← Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield
Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield
EXPLOSIVE Sentencing + Bombshell Unsealed Docs | Bryan Kohberger Thrown In Prison Forever
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- [00:00]
Lindsay Haller
Foreign.
- [00:04]
Ashley Banfield
Hey everyone, I'm Ashley Banfield. This is drop dead serious. This has just been a hell of a day in the Idaho quadruple murder case. As you know, this was sentencing day. We expected, you know, obviously to hear victims impact statements. We wondered if Brian Coburger was going to speak. He did not. We thought that we might get some answers from the prosecutors. They said nothing of evidentiary value that would lead us to understand more about the investigation, investigation in this case. And then the floodgates opened on this episode today. I'm going to tell you a whole lot of things, not only what happened in court today, what the victim's impact statements were like, because they were unbelievable. I'm going to play some of them for you. The most poignant ones, the ones that were just like your heart was in your mouth. Listening to these family members and seeing Bryan Coburger's reaction, going to tell you about his family members in court and what Bryan Coburger did and said said to them when he came into court. But then something else happened. Several steps today after the the court hearing, the family members took to the courthouse steps and added more details about the investigation because apparently they've spoken to the investigators. Then investigators gave a news conference and started releasing some information that we have not known until now. And that was jaw dropping first and foremost. Hold on to your hat. They found no connection between Bryan Kohberger and these four kids who died and the surviving two roommates. Nothing. No digital footprints, no social media connections, no reason for this, nothing that they could find in their investigation in two and a half years led them to understand any reason, any motive, any connection as to why 1122 King Road, why these kids. They did say that he targeted that house for a reason, but they didn't know what that reason was. Very confounding. I think we'll get more as the motions become unsealed in the months to come. But today as well, after this news conference in which we learned a lot more, I'm going to tell you about it in a moment. They started dropping documents and investigators notes are becoming public. And I'm just going to start by reading one of the first ones that I read. It's very specific about the murder scene. I'm just going to give you a trigger warning. This is very, very explicit and it is difficult to read. It's about Zanna and Ethan's room where they were found dead. And it's gruesome. So if you're squeamish, just take a moment and I'm going to go through a lot of these notes throughout this episode of this podcast, so bear with me. So here we go. One of the responding officers described the scene this way. Quot I looked inside the bedroom Zanna was laying in and it was obvious an intense struggle had occurred. Zanna was obviously deceased. There was blood smeared on various items in the room and all over the floor. There was blood cast off on the walls in various places, including above Zanna's body. Zanna was on her back on the floor in the center of the room with her head turned towards the west. Now I'm trying to do this quickly in my head, but I believe that would mean that her head was towards the wall of the house, not the doorway of her room. I had heard that she was lying towards the doorway, so I'm just going to check my north, south, east, west on that house. But it continues to say here the the investigator says she's on her back on the floor in the center of the room with her head towards the west. Zanna was in her underwear and a long sleeved gray shirt. Both her shirt and underwear were covered in blood. Zanna's face and body was covered in dried blood. I could see what appeared to be defensive wounds on Zanna's hands. There was a deep gash on Zanna's left hand between her pointer finger and her thumb. There's more details about the third floor and Kaylee and Maddie's death and it was really, really painful to read. I'm going to get to that in a moment. Bear with me. There is a lot of information I want to get out to you for the first time. Two and a half years under gag and it seems to all being avalanched out today. And so I want to take you through the sentencing and co burger, his parents, the victims, family members in court, ID students who were in court. The mood, the sounds, the reactions, it's all just so overwhelming. I have yet to cover a lot of cases where the prosecutor cries and the judge gets emotional and chokes up, but that happened today. Veteran reporters were crying in this courtroom. I have gone through cases where this has happened before. Grown men crying in this courtroom today. And I'm going to walk you through all of it. When Coburger walked in, he was dressed in orange because he doesn't get to wear civilian clothes anymore. There's no jury pool to taint so orange it is his jumpsuit. He was belly chained with his hands to his belly and his legs were shackled and they did not Unlock him for this sentencing. He stayed chained to his belly with his leg shackles on for the whole thing. He looked right at his mother and his sister Amanda as he walked in and he mouthed the words I love you. And he did it twice. He did it when he walked in the first time and he did it when he walked in after the break. And I can tell you this because the producer of this podcast, Lindsay Haller, was seated right behind them, literally between their two heads. And so it looked as though Bryan Coburger was looking and speaking directly in her direction. So she could see these things. And it, the way Lindsay described it is that it almost looked as though Brian was trying to console his mother and his sister. But then when he sat down and had to face the onslaught of what would be over two and a half hours of victims impact statements, he was stone faced. He barely reacted to any of them. At one point, Brian Enten, News Nation reporter with whom I work, said he thought he saw Brian's teeth clenching and his hands clenching when Olivia Gonzalez was giving her victim's impact statement. That's Kaylee's big sister.
