coeur d’Alene … hopefully we can find the time then. I love your birthday card that you sent me, by the way. Maybe we can see a concert sometime soon. I’d love to see the gorge when it’s not so smoky out. I hope you’re doing well. I’m proud of how far you’ve come. Thank you for always encouraging me to do my best. Love you lots and lots. Love, Maddie Mae.”

Ben said that “went through a lot of issues with addiction and substance abuse.” He added, “And when I wasn’t wanting to live anymore, she was what would keep me from just not caring anymore.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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