The family of Idaho murder victim Kaylee Goncalves wants “killer” Bryan Kohberger to face a firing squad
After Kaylee Goncalves’ family announced that suspected Idaho student killer Bryan Kohberger should receive the death penalty, they said they planned to put him in a firing squad.
Kohberger was indicted by a grand jury in early May and pleaded not guilty in connection with the November 2022 deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee.
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On a Facebook page dedicated to Kaylee and the Goncalves family, Kristi Goncalves, Kaylee’s mother, made a post in support of Idaho House Bill 186.
Accordingly the postThe bill will “amend the existing law to provide for execution by firing squad and establish certain requirements prior to execution.”
Kristi shared the post with photos of two men wearing t-shirts that read “#JusticeForKaylee.”
Signed into law by Idaho Gov. Brad Little in March, the bill would provide a firing squad as an alternative method of execution when lethal injection is not an option.
Idaho is the fifth state to authorize the execution of an inmate by firing squad.
Little wrote in an opinion that throughout his career he supported policies that allowed the state to carry out executions.
“The victims’ families deserve justice for their loved ones and the death penalty is a way to bring them peace,” he wrote.
Last year, Little signed House Bill 658, which extends protections to suppliers and manufacturers of lethal injectable drugs in the state.
“The people on death row were convicted by a jury of their crimes and lawfully sentenced to death,” Little wrote. “It is the responsibility of the State of Idaho to obey the law and ensure that lawful criminal convictions are carried out.”
plea for justice
Last month, Kaylee and Madison’s families filed statements expressing their support for the death penalty.
The two University of Idaho students were lifelong best friends before they were brutally stabbed to death in the off-campus home they rented with Xana.
Xana’s boyfriend, Ethan, was staying in Moscow, Idaho, the night the murders took place, and two other roommates survived the shocking crime.
“We spoke to the District Attorney about the case, Mr. Thompson. He will meet with each family individually and then make a decision based on that. So the Goncalves family obviously supports the death penalty in this case,” said Shanon Gray, the Goncalves family attorney NewsNation.
“They want justice for the deaths of their daughter and Maddie and Xana and Ethan,” Gray said.
“It’s part of the process. You know, the claim for damages that I have filed is just standard proceeding.”
“This is something that needs to be submitted to protect not only the interests of the families but also the victims and the community.”
Meanwhile, Gray said the families are seeking legal action against the city of Moscow, Idaho, where the killings took place.
Filing by the Goncalves and Mogen families on May 3 and 11 indicated they could sue the city for damages, documents obtained show abc news.
Gray told the outlet that the claims filed protect the families’ right to file a lawsuit for the next two years.
“Filing a lawsuit for damages is really just a protective measure,” Gray told ABC News.
“It’s a safeguard to protect the interests of the families, the victims and really the whole community, because if something goes wrong or something is wrong, someone will be held accountable.”
Similar claims have been filed with Washington State University, the University of Idaho and the Idaho State Police, Gray told ABC News.
“They should do nothing but protect the interests of the families and the victims in the future,” Gray said.
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