- [06:29]
Lindsay Haller
And Brian. Wow.
- [06:31]
Ashley Banfield
Wow. It was one of the most powerful victims impact statements I've ever experienced in my true crime career. I've been in this for decades, so I'll get to that in a moment. So he did pay very close attention to the victim's impact statements. Sometimes you'll see these convicts, you know, looking around, not paying attention, looking down, whatever it is, but he was paying close attention, it seemed, even though he didn't have much of a reaction. It was just that stone faced, full freakish stare with his shaved, plucked, whatever it is, eyebrows. And you should also know that ADA county was ready for this. They didn't know what they were going to expect from four victims who were murdered, two surviving roommates, all those family members, people who were giving these statements. You just don't know what to expect. You don't know when someone's going to just freak out and maybe lunge for the conviction, because I've seen that a lot. So there were 11 uniformed and possibly some un uniformed people in the courtroom, certainly police officers who covered this case. They would have been there, but 11 uniformed marshals lining the walls, sitting down in various areas, they were ready, they were there and they were ready to provide instant security. There were some bombshells that came in the press conference after. And I'm going to get to all of this, by the way, in detail. I'm just giving you the outline for this episode and everything that I'm going to cover. Big bombshells that came in the press confere, meaning the King Road house was chosen specifically, not randomly, although the investigators didn't know why, but they do know it was specifically chosen. They don't know who the target was. Let me repeat that, because there's just been so much speculation and theorizing trying to figure out how did it happen? Why all four. Now we know they don't have any evidence of one specific target. Some people have thought Maddie because of, you know, the Papa Roger connection, and Elliot Roger had a girlfriend named Mad. Well, guess what? They have no connection to Papa Roger either. Wow. I mean, just massive. Such a bombshell that the investigators do not have a digital trail that leads them to Bryan Coburger being Papa Roger or Bryan Coburger choosing one of these kids as. As the target. If he did, and there was a digital trail, it could very well have been erased because they did say he was very good at scrubbing his. His electronics. So that's. That's just a shocker to me. I. I thought for sure that they would have this information. They don't. So there's also some talk about a second weapon, because Olivia Gonzalez, in her victim's impact statement, specifically asked the question, what was the second weapon you used on my sister? And later, outside of court, Steve Gonzalez and Christy Gonzalez were speaking, and Christy mentioned that the second weapon exists, but the DA would only say, we're just looking for a K bar knife. We have not found that single weapon. Ask the family. So we're hoping to get further clarification from the family when they speak with us. Also, Steve Gonzalves said on the courthouse steps that Kaylee was stabbed over 30 times. That was new. A reporter in the press conference asked about 34 stab wounds. Don't know where that reporter got that, but we're trying to get more clarification regarding those statements. Let me now move on to the victim's impact statements. They were gripping and so incredibly emotional. I should tell you right now that one of the. Well, several of the University of Idaho kids that were in the gallery were weeping openly throughout this entire hearing. And one of them wept even harder when Bryan Coburger walked in the room. But seated right beside Lindsey Haller, the producer of this podcast, these University of Idaho students just barely made it through this entire proceeding. That was many hours long, at least three hours long, by my count. Two and a half of them. A victim's impact statements. So the first, what they did is they decided to do victims impact statements based on the charging document and the charges and the first charge was burglary. So they decided to give the first statements to the surviving roommates. And the first one that they gave the opportunity to was Bethany Funk. Bethany chose not to be there today, understandably takes a hell of a lot to put yourself in this maelstrom after the last two and a half years of hell. And Bethany instead wrote her statement and gave it to one of her dearest friends and neighbors, Emily Alant. And Emily actually was Zanna Kernodle's best friend and was there that day and was in the house and calling 91 1. And so Emily bravely stood up and wrote read Bethany's statement for her. And the highlights were that she's just been through so much pain and guilt and harassment from the blogosphere that was horrible to these surviving roommates. And also from the media attention she just said it was overwhelming. She described the morning of November 13th when all of this just blew up and said that she woke up with a severe toothache and called her father who was a dentist and that she got advice from her dad to take a Tylenol and go back to sleep. And that's why she said there was this delay in dealing with the 911 call and discovering that there was something terribly wrong upstairs. She shared how her grief has impacted her every single day since 13th November 2022. And Kohberger, he watched Emily Allant intensely as she read the statement. So here's some of what Emily read from, from Bethany Funk.
