Latest news with #AubrieGoncalves
Fox News
2 days ago
- Fox News
Family of victim in Bryan Kohberger case say they were sent into 'panic mode' after plea deal
The family of Kaylee Goncalves — one of the victims of Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger — said Monday they were sent "scrambling" and "jumped into panic mode" after Kohberger accepted a plea deal to avoid the death penalty. Kohberger, 30, is accused of killing Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, in a 4 a.m. home invasion attack on Nov. 13, 2022. Goncalves' 18-year-old sister, Aubrie, said she refuses to stay silent and reaffirmed her family support for the death penalty in this case. She said she was unable to attend the family's meeting with prosecutors in person to make her case. She said what the victims' families have endured since the murders is "beyond comprehension," pointing to delays and the relocation of proceedings that made it harder for loved ones to attend. She argued that the justice system has placed "heavy burdens" on people "already carrying unimaginable grief" but that they have attempted to hold on to hope. "We've believed in the process. We've had faith in the system. But at this point, it is impossible not to acknowledge the truth: the system has failed these four innocent victims and their families," Aubrie wrote on the family's Facebook page. "These are not just names or headlines. Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, and Xana Kernodle were beautiful human beings who touched countless lives," she continued. "They are not just 'The Idaho Four.' They were sons, daughters, siblings, and friends—real people with real dreams. They deserve to be remembered for who they were in life, not only for the tragedy of their deaths. But before that can truly happen, they deserve justice. Nothing less." The introduction of the plea deal weeks before the scheduled trial is "both shocking and cruel," she said, adding that the families could have had time to "process, discuss and potentially come to terms with the idea of a life sentence" if it had come sooner. "Bryan Kohberger facing a life in prison means he would still get to speak, form relationships, and engage with the world," she said. "Meanwhile, our loved ones have been silenced forever. That reality stings more deeply when it feels like the system is protecting his future more than honoring the victims' pasts." She said the justice system "was created to serve and protect—not to retraumatize grieving families," adding: "time and time again, we find ourselves blindsided, unheard, and unsupported." "This last-minute plea deal feels less like an act of justice and more like an afterthought," she said. "We are not asking for vengeance. We are asking for accountability. We are asking for dignity for our loved ones. And we are asking—pleading—for a justice system that truly lives up to its name." The family said in another post that they vaguely spoke to prosecutors Friday about the possibility of a plea deal but that it was a "hard no" for them. They said the majority of the conversation was about the upcoming trial and nothing prepared them for the next steps. They said they received an email Sunday night that sent them "scrambling" and they "immediately jumped into panic mode and started making phone calls and sending emails." The family met with the prosecution again on Monday to reiterate their support for Kohberger receiving the death penalty. "Unfortunately all of our efforts did not matter," the family said. "We DID OUR BEST! We fought harder than anyone could EVER imagine." The four victims had all been stabbed multiple times with a large knife, according to prosecutors. Police recovered a Ka-Bar sheath that they allege had Kohberger's DNA on it near Mogen's body.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Sister of U. of Idaho Murder Victim Kaylee Goncalves Slams Plea Deal with Suspect Bryan Kohberger: 'The System Has Failed'
Bryan Koberger is accused of killing University of Idaho students Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in November 2022 The former Ph.D student has reportedly accepted a plea deal Goncalves' 18-year-old sister, Aubrie Goncalves, spoke out about the news in a statementKaylee Goncalves' 18-year-old sister, Aubrie Goncalves, is speaking out after her suspected killer, Bryan Kohberger, has reportedly accepted a plea deal. In December 2022, Kohberger was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary in connection with the November 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students: Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. Following his indictment by a grand jury in May 2023, a judge reportedly entered not-guilty pleas on his behalf after he exercised his right to remain silent during his arraignment. After waiving his right to a speedy trial in August 2023, the case was delayed indefinitely, pushing his trial to August 2025, per ABC News. According to a letter sent to victims' family members discussing a new plea agreement, cited by the outlet, however, Kohberger is expected to enter a guilty plea on all charges. This means he would be sentenced to four consecutive life sentences plus up to 10 years on the burglary charge. The former Ph.D student, who could have faced the death penalty if convicted, will also waive his appeal rights, per ABC News. Following the news, Goncalves' 18-year-old sister, Aubrie, penned a statement on the Goncalves Family Page on Facebook, stating that she would not stay silent, as what she and the families of the deceased have endured is "beyond comprehension." "From the constant delays to the relocation of proceedings—making it harder for loved ones to attend—the justice system has placed heavy burdens on those already carrying unimaginable grief. Through it all, we have tried to hold on to hope," Aubrie wrote. "We've believed in the process. We've had faith in the system. But at this point, it is impossible not to acknowledge the truth: the system has failed these four innocent victims and their families," she continued. Aubrie wrote that Mogen, Goncalves, Kernodle, and Chapin "deserve to be remembered for who they were in life, not only for the tragedy of their deaths." "But before that can truly happen, they deserve justice. Nothing less. The introduction of this plea deal, just weeks before the scheduled trial, is both shocking and cruel," wrote Aubrie. She said that if a plea deal would have been introduced earlier in the case the family could have had "time to process, discuss, and potentially come to terms with the idea of a life sentence—however difficult that may be. We could have had the time to understand it, to prepare for it emotionally, and perhaps even to find some degree of peace." "But now, with mere weeks left, we are being asked to absorb and respond to life-altering decisions with no room to breathe," wrote Aubrie. The teenager expressed that she feels that their loved ones have been "silenced forever," while Kohberger will "still get to speak, form relationships, and engage with the world," in prison. "That reality stings more deeply when it feels like the system is protecting his future more than honoring the victims' pasts," she said, noting that "this last-minute plea deal feels less like an act of justice and more like an afterthought." Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. "We are not asking for vengeance. We are asking for accountability. We are asking for dignity for our loved ones. And we are asking—pleading—for a justice system that truly lives up to its name," she said. The Goncalves family also published a follow-up post on Facebook, in which they said they did "talk to the prosecution on Friday about the POSSIBILITY of a plea deal and it was a HARD NO from our family." They said they met with prosecutors again on Monday to "reiterate our views on pushing for the death penalty." However, they continued, "Unfortunately all of our efforts did not matter. We DID OUR BEST! We fought harder then anyone could EVER imagine." Read the original article on People
