Bryan Kohberger, who pleaded guilty to the murders of four University of Idaho students, reportedly went back to the scene of the crime to take a chilling photo.
Kohberger, 30, confessed in a Boise courtroom to the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20, crimes that took place on November 13, 2022, in Moscow, Idaho.
Judge Steven Hippler called on Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson to lay out the case details following the guilty plea.
Thompson shared many previously known details, including video footage of a car similar to Kohberger's near the scene on the night of the murders and Kohberger’s purchase of the same weapon used in the killings on Amazon.
A chilling detail was also revealed: Kohberger returned to the murder scene a few hours after the killings, before the victims’ bodies were discovered, per PEOPLE.
According to Thompson, Kohberger’s phone was tracked to the residence at around 9:00AM and stayed for about 10 minutes before he returned to his Washington State University dorm.
Once back, Kohberger took a selfie grinning with a thumbs-up gesture.
The confession came just two days after Kohberger struck a deal with prosecutors, where he pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary.
In exchange, the prosecution agreed not to seek the death penalty and instead recommended four consecutive life sentences plus up to 10 years on the burglary charge. Kohberger also waived his right to file an appeal and to a jury trial, per ABC News.
His sentencing is now scheduled for July 23.
Kohberger, a PhD criminology student at Washington State University, was arrested in December 2022 at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania.
Police linked him to the murders using DNA found on a leather knife sheath left at the scene and cellphone pings that placed him near the home multiple times before the attack.
A white Hyundai Elantra connected to Kohberger was also recorded near the crime scene that night.
Court documents revealed police recovered a knife, a Glock pistol, black gloves, a black hat, and a black face mask during a search of Kohberger’s family home. Kohberger was indicted by a grand jury in May 2023.
His defense team questioned the DNA evidence’s accuracy and moved the trial location, arguing Kohberger would not receive a fair trial locally.
They cited Kohberger’s autism diagnosis while attempting, unsuccessfully, to have the death penalty removed as a sentencing option.
The plea deal has divided the victims’ families. The Mogen and Chapin families supported the deal, while the Kernodle and Goncalves families expressed disappointment, wanting the case to go to trial.
The Goncalves family confirmed the plea agreement on Facebook, writing: “It’s true! We are beyond furious at the State of Idaho. They have failed us.”
Moscow Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson acknowledged the family’s pain, stating in a letter: “We cannot fathom the toll that this case has taken on your family. This resolution is our sincere attempt to seek justice for your family.
"This agreement ensures that the defendant will be convicted, will spend the rest of his life in prison, and will not be able to put you and the other families through the uncertainty of decades of post-conviction appeals.”
Aubrie Goncalves, Kaylee’s sister, wrote on Facebook, cited by the New York Post: “The introduction of this plea deal, just weeks before the scheduled trial, is both shocking and cruel.”