- [12:21]
Lindsay Haller
I'll be speaking on behalf of Bethany. And so yeah, here it reads, my name is Bethany Funk and I was roommates with Maddie, Kaylee, Zanna and Ethan. I not only lost some of my best friends, but I also lost a sister. Never in a million years would I have, would I have thought that something like this would have happened to my closest friends. I thought that we were going to wake up and go upstairs, see them and tell them how they had scared us and that they were going to tease us about how we are constantly scaredy cats. I make jokes about it as we would go to Taco Bell like always. But sadly that is not what happened. And what turned out to be my worst nightmare. When I first woke up that morning, I had no idea what happened. I woke up around seven with a terrible toothache. So I called my dad, who is a dentist, and he asked what I should do. He told me to take Advil. So I did and I went back to Sleep. I was still out of it and still didn't know what happened. If I had known, I of course would have called 911 right away. I still carry so much regret and guilt for not knowing what had happened and not calling right away. Even though I understand it wouldn't have changed anything. Not even if the paramedics had been right outside the door. I was so frantic that morning and scared death not knowing what had happened. And when I made the 911 call, I couldn't even get out the words. And from then on I don't remember a thing. It was like my brain wiped that whole memory. That was the worst day of my life and I know it always will be. While I was still in shock, trying to process the fact that my friends were truly gone, I had been attacked by the public, I was grieving, numb and unsure of what had happened was even real. And at the same time I was getting flooded with death threats and hateful messages from people who did not know me at all or know the dynamic of our friendship. Social media made it so much worse and strangers made up stories to entertain themselves. The media harassed not just me, but also my family. People showed up at our house, they called my phone, my parents phones, other family members phones, and we were chased. While I was still trying to survive emotionally and grieve the loss of my friends, I hated and still hate that they are gone. But for some reason I am still here and I got to live. I still think about this every day. Why me? Why did I get to live and not them? For the longest time I could not even look at their families without feeling sick with guilt. I did not know what to say or what to do. I was terrified that my presence just made their pain worse and I was still here when their kid, their siblings and their friends, their loved ones should have been here instead. After everything happened, I was afraid to go into my own backyard or alone in my house. I was scared that the person who did this would come for me next. I slept in my parents room for almost a year. I made them double lock every door, set an alarm and still check everywhere in the room just in case someone was hiding. And I still check my room every night before and I double lock it. I have not slept through a single night since this happened. I constantly wake up in panics, terrified someone is breaking in or someone is here to hurt me or I'm about to lose someone else that I love. The fear never really leaves.
- [16:22]
Ashley Banfield
The second roommate was called up to give a victim's Impact statement. And Dylan Mortensen came to this hearing in person, and she came up to the podium and asked instead if she could sit at the prosecutor's table to give her statement. And they gave her that accommodation. And Dylan sat down and was told, take as. Take as much time as you need. There was a very long pause before she began, and it was wrenching to hear Dylan give her statement. She cried throughout all of it, but bravely got her words out and said the things that were so critical to Bryan Kohberger and to the rest of the community about what she's been through. She says she still drops to the floor in fear. And Coburger stared throughout her comments and gave no reaction. But I want you to see Dylan's comments for yourself. Dylan, just take your time, all right?
