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News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
‘He was mad': Detail we missed as killer confronted in court
The young woman who bravely confronted her sister's killer as he was jailed for life has detailed the moment we all missed in the blistering courtroom take-down. Alivea Goncalves, sister of murdered Kaylee Goncalves, has opened up about her decision to give Bryan Kohberger a verbal shakedown during his sentencing. Kohberger was given four consecutive life sentences after he snuck into the shared home of Idaho State University students Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20 and Ethan Chapin, 20 in Moscow, Idaho. All four were stabbed to death in their beds by Kohberger, now 30, at around 4am on November 13, 2022. Two other flatmates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, were unharmed, despite Kohberger being seemingly aware they were there. Kohberger agreed to a plea deal on July 2 that saw him admit to the murders and waive his right to appeal in exchange for not getting the death penalty. The legal move left some of the victim's families outraged, including the Goncalves', prompting family members to channel that anger during their powerful, and unforgettable, victim impact statements. Videos of Alivea's blistering take-down of Kohberger, which saw the 26-year-old call him 'a delusional, pathetic, hypochondriac loser', quickly went viral around the world – with many praising her courage. She has now spoken out about her brave statement, revealing she was 'fuelled by seeing the rage on his face', as well as revealing the detail we all missed. 'I had one shot at it and I was gonna make the most of it,' she told ABC News. 'I went off memory because I didn't want to break eye contact. 'Man … was he mad. That was obviously a big point of why I did what I did, to make him feel small.' Alivea added that she was 'prepared to be arrested' for telling Kohberger he was 'as dumb as they come, stupid, clumsy, slow, sloppy, weak, dirty'. But at one point during her victim impact statement, Kohberger appeared to take sick pleasure in the verbal lashing — flashing a slight grin at Alivea. Other than that brief moment, he wore a blank expression on his face through the entire proceeding despite Alivea's powerful statement. He also stayed silent when he was given the chance to address the court, stating: 'I respectfully decline.' Her comments come after police reports taken from the scene were made public, revealing Ms Goncalves – who was murdered alongside her lifelong best friend Maddie Mogen – was stabbed more than 30 times and had defensive wounds on her body. The 21-year-old was described as 'unrecognisable as her facial structure was extremely damaged,' the documents stated, a 'gruesome and graphic' detail Alivea said the family wanted made public to let people know 'Kaylee absolutely fought for her life'. During the courtroom confrontation, Alivea drew a large applause as she ordered Kohberger to 'sit up straight when I talk to you'. 'Let me be very clear. Don't ever try to convince yourself you mattered just because someone finally said your name out loud,' she told the convicted killer. 'I see through you. 'You want the truth? Here's the one you'll hate the most: If you hadn't attacked them in their sleep, in the middle of the night like a paedophile, Kaylee would have kicked your f***ing ass.' Kristi Goncalves, Kaylee's mum, also delivered a colourful condemnation of her daughter's murderer. 'Your fellow inmates will be awaiting your arrival,' she said. While father Steve Goncalves labelled him a 'joke' while ridiculing the lazy trail of evidence he left behind at the scene of his gruesome quadruple murder. known as 'one of America's worst hellhole prisons'. Conditions are said to be extremely tough at the jail, which was reportedly opened in 1989 to confine the state's 'most disruptive male residents', with inmates given little access to home comforts. Kohberger's first meal in notorious prison Prisoners have access to basic food services at the unit, including various selective diets, such as vegetarian menus and a 'healthy choice' option. For vegan inmates like Kohberger, vegan barley casserole, baked beans and canned fruit are on offer. On Wednesday night, the day of his arrival, the menu included hotdogs, salad and Jello pie, a prison official told the New York Post. A photo shared on the Idaho Department of Correction of a meal served at IMSI shows a red tray, featuring a main meal, a side, as well as a salad and dessert along with a drink. Kohberger, who was previously being held at the Ada County Jail in Boise during his trial, is now expected to live out his days at IMSI — the state's only max security prison. Inside the 'hellhole' prison The IMSI is reportedly 'tucked away in a desolate area on the outskirts of the state's capital' and has earned a grim reputation for its harsh conditions. In the past the prison has seen allegations of abusive guards, experienced violent brawls, and is said to have had complaints from inmates over its faeces-covered recreation 'cages' and a dirty ventilation system described as being 'biohazard'. Two of Idaho's most notorious serial killers — Gerald Pizzuto and Thomas Eugene Creech — are also serving time there, along with doomsday cult killer Chad Daybell.
