Idaho murder victim’s father claims Bryan Kohberger was ‘murdered out of jealousy’
THE father of murdered University of Idaho victim cites jealousy as motive for crime.
Steve Goncalves is the father of the late 21-year-old Kaylee Goncalves, who was brutally murdered along with Madison Mogen, also 21, and Xana Kernodle and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, both 20, on November 5.
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Goncalves said in an interview he shared that he believes his daughter and her friends were killed by 28-year-old Bryan Kohberger out of jealousy of their lifestyle court television on Thursday – birthday of his murdered daughter.
“It was just two girls who were always happy and always filming,” he said in the clip.
“I think maybe he just saw that happiness and there was something in him that was jealous of the fact that two people could love each other and be the best of friends… just jealous of their lifestyle.”
The four friends were found stabbed to death in their beds in Moscow, near the University of Idaho, in one of the bloodiest crimes to ravage the state in years.
Moscow police spent nearly two months conducting a multi-state manhunt that drew tens of thousands of leads and public attention to track down Kohberger.
He was eventually arrested on December 30 after surveillance footage and DNA evidence linked him to the crime scene.
Kohberger was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary in the murders.
But the motive behind the crime remains a mystery.
During the investigation, police learned that he had visited the area surrounding the friends’ home at least 12 times in the run-up to the murders and had previously sent them a message – for free – on social media.
Kohberger’s court hearings began last month, but he is not scheduled to face a full trial – or public questioning – until October 2023.
Many of the victims’ families, like Goncalves, have said they would attend any court hearing until the perpetrator was brought to justice.
“This family will do everything in their power to make sure that when … the evidence comes out and we know it’s the person, pit bulls are after her,” Goncalves said in an interview with NewsNation after Kohberger’s indictment.
Currently, Goncalves and other victims’ advocates are trying to stop the University of Idaho, which owns the property where the students were killed, from demolishing the property this summer.
We’re “not for or against it, it’s just evidence, so we’re trying to protect it,” Goncalves told Court TV.
He also said he supports the death penalty and that it is “the ultimate form of justice.”