- [17:29]
Lindsay Haller
It's. Thank you, your honor. What happened that night changed everything. Because of him, four beautiful, genuine, compassionate people were taken from this world for no reason. He didn't just take their lives. He took the light they carried into every room. He took away how they made everyone feel safe, loved, and full of joy. He took away the ability for me to tell him that I love him and that I'm so proud of them. He took away who they were becoming and the futures they were going to have. He took away birthdays, graduations, celebrations, and all the memories that we were supposed to make. All of it is gone. And all the people who loved them are just left to carry that weight forever. He didn't just take them from the world. He took them from me. My friends, my people who felt like my home. The people I looked up to and adored more than anyone. He took away my ability to trust the world around me. What he did shattered me in places I didn't know could break. I was barely 19 when he did this. We had just celebrated my birthday at the end of September. I should have been figuring out who I was. I should have been having the college experience and starting to establish my future. Instead, I was forced to learn how to survive the unimaginable. I couldn't be alone. I had to sleep in my mom's bed because I was too terrified to close my eyes. Terrified that if I blinked, someone might be there. I made escape plans everywhere I went. If something happens, how do I get out? What can I use to defend myself? Who can help? Then there are the panic attacks, the kind that slam into me like a tsunami out of nowhere. I can't breathe. I can't think. I can't stop shaking. All I can do is Scream because the emotional pain and the grief is too much to handle. My chest feels like it's caving in. Sometimes I drop to the floor with my heart racing, convinced something is very wrong. It's far beyond anxiety. It's my body reliving everything over and over again. My nervous system never got the message that it is over and it won't let me forget what he did to them. People call me strong. They say I'm a survivor. But I don't see what my new reality looks like. They don't see the panic attacks, the hypervigilance, the exhaustion, the way I scan every room I enter, the way I flinch at sudden sounds. They don't know how heavy it is to carry so much pain and still be expected to keep going. And that's because of him. He stole parts of me I may never get back. He took the version of me who didn't constantly ask, what if it happens again? What if next time I don't survive?
- [22:07]
Ashley Banfield
After Dylan's comments, the the judge moved on to the surviving parents of the four kids who were killed and their family members. And the first one to speak was Maddie Mogan's stepfather, Scott Laramy. And Scott's basically been like a dad to Maddie since she was about two and a half and speaks so profoundly about his daughter. I mean, he really was like a dad to her. And so he stood up and he did not address Brian Coburger directly, but he did say, this evil has many faces. And now we know this one. Here's more of what Scott Laramie said.
- [22:46]
Lindsay Haller
Mandy was our gift of life, our purpose and our hope. Maddie quickly became Karen's joy, identity and purpose in life. I joined Maddie's life when she was two and a half years old. Experience transformed me into a life of joy, love and family. Maddie was bright, beautiful, kind, empathic. She listened carefully to others and was observant, seeing and caring about the hearts and the minds of all she encountered. She loved music and music festivals. She had a wonderful sense of humor. She excelled in school. She was an easy child to raise, almost never requiring discipline and almost always giving us us parental joy. One time, Karen remembers disciplining Maddie as a little girl. Maddie responded, you broke my heart, which of course melted ours. She had a keen wit even at that young age. She transitioned into teenage years. She probably prioritized us and extended family over many of the distractions that capture teenagers. She showered us with her presence and love at family events, barbecues, picnics, birthdays, holidays and others. She spent countless hours with her papa, her Uncle David, Aunt Aideen, and her other close family and friends. This world was a better place with her in it. Karen and I are ordinary people, but we lived extraordinary lives because we had Maddie. Maddie was taken senselessly and brutally. In a sudden act of evil, she was taken along with with the young, promising, and bright lives of Kaylee, Zanna, and Ethan. First we felt disbelief. Next we felt disorientation. Then we felt grief overcome us. Our grief is compounded even more for the Goncalves, Kernodle, and Chapin families. We speak of hope and healing, and we do have hope and some healing. But the vast emotional wound will never fully heal.
- [25:48]
Ashley Banfield
After Scott Laramie spoke, Mattie Mogan's grandmother, Kim Cheeley spoke. And wow, she was so poignant and profound in her words. She really took us into the entire family's grief. And she was so eloquent in how she addressed this entire horrifying new reality that the Mogan family is dealing with. And one thing that I thought was so incredible was that Kim Chee Lee, so magnanimous, she addressed the pain and the suffering of the perpetrator's family. Have a listen.