CBS News
14-07-2025
- CBS News
Man gets 65 years in prison for killing Connecticut woman whose daughter remains missing
A Connecticut man was sentenced Monday to 65 years in prison for the 2019 beating death of his girlfriend, Christine Holloway, but their baby daughter disappeared at the time and remains missing. Jose Morales, 48, was convicted by a jury in April of murder and evidence tampering in Holloway's killing, which took place inside her home in Ansonia, about 10 miles west of New Haven. Their daughter Vanessa was 14 months old when Holloway was killed and relatives continue their efforts to find her. Police said in 2019 that Morales was a suspect in the girl's disappearance, but he was never charged. Several family members of Holloway spoke at the sentencing. They were dressed in white T-shirts with an image of Holloway on the front and baby Vanessa on the back, CBS affiliate WFSB reported. "What was done to my niece, Christine Holloway, is unforgivable and disgusting and that monster continues to lie. Where is Vanessa? How can someone be so cruel?" said Anna Rodonski, Holloway's aunt. Morales declined to speak at the hearing in Milford Superior Court. He did have a statement written, according to WFSB, but his attorney advised him not to read it. He testified at the trial in Milford that he did not kill Holloway. Morales said he, Holloway and their daughter, Vanessa, were in Holloway's apartment when two intruders broke in. He said one of the intruders attacked Holloway with a crowbar and he was assaulted before they kidnapped Vanessa, who has never been found. Morales also said he was high on PCP at the time. Morales also admitted on the stand that he attempted to clean the apartment after Holloway was killed and had also put some of the blood-soaked evidence in a donation bin, WFSB previously reported. His lawyer, Edward Gavin, told the judge on Monday, "It's an extraordinarily difficult case. It shows the ills of PCP and drug use in our society." Before handing down the sentence, Judge Shari Murphy called the crime vicious and said Morales showed a careless indifference to human life. "Mr. Morales, you are a dangerous person, a significant threat to society and you need to be removed from the community for a substantial period of time," the judge said.
CTV News
14-07-2025
- CTV News
Man gets 65 years in prison for killing Connecticut mom whose daughter remains missing
Jose Morales, center, appears for a bond hearing with attorneys Kevin Smith, left, and Norm Pattis at Derby Superior Courthouse in Derby, Conn., Feb. 7, 2020. (Arnold Gold/New Haven Register via AP) MILFORD, Conn. — A Connecticut man was sentenced Monday to 65 years in prison for the 2019 beating death of his girlfriend, but their baby daughter disappeared at the time and remains missing. Jose Morales, 48, was convicted by a jury in April of murder and evidence tampering in the case of Christine Holloway, who he killed inside her home in Ansonia, about 10 miles (16 kilometres) west of New Haven. Their daughter Vanessa was 14 months old when Holloway was killed and relatives continue their efforts to find her. Police said in 2019 that Morales was a suspect in the girl's disappearance, but he was never charged. Several family members of Holloway spoke at the sentencing. 'What was done to my niece Christine Holloway is unforgivable and disgusting and that monster continues to lie. Where is Vanessa? How can someone be so cruel?' said Anna Rodonski, Holloway's aunt. Morales declined to speak at the hearing in Milford Superior Court. He testified at the trial that two intruders attacked Holloway with a crowbar and assaulted him before they kidnapped Vanessa. Morales also said he was high on PCP at the time. His lawyer, Edward Gavin, told the judge, 'It's an extraordinarily difficult case. It shows the ills of PCP and drug use in our society.' Before handing down the sentence, Judge Shari Murphy called the crime vicious and said Morales showed a careless indifference to human life. 'Mr. Morales, you are a dangerous person, a significant threat to society and you need to be removed from the community for a substantial period of time,' the judge said. The Associated Press
The Independent
14-07-2025
- The Independent
Man gets 65 years in prison for killing Connecticut mom whose daughter remains missing
A Connecticut man was sentenced Monday to 65 years in prison for the 2019 beating death of his girlfriend, but their baby daughter disappeared at the time and remains missing. Jose Morales, 48, was convicted by a jury in April of murder and evidence tampering in the case of Christine Holloway, who he killed inside her home in Ansonia, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of New Haven. Their daughter Vanessa was 14 months old when Holloway was killed and relatives continue their efforts to find her. Police said in 2019 that Morales was a suspect in the girl's disappearance, but he was never charged. Several family members of Holloway spoke at the sentencing. 'What was done to my niece Christine Holloway is unforgivable and disgusting and that monster continues to lie. Where is Vanessa? How can someone be so cruel?' said Anna Rodonski, Holloway's aunt. Morales declined to speak at the hearing in Milford Superior Court. He testified at the trial that two intruders attacked Holloway with a crowbar and assaulted him before they kidnapped Vanessa. Morales also said he was high on PCP at the time. His lawyer, Edward Gavin, told the judge, 'It's an extraordinarily difficult case. It shows the ills of PCP and drug use in our society.' Before handing down the sentence, Judge Shari Murphy called the crime vicious and said Morales showed a careless indifference to human life. 'Mr. Morales, you are a dangerous person, a significant threat to society and you need to be removed from the community for a substantial period of time," the judge said.
