Idaho murders surviving roommate breaks silence in harrowing statement to Bryan Kohberger: Live updates

On Wednesday at the Ada County Courthouse in Idaho, one of two surviving roommates of the Idaho murders, Bethany Funke, released a statement to the court.

She did not appear in court herself. A friend read the statement to the court on her behalf.

‘I was roommates with Maddie, Kaylee, Xana and Ethan,’ she said.

‘I not only lost some of my best friends but I also lost a sister.’

Surviving Idaho murders roommate Dylan Mortensen is struggling to deliver her statement through her emotion, weeping as she addresses the court.

‘He is a hollow vessel, something less than human,’ she said.

‘He chose destruction, he chose evil. He tried to take everything from me.’

Bryan Kohberger appears emotionless as she speaks.

Dylan Mortensen is struggling to gain composure in court as she weeps through her statement in front of murderer Bryan Kohberger.

‘He took away my ability to trust the world around me,’ she said.

‘What happened that night changed everything.

‘Because of him, four beautiful, genuine, compassionate people were taken from this world for no reason,’ she continued.

Dylan Mortensen was a 19-year-old sophomore at the time of the murders.

She moved into 1122 King Road in the summer of 2022, after being taken under the wing of the older students.

Like Kernodle and Mogen, Mortensen was a member of Pi Beta Phi and her ‘Big’ was Kernodle’s best friend Emily Alandt.

According to friends and court documents, she was a self-described ‘scaredy cat’ and had called Alandt over to the home multiple times because she had heard noises that freaked her out.

At around 4am on November 13, 2022, Mortensen was woken by strange noises inside the home.

When she looked around her bedroom door on the second story, she saw Kohberger walk straight past her in the direction of the back door.

He was dressed in all black, wearing a mask and with bushy eyebrows.

She had no idea that this intruder had just murdered her four friends.

Bryan Kohberger is sitting at the defense table between his attorneys.

He is dressed in orange prison garb – a departure from previous court hearings where he was allowed to dress in a shirt and tie.

Family members of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle have been seen arriving at the courthouse.

Ethan Chapin’s parents Stacy and Jim Chapin said they would not be attending Bryan Kohberger’s sentencing. Instead, they plan to spend the day honoring their 20-year-old son in Priest Lake, Idaho, together with his triplet siblings Maizie and Hunter.

Steve and Kristi Gonclaves, father of Kaylee Gonclaves, enter the Ada County Courthouse, in Boise, Idaho

Ben Mogen and Korie Hatrock, Madison Mogen’s, father and step-mother, enter the Ada County Courthouse

The criminology PhD student struck a deal with prosecutors in which he admitted to killing Ethan Chapin, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Madison Mogen, 21, in their home as they slept in November 2022.

He is likely to be transferred out of maximum security at Ada County jail and into Idaho Maximum Security Institution after his sentencing hearing on July 23.

On Wednesday at the Ada County Courthouse, the court administrator briefed the public and media about the process of Kohberger’s sentencing hearing.

The court does not anticipate the sentencing hearing will run into Thursday, the court administrator said.

Donald Trump weighed in on the Idaho murders case on Monday and said that quadruple killer Bryan Kohberger should be forced to explain why he committed the atrocities.

Trump demanded that the judge require Kohberger to give an explanation for his heinous crimes during his sentencing hearing on Wednesday after taking the plea deal.

‘Bryan Kohberger, who was responsible, in Idaho, for the deaths of four wonderful young souls, has made a plea bargain deal in order to avoid the Death Penalty. These were vicious murders, with so many questions left unanswered,’ the president said on Truth Social Monday.

‘While Life Imprisonment is tough, it’s certainly better than receiving the Death Penalty but, before Sentencing, I hope the Judge makes Kohberger, at a minimum, explain why he did these horrible murders.

‘There are no explanations, there is no NOTHING. People were shocked that he was able to plea bargain, but the Judge should make him explain what happened. Thank you for your attention to this matter!’