- [26:30]
Lindsay Haller
Maddie was my first grandchild. So when she was born, all her grandparents had the distinct pleasure of deciding what we'd like to be called. I chose Nana. Pretty original. But when Maddie was about a year and a half old, her papa Ben's dad and I were planning to visit the new little family in Oregon. Maddie didn't have an extensive vocabulary at the time, but for some unknown reason, she called Bananas Ba Deedle deedles. When Karen and Ben told her Nana was coming to visit, she figured I say Deedle deedle for that word. So I became Deedle Deedle, shortened to deedle when she was about 6 or 7 and I was Deedle all her life. I don't think her stepdad, Scotty ever knew. My given name was Kim. Maddie's and my birthdays were one day apart. And a couple years before she was killed, she gave me this necklace with Dedal and Maddie engraved on it. And I added an angel wing. And it's one of my treasured possessions. I also got an angel wing tattoo. Never thought I'd see the day. But along with many members of our family, replicating the one that Maddie and her sorority sisters had, I wanted mine where I could see and touch it often. So we've all lost our dear child and a future with her. I ache for the loss of the dreams that she and her true love Jake held. And my heart goes out to Karen and Scotty and your side of Maddie's family. You've had more than your share of loss. My heart aches for the kids, roommates and the families of the other victims and also the family of the perpetrator.
- [28:39]
Ashley Banfield
Matty Mogan's dad, Ben Mogan split from her mom Karen and he was so loving and giving in his statement to his ex wife and her husband Scott and Karen Laramie saying, you did such an incredible job raising Maddie and she was my only child. She was their only child, Karen's only child and Ben's only child and said that he is devastated by the loss of this, this child in his life. He read a Father's Day card from her and he broke down saying that he wrote all these things and he couldn't even read them. He couldn't even finish them. He just basically said, I just. I love you and I miss you so much. Mad and of course Bryan Coburger showed no emotion. But here's Ben Mogen.
- [29:23]
Lindsay Haller
Mattie was my only child that I ever had. She most. She's the only great thing I ever really did and the only thing I was really ever proud of. And I thought we would have the rest of our lives together to, to be together and know each other and, and I really, I took for granted the times, you know, she was in college and I thought oh well, we'll have the rest of our lives to, to say, do all the stuff that we're supposed to do. And, and, and she was just about done. We, she actually earned all of her credits for college degree and Karen and Scotty and I got to go and get her diploma that she actually earned and she served every bit of that and, but I, I thought that that was going to be just the beginning of a long life together and we never got that. The last thing that she ever wrote to me was this Father's Day card and I'm so glad I still have it. I'm just going to read what she said. It says happy Father's Day. I hope you have the best day. I can't wait till we can hang out again soon I'll be in Coeur d' Alene 624 to 7 4. Hopefully we can find a time then. I loved your birthday card that you sent me, by the way. Maybe we can see a concert sometime soon. I'd love to see the gorge when it's not so smoky out. I hope you're doing well. I'm proud of how far you've come. Thank you for always encouraging me to do my best. Love you lots and lots. Love, Maddie Mae. She did encourage me to. Not just to do my best, but to live on. I. I went through a lot of issues with addiction and with. With substance abuse. And when I wasn't wanting to live anymore, she was what would keep me from just not caring anymore. And knowing that she was out there and that she was just such a beautiful person kept me alive a lot. A lot of rough moments and. And I'm so glad that she was able to meet Jake. He was the only one that actually ever got to take her to the Gorge. They went and saw Watershed together, and, yeah, they. They had a heck of a time. I'm so glad she got to. That's a really special place for me. And I always wanted. She always wanted to work out there with me in the summers sometime, and she never got to. But at least she got to see it once with Jake. He was such a great guy. He is such a great guy. And I. I really wanted to see what a future with them would have looked like. I. I'll never. I'll never be able to replace her. You know, I wrote a bunch of stuff. I don't. I just don't know what to say right now, except I just miss her so much, and I just love her more than anything, and I have. It shouldn't happen.
- [33:40]
Ashley Banfield
And then it was time for Steve Gonzalez to speak. Kaylee Gonzalez's dad, he's been the most outspoken family member in the last two and a half years. He was very critical of the prosecutors for offering this deal, this deal that took death off the table in favor of life, no parole, four times over consecutively, plus extra years because of the burglary. Steve Gonzalves wanted the firing squad. He wanted the death penalty. Of course, there's no guarantee in a trial that you're going to get that. But he was very upset about this deal being made, and he was upset about how the families were treated in the planning. He didn't feel that they were consulted enough or that they had enough input. In the end, there were many families who did agree with the plea deal. And so it's very hard to see this pain and the suffering because that pain is. Is real. When he stood up, I. I expected just daggers. And. And yes, we got daggers from Steve Gonzalez. But, my God, he was restrained. For a father who's gone through what he's gone through, he was so restrained. It was incredible. But one thing he did do, he took the podium and he turned it so that he could face directly at Brian Coburger and give his victim's impact statement. Here it is.
