Killer who stabbed four students to death during home invasion to die behind bars

Bryan Kohberger, 30, "senselessly slaughtered" students Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen in their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho.

Kohberger, who avoided the death penalty by pleading guilty earlier this month, was today handed four life sentences, meaning he will spend the rest of his life in prison without any possibility of parole.

The criminology doctorate student is likely to be sent to Idaho’s only maximum-security prison, the Idaho Maximum Security Institution.

He has never revealed any motive for the killings and only spoke to say, "I respectfully decline", when asked to give a statement at his extraordinary sentencing.

As the judge handed down his sentence, Kohberger showed no emotion and remained seated with his eyes trained on the bench.

Kohberger carried out the stabbings in the early hours of November 13, 2022, after his victims had been on a night out.

At noon the same day, two surviving roommates called police to report an "unconscious person".

When officers arrived, they found the bodies of roommates Ms Mogen, 21; Ms Goncalves, 21; and Ms Kernodle, 20; as well as Kernodle's boyfriend, Chapin, 20.

The murders rocked the small town of Moscow, as no suspect was immediately named and no weapon was found.

Kohberger was arrested at his family home in Pennsylvania following a six-week manhunt.

Investigators were able to link him to the murders to him after finding DNA evidence on a "leather knife sheath" recovered at the crime scene.

He was indicted by a grand jury in May 2023 and pleaded guilty to the murders earlier this month.

Judge Steven Hippler said we know for certain who committed "these acts of evil", but what we don't know and what we "may never know is why".

The judge added that he hopes the media will not stoop low enough to giving Kohberger the spotlight "he craves", but said criminologists should study him.

He finished by saying it was time to end Kohberger's "15 minutes of fame".

Kohberger declined the judge's opportunity to give a statement to the court.

"I respectfully decline," was the only words spoken by the defendant during his sentencing.

After hearing this, a number of family members and friends of the victim could be heard muttering "coward' from the gallery.

Earlier in the day, Ms Goncalves's older sister ripped into Kohberger during her victim impact statement, called him a 'delusional, pathetic, hypochondriac loser.'

Surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen called the killer 'less than human' and a 'hollow vessel', having broke down in tears when faced with him in the courtroom.

A statement read on behalf of Bethany Funke, the second survivor, described the massacre as the 'worst day' of her life.

During the sentencing, Kohberger remained impassive throughout, occasionally smirking and nodding slightly as the relatives unleashed their fury.