Early in the morning of November 13, 2022, four University of Idaho students were found brutally stabbed to death in their off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho.

The victims were Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. Maddie and Kaylee, both asleep in Maddie’s bed, were killed first.

It was just after 4am but Xana was still up having ordered a food delivery; he stabbed her next before moving onto kill Ethan where he slept.

There were no signs of forced entry – the lock of the door he slipped through was broken – and two other roommates inside the house survived.

It was the middle of the night when armed officers stormed the quiet Pennsylvania home of Bryan Kohberger, the criminology student who pled guilty to killing four University of Idaho students in one of the most chilling murder cases in recent memory.

Now, shocking new details about the night of his arrest have come to light in the Daily Mail’s new podcast On the Case: The Idaho Murders, hosted by Investigative Reporter Laura Collins.

In the first episode of the new mini-series released today, Collins and Pulitzer nominated author Howard Blum – whose bestselling book explores the case in depth – reveal the extraordinary lengths authorities went to when finally cornering their suspect.

According to Blum, law enforcement launched a high-stakes midnight operation with helicopters, SWAT teams, and snipers trained on the Kohberger family home.

And it wasn’t just Bryan they were after.

As the officers burst in, they didn’t know what—or who—they might encounter.

Why did Bryan Kohberger do it? Listen to the full episode of On The Case: The Idaho Murders here.

As large crowds gathered outside the Ada County Courthouse, police have taken extra measures to ensure public safety.

Those admitted into the courthouse were searched by an Idaho State Police explosives detection dog, according to the Idaho Statesman.

They then went through the court’s regular security screening and an additional screening on the fourth floor, where the hearing will take place.

Xana Kernodle’s family was allowed to enter through the back of the courthouse, and police warned that anyone caught loitering near the back entrance would be arrested.

Ethan Chapin, 20, was in his freshman year at the University of Idaho, where he majored in sports management and was part of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

The athletic, outgoing student grew up in Conway, Washington, with his parents Stacy and Jim Chapin and triplet siblings Maizie and Hunter – who attended the same college.

Chapin and Kernodle were dating, with the Chapins fondly noting how the young couple were ‘getting serious’.

Family and friends remember Chapin for his lively, fun personality, with his mom telling Daily Mail ‘he was the clown of the family and he lifted any room that we were all in’.

‘I would say he was the top of the triplet pyramid. All things went through Ethan. He kept us all in check,’ she said.

Slain University of Idaho student Xana Kernodle with Ethan Chapin

Kaylee Goncalves, 21, grew up in a big family – the middle of five children to Kristi and Steve Goncalves – in Rathdrum, Idaho.

She and Mogen went to school together and were inseparable from sixth grade, even choosing to go to the University of Idaho together. Goncalves was in her senior year majoring in general studies and was a ‘Big’ sister in the Alpha Phi sorority.

Ambitious and driven, she had already lined up a job in IT for when she graduated. The role meant she was about to move across the country for a new start in Austin, Texas.

Friend Shayla Anderson told Daily Mail Goncalves had a ‘strong-willed, fierce personality from the day that we met.’ ‘She was the best person to give advice, although I regret not always taking it. But Kaylee was such a strong person and young woman,’ she said.

Kaylee Goncalves is pictured below

Xana Kernodle, 20, was in her junior year at the University of Idaho where she majored in marketing and was a Pi Beta Phi sorority sister. She also worked at the Mad Greek restaurant.

Before going off to college, Kernodle grew up in Avondale, Arizona, and then Post Falls, Idaho, with her dad Jeff Kernodle and older sister Jazzmin Kernodle. Her mother had battled drug addiction and was in and out of jail throughout her childhood.

To those who knew her, Kernodle was the life and soul of the party – someone who was always having fun and acting spontaneously.