- [35:01]
Lindsay Haller
Today you have no name. Because when this all started, we all came together and we said, let's stop even talking about his name and just use initials. So even the media just calls you bk that's all you are. Looking back when the police officers knocked on my door, told me what happened to my child, told me what happened to Matty Mae. I don't think he was even out of the driveway before my kids turned around, looked at me and said, what do we do, Dad? I told him, you get to work. You get your ass to work. And we started calling, we started texting, we started emailing. And you know what? Within hours. Within hours, we had your white car on camera. We knew. We knew from the very beginning. We had you police officers tell us within minutes.
- [36:00]
Ashley Banfield
They had your DNA like a calling card.
- [36:03]
Lindsay Haller
You were that careless, that foolish, that stupid master degree. You're a joke. Complete joke. The world's watching because of the kids, not because of you. Nobody cares about you. You're not worth the time, the effort to be remembered. In time, you will be nothing but two initials forgotten to the wind. No visitors. Nothing more than initials on an otherwise unmarked tombstone. From this moment, we've all started. Once my mobile. From this moment, we will forget you. We want to all leave. In closing, one last thing.
- [36:56]
Ashley Banfield
You picked the wrong family, and we're.
- [36:59]
Lindsay Haller
Laughing at you on your trip to the pen. I will be today or tomorrow.
- [37:03]
Ashley Banfield
After Steve Gonzalves spoke, his daughter Olivia spoke. That's Kaylee Gonzalves's big sister. And holy. This might have been the most powerful statement of the entire day. Olivia was unbelievable. God, she was so good. She brought us all in there with her, and she brought us into her family, and she brought us into what it's like to be a victim of this kind of a crime. She looked right at Bryan Coburger and she said, sit up straight when I talk to you. It was so electrifying. She stared him down. She called him a sociopath, a psychopath, and a murderer. And then she did something amazing. She started quoting back Brian Coburger's own Reddit survey on criminology. She started quoting it back to him, and it was so powerful. This is Olivia Gonzalez.
- [38:03]
Lindsay Haller
I'm not here today to speak in grief. I'm here to speak in truth. Because the truth is my sister Kaylee and her best friend Maddie were not yours to take. They were not yours to study, to stalk. Or to silence. They were two pieces of a whole, the perfect yin and yang. They are everything that you could never be. Loved, accepted, vibrant, accomplished, brave and powerful. Because the truth about Kaylee and Maddie is they would have been kind to you if you had approached day lives. They would have given you directions, thanked you for the compliment, or awkwardly giggled to make your own words less uncomfortable for you in a world that rejected you. They would have shown mercy. Because the truth is, I'm angry every day. I'm angry. I'm left shouting at the inside of my own head everything I wish I could say to you. I won't offer you tears. I won't offer you trembling disappointments like you thrive on pain, on fear, and on the illusion of power. And I won't feed your beast. Instead, I will call you what you are. Sociopath. Psychopath. Murderer. I will ask the questions that reverberate violently in my own head, so loudly that I can't think straight most any day. Some of these might be familiar. So sit up straight when I talk to you. How was your life right before you murdered my sisters? Did you prepare for the crime before leaving your apartment? Please detail what you were thinking and feeling at this time. Why did you choose my sisters? Before making your move, did you approach my sisters? Do you were thinking and feeling before leaving their home? Is there anything else you did? How does it feel to know the only thing you failed more miserably at than being a murderer is trying to be a rapper? Did you recently start shaving or manually pulling out your eyebrows? Why? November 13th? Did you truly think your Amazon purchase was untraceable because you used a gift card? How do you find it enjoyable to stargaze with such a severe case of visual snow? Where is the murder weapon? The clothes you wore that night? What did you bring into the house with you? What was the second weapon you used on Kaylee? What were Kaylee's last words? Please describe in detail the level of anxiety you must have felt when you heard the Bearcat pull up to your family home on December 30, 2022. Which do you regret more? Returning to the crime scene five hours later? Or never ever going back to Moscow? Not even once after stalking them there for months? If you were really smart, do you think you'd be here right now? What's it like needing