The first meal Bryan Kohberger was served in prison has been revealed, after the 30-year-old was sentenced to four consecutive life terms for the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students in their off-campus home in Moscow on November 13, 2022.
Kohberger entered the students’ shared residence around 4AM, fatally stabbing Madison Mogen, 21; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20, as they slept. Two surviving housemates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, were left unharmed, even though Kohberger appeared to be aware of their presence, CNN detailed.
On July 2, Kohberger accepted a plea deal, admitting to the killings and waiving his right to appeal in exchange for avoiding the death penalty. The decision sparked outrage among some of the victims' families (most vocally the Goncalves family) who felt justice fell short.
During a series of emotional victim impact statements, Kaylee’s sister Alivea Goncalves delivered a searing address that went viral. Calling Kohberger a “delusional, pathetic, hypochondriac loser,” her words resonated widely, earning praise for their raw power.
Speaking to ABC News, Alivea reflected on her statement: “I had one shot at it, and I was gonna make the most of it. I went off memory because I didn’t want to break eye contact... Man, was he mad. That was the point, to make him feel small.”
Throughout the hearing, Kohberger sat emotionless, except for a brief smirk during Alivea’s address. When offered the chance to speak, he simply replied: “I respectfully decline.”
Newly released police documents revealed the full horror of the crimes. Kaylee Goncalves had been stabbed over 30 times and suffered extensive defensive wounds. Her injuries were so severe that she was described as “unrecognisable,” details her family chose to share publicly to show she fought back.
Following his sentencing, Kohberger was transferred to the Idaho Maximum Security Institution (IMSI), one of the most notoriously harsh prisons in the country. Opened in 1989 to house the state’s most dangerous inmates, IMSI has faced allegations of abuse, unsanitary conditions, and violent incidents.
Now serving his sentence there, Kohberger will spend the rest of his life behind bars. The prison provides basic meals, with vegan options available. On the night he arrived, dinner included hotdogs, salad, and Jello pie.
IMSI is also home to other notorious criminals, including serial killers Gerald Pizzuto and Thomas Eugene Creech, and doomsday cultist Chad Daybell.