Best friend Emily Alandt pointed to the way Kernodle first introduced herself to the sorority as a representation of her vibrant, outgoing character. ‘I’m Xana, pronounced ‘Xanax’ without the -x,’ she recalled in new book ‘The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy.’

Xana Kernodle’s dad Jeff Kernodle, left, Xana, middle, and sister Jazzmin Kernodle, right

Maddie Mogen’s family has publicly supported the plea deal, saying it allows them to ‘embark on a path of hope and healing.’

Outside the courthouse at the change of plea hearing on July 2, Leander James – attorney for her mom Karen and stepdad Scott Laramie – said they believe it ‘is the best outcome for the victims, their families and the state of Idaho.’

Mogen’s father Ben Mogen told CBS News he was also ‘relieved’ that the deal means Bryan Kohberger will never be freed.

It is not clear if the family plans to speak at the sentencing hearing.

Xana Kernodle and her older sister Jazzmin Kernodle were raised by their dad Jeff Kernodle.

Their mom Cara Northington has grappled with drug abuse and spent much of their childhoods in and out of prison.

Earlier this month, Jeff said he was ‘disappointed’ with the prosecution for striking a plea deal and said he wished it had at least required Bryan Kohberger to reveal details about his crimes.

Northington told the Daily Mail earlier this month she also plans to attend the hearing and deliver a statement to the court.

Madison ‘Maddie’ Mogen, 21, grew up as an only child in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, with her mom Karen Laramie and stepdad Scott Laramie.

On the surface, she was a quiet, girly girl who loved pink – a balance to her more outgoing best friend.

But, Mogen was also known for her funny sense of humor and unwavering kindness towards others.

‘We were in Seattle one time, and I’m watching her as an adult, going shopping and being in these stores, and I’m like: ‘You’re just so kind to everybody. Like, did we really ingrain that in you? That’s amazing,’’ her mom told NBC’s Today show. ‘She just had that genuine love that’s just impossible to describe.’

Mogen was in her senior year studying marketing, was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority and worked at the Mad Greek restaurant in Moscow. She had planned to move to Boise after graduating, where her boyfriend of two years Jake Schriger was living.

Madison Mogen is pictured, left, with her mother Karen Laramie, right

Judge Hippler is expected to sentence Kohberger to life in prison without the possibility of parole, in line with the controversial plea deal struck between the defense and prosecution in the case.

In an unexpected change of plea hearing on July 2, Kohberger pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary.

Under the terms of the plea deal, Kohberger will avoid the death penalty and will be sentenced to four consecutive life sentences for each of the murders, plus the maximum penalty of 10 years on the burglary count.

Kohberger also agreed to waive his right to appeal the plea and sentence as part of the agreement.

Bryan Kohberger grew up in a quiet, rural neighborhood in the Poconos region of Pennsylvania with his parents Michael and MaryAnn and older sisters Amanda and Melissa.

As a child, he was shy and overweight – with former classmates saying he was bullied.

In his teenage years, Kohberger began using heroin – an addiction that resulted in multiple rehab stints and an incident where his father called police after he stole his sister’s cell phone and sold it for drugs.

After getting clean, Kohberger turned his attention to pursuing an education in criminology.

First, he went to DeSales University, Pennsylvania, where he earned a degree in psychology and a Masters in criminal justice under renowned serial killer expert Dr. Katherine Ramsland.

In the summer of 2022, he then moved across the country to enroll in a criminology PhD program at Washington State University – just over the border from the University of Idaho campus. As part of his education, Kohberger learned about the minds of killers – and intricate details about crime scenes.

Steve Goncalves, whose daughter Kaylee was among the four students murdered, voiced his frustration over the lack of public disclosure about Kohberger, a criminology graduate student at Washington State University.

Following the sentencing, Kohberger will be transferred to the custody of the Idaho Department of Correction, which will determine which prison will become home for the rest of his life.

Due to the severity of his crime – and the high-profile nature of the case – Kohberger is expected to be sent to the state’s only maximum security facility.