this much attention just to feel real? You're terrified of being ordinary, aren't you? Do you feel anything at all? Or are you exactly what you always feared? Nothing? If you're so Powerful? Then why are you still hiding? Defendant? You see, I'm here today as me. But who are you? Let's try to take off your mask. You didn't create devastation. You revealed it in yourself. And that darkness you carry, that emptiness. You'll sit with it long after this is over. That is your sentence. And it was written on the wall long before you ever pled guilty. You didn't win. You just exposed yourself as the coward you are. You're a delusional, pathetic, hypochondriac loser who thought you were so much smarter than everybody else. Constantly scolding, turning your nose up to grammar mistakes, nitpicking and criticizing others. You wanted so badly to be different. To be special. To be better, to be deep. To be mysterious. You found yourself thinking you were better than everyone else. And you thought you could figure out the human psyche and see through it all while tweaked out on heroin. The shadows made you feel powerful because no one ever paid you any attention in the light. You thought you were exceptional, all because of a grade on a paper. You thought you were elite because your online IQ test from 2010 told you so. All of that effort just to seem important. It's desperate. There is a name for your condition, though. Your inflated ego just didn't allow you to see it. Wannabe. You act like no one could ever understand your mind, but the truth is, you're basic. You're a textbook case of insecurity disguised as control. Your patterns are predictable. Your motives are shallow. You are not profound. You're pathetic. You aren't special or deep, not mysterious or exceptional. Don't ever get it twisted again. No one is scared of you today. No one is intimidated by you, impressed by you. No one thinks that you are important. You orchestrated this like you thought you were God. Now look at you. Begging a courtroom for scraps. You spent months preparing. And still all it took was my sister and Ashith. You worked so hard to seem dangerous. But real control doesn't have to prove itself. The truth is, the scariest part about you is how painfully average you turned out to be. The truth is, you're as dumb as they come. Stupid. Clumsy. Slow. Sloppy. Weak. Dirty. Let me be very clear. Don't ever try to convince yourself you mattered just because someone finally said your name out loud. 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 pedophile, Kaylee would have kicked Your fucking ass. Thank you. Thank you.
- [45:20]
Ashley Banfield
When Olivia walked back to her seat, it was very hard for us watching the feed to hear this because Zoom actually takes out, you know, background noise. But Lindsay Haller, producer of this podcast, was sitting right there and said that the courtroom erupted into applause for her and that it was very audible in the courtroom. But the Zoom feed, we couldn't hear that applause. But that's what happened when Olivia walked back to her seat. And then it was time for Olivia's mom, Christy Gonzalez, to stand up and give her comments. And she was. She went right for it. She went right to what a lot of us all are thinking. Like, we hope that prison isn't easy for Bryan Coburger. We hope it's not a cakewalk. Right? A lot of people would say, me included, that they hope a lot of prison justice is exacted on Bryan Kohberger. And that is what Christy said. But she said it in much more pointed language than I just did. Here's Christy Gonzalez's statement.
- [46:18]
Lindsay Haller
I never imagined having to speak to someone so devoid of humanity. For a long time, I didn't think I'd find the words low enough to meet you where you are. But now I realize this isn't about you. It's about what you've done to me. And I need you to hear it. When you murdered my daughter, Kaylee Jade Gonzalez, you didn't just take her life. You shattered others. You attacked what you could never be. And in doing so, you left a trail of devastation far beyond that house. You stole my peace. You've altered my every waking moment, every sleepless night. The way I view the world, people, safety, trust. It's all been changed by your cruelty. You've taken from me something that can never be restored. The grief sits with me every day. Some days quietly and other days so loud it drowns out everything else. The emotional toll you've inflicted on me is immeasurable. I live with a constant ache, with birthdays that are now memorials, with holidays that feel hollow, with empty chairs that scream louder than words ever could. I am forever changed. But for you, as a person working on a PhD in criminal justice, you really didn't think this one through. You're not that good. In fact, you're not that good at anything.
- [47:52]
Ashley Banfield
You couldn't secure a job.
