Bryan Kohberger, 30, has pleaded guilty to the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, including Ethan Chapin, with his courtroom demeanor described as ‘cold and calculated.’ The victims were stabbed to death in a home invasion attack. Ethan’s sister shared the last text Ethan sent her before his death, which included an unusual ‘I love you’ message, adding to the unsettling narrative of the case. The guilty plea marks the end of a long legal process for the families, though some expressed mixed feelings about the plea deal.
Ethan Chapin’s sister, Mazie Chapin, recalled the events leading up to the tragic night. The night before the murders, Mazie had her sorority formal and invited Ethan to be her date. They left the formal around 9 p.m., and while some students went to Ethan and Hunter’s fraternity house, Mazie stayed behind. Ethan kept texting her, asking her to hang out, but she chose to go to bed instead. The final message he sent was an unusual ‘I love you,’ which felt ‘weird’ given their relationship. This message, along with the details of the crime, has left the family deeply affected.
Two-and-a-half years later, on July 1, Kohberger signed a confession as part of his plea deal to avoid the death penalty. He admitted to the home invasion attack and the premeditated stabbing of the four students. The families of the victims have mixed reactions to the plea deal, with the Goncalves family expressing disapproval, while the Chapin and Mogen families supported the decision. Despite their differing opinions, they agree that the plea deal brought a sense of closure, allowing the surviving family members to move forward with their lives. Kohberger is set to receive four consecutive life sentences without parole, plus an additional 10 years, marking the end of a long and painful journey for the victims’ families.