Idaho Maximum Security Institution, which has been open since 1989, is home to other notorious inmates including doomsday cult killer Chad Daybell, who sits on death row.

While Kohberger begins his lifetime behind bars, more information is expected to come to light about the murders.

The gag order was lifted last week, finally allowing attorneys, law enforcement and other officials to speak about the case.

At the time, both the prosecution and the defense said they would not make any statements until after the sentencing.

Judge Hippler said the court will also begin the painstaking process to review all the records in the case to determine what can be unsealed and made public.

Judge Hippler is expected to sentence Kohberger to life in prison without the possibility of parole, in line with the controversial plea deal struck between the defense and prosecution in the case.

In an unexpected change of plea hearing on July 2, Kohberger pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary.

Under the terms of the plea deal, Kohberger will avoid the death penalty and will be sentenced to four consecutive life sentences for each of the murders, plus the maximum penalty of 10 years on the burglary count.

Kohberger also agreed to waive his right to appeal the plea and sentence as part of the agreement.

Before the judge hands down his sentence, Kohberger will also be given the opportunity to speak to the court – giving him one final opportunity to reveal why he decided to commit his heinous crime.

After pleading guilty, a defendant is given a formal opportunity – called an allocution – to address the court to express remorse, accept responsibility and explain any mitigating circumstances they want the judge to consider in deciding their sentence.

It is unclear if Kohberger plans to take that opportunity.

There is no legal obligation for him to speak to the court or to explain his motive.

Some of the victims’ families have voiced their frustration that this was not a requirement of his plea deal.

President Donald Trump has also weighed in on the matter, taking to Truth Social Monday to urge the judge to force Kohberger to ‘explain why he did these horrible murders’ in Wednesday’s hearing.

Since his arrest, Kohberger has cut a largely silent figure.

At his change of plea hearing earlier this month, he gave only one-word answers to the judge’s questions confirming he was guilty of the horrific crime.

He offered no answers to the questions lingering in the case, including his motive for the murders, who his intended target was and how he chose his victims.

During the sentencing, the families and friends of the victims will be given the opportunity to confront the man who slaughtered their loved ones when they deliver victim impact statements to the court.

Many have already revealed their plans to do so, including members of the Goncalves family and Kernodle’s mom Cara Northington.

Chapin’s parents have said the family will not attend the hearing, instead planning to do something together in their son’s memory.

As well as the families, the two surviving roommates Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke and other friends of the victims will also have the chance to speak publicly for the first time.

Those who do want to address the court can speak in-person themselves or have a representative read out a statement on their behalf.

Hours before a heinous crime which instilled fear into the small college town of Moscow, Idaho, and rattled the entire nation, six friends stood smiling on the porch of their off-campus student accommodation.

Bryan Kohberger, dressed in dark clothing, donning a mask and without any obvious motive, would that night sneak into their home at 1122 King Road and stab four of them to death, spattering walls with blood as he prowled from room to room.

University of Idaho student killer Bryan Kohberger will be sentenced today for the brutal killings of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves.

The sentencing hearing is scheduled to begin at 9am MT on July 23 in Ada County Courthouse and is expected to last the full day.

Judge Steven Hippler has also set aside Thursday should it run into a second day.

Public seating in the courtroom is first-come, first-served. The hearing will also be livestreamed.

Unlike other court hearings where Kohberger has been allowed to wear his own clothes, he will be forced to appear in court in prison garb.

Outside Ada County Courthouse, around 40 members of the public and media were already in line by 4am local time.

The court has a strict no camping rule but some people began lining up outside by around 9pm Tuesday – 12 hours before the hearing begins.

The court cleared the line and said people could only line up from 4am.

A makeshift line had formed over the road from the court before the Daily Mail arrived around 3am.

Some arguing broke out as people cut in front just before the line relocated to the courthouse.

There seems to be a mix of media and crime sleuths – including a group who have traveled to many cases together.