- [47:54]
Lindsay Haller
You couldn't get along with others. You couldn't even get a female to look in your direction, all because you are pathetic. Now, you're a joke in this courtroom. I wish I could have crowned. I wish I could Crown you with a jester hat to complete your orange jumpsuit clown.
- [48:16]
Ashley Banfield
Look.
- [48:19]
Lindsay Haller
A dead killer doesn't kill again. So while I'm disappointed the firing shot won't get to take their shots at you, I'm confident that the men in prison will have their way with you in more ways than one. You will finally get what you wanted. Physical touch. Just probably not how you were expecting it. You will be forgotten, discarded, used, and erased. You will always be remembered as an. As a loser. An absolute failure. And when those prison doors slam shut behind you, I hope that sound echoes in your heart for the rest of your meaningless days. I hope it reminds you of what we all already know.
- [48:58]
Ashley Banfield
You're nothing.
- [48:59]
Lindsay Haller
May you continue to live your life in misery. You are officially the property of the state of Idaho, where your fellow inmates are anxiously awaiting your arrival. But it's okay, because they're there to help you. Quick message from our youngest daughter. Aubrey wanted to say you may have received A's in high school and college, but you're gonna be getting big D's in prison. Thank you.
- [49:35]
Ashley Banfield
When the Gonzalez family finished with their statements, it was time for the Kernodle family, Zanna's family, to have their statements. And we heard many of the family members speak, not the least of which was her sister, Jasmine, who just so sadly said that she wanted Zanna to be in her wedding party, and that will never happen. And then Kim Kernodle, Jeff Kernodle's sister. That's. That would be Zanna's aunt. She stood up and said something that shocked me. I didn't expect to hear this, but she was the first person to stand up in that courtroom and offer forgiveness to Bryan Kohberger. Forgiveness. It just sort of stopped us all in our tracks. Zanna's stepdad, Randy, then stood up and spoke extemporaneously. And he was the only person in the entire day that I thought might lose it and physically go after Bryan Kohberger. He even talked about how he could barely restrain himself, and he didn't know the parameters of how far he could go. But ultimately, he said exactly what was on his mind and on the minds of a lot of us, too.
- [50:46]
Lindsay Haller
I just feel the same way. We all do. All of us are united because of something that happened. And I am grateful to know and have met some new family because of this awful event. But this is probably the last time we're all going to be in the same room together. Let's be real, so I can say I love you all and I feel your pain.
- [51:13]
Ashley Banfield
And Just.
- [51:13]
Lindsay Haller
God bless us all, you know, just get through it. I had stuff wrote up. It was probably best I didn't read it out. Probably get kicked out of here. So, you know, I'll share one thing to you guys, not to you, with Zanna. So I was working in North Dakota and came home, and Jazzy and Zanna had taken our son Elijah and put him in a dress, makeup, and it was. It was awful. You know, I was like. I just. I. I don't know. She was funny. I told her she'd be a. In the movies and be somebody great one day like that. And now she is just above us as an angel with all the other beautiful kids. So let's hold that to our hearts, because this evil thing is not going to take nothing from us. You, man, I don't know what my limits are here, but I'm really struggling, dude. I am struggling. So I want to. I want to just be out in the woods with you just so I can teach you about loss and pain. I'm not. I believe. I love God. I wouldn't take your life. That's up to him. But I guarantee you, you are weak. God, I would just give a moment, man, five minutes out in the woods. Oh, man, you're going to go to hell. I know people believe in other stuff. You're. You're evil. There's no place for you in heaven. You took our children. You are going to suffer, man. I'm shaking because I want to reach out to you, but I just. I hope you feel my energy. Okay? Go to hell.
- [53:14]
Ashley Banfield
Zanna Kernodle's mom, Kara Northington, she also gave a victim's impact statement today. And I have interviewed her twice. She has struggled mightily with addiction in her life and incarceration, and she struggled through this so horribly when it happened. But it looks as though she may have gotten her life back on track and through Jesus Christ. And God has found religion has helped her to move forward in her life. And she brought that into her statement today. How Jesus and God is a big part of why she was there today. And she was the second person to offer forgiveness to Brian Kohberger. And she also said she hopes that Bryan Kohberger can ask for forgiveness from God before he dies. Remember, I said at the top of this episode that I have rarely seen prosecutors who break into tears or judges whose voices break or cry in these proceedings. Well, