The family of Kaylee Goncalves, one of the University of Idaho students murdered by Bryan Kohberger, has opened up about the young woman’s harrowing last moments in a social media post. Kohberger has been accused of brutally stabbing Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee to death in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022, at a rental home near their campus in Moscow, Idaho.
The Gonclaves family was furious about a plea deal that would help Kohberger dodge the death penalty. They expressed their anger in various posts on their Facebook family page. In one of those posts, they opened up about how Kohberger showed no mercy to Kaylee.
‘It was clear that she fought for her life’
“I am sorry if you don't agree with our recent decisions on the plea deal. BK literally is too afraid to die, but he wasn't afraid to kill. BK wanted a plea deal and he was given one. Kaylee wasn't offered a plea deal. The state is showing BK mercy by removing the death penalty. BK did not show Kaylee ANY mercy. People tell us we should be happy with life in prison without parole as he will never get out(how is that not a win they ask) well the death penalty also means life on death row. We knew it would be decades before he ever would face the firing squad. We knew that his execution was not going to happen anytime soon, BUT his life on DEATH ROW while serving his time would have been much worse than serving his time as life in prison. He doesn't deserve life in prison. He deserved life on death row,” the family wrote.
They revealed that Kohberger beat Kaylee before killing her.
{{/usCountry}}They revealed that Kohberger beat Kaylee before killing her.
{{/usCountry}}“Also people say that the Goncalves don't want justice, they want vengeance,” the post adds. “Well let me ask you a question about that...if your 21yr old daughter was sleeping in her bed and BK went into her house with the intention to kill her and he did, by stabbing her MANY times, as well as beating her in the face and head while it was clear that she fought for her life...what would you want? Justice or vengeance ? Maybe a little bit of both? I'm curious how you all would feel. It gets so old having people say we want vengeance and make it sound like we are animals for having those feelings... I just find it so hard that so many people are judging us and they have never stepped foot in our shoes.”
In the same post, the family decided torefund more than $85,000 they received on a GoFundMe that was launched during Kohberger’s trial. “Please give me time to figure out the best way to do this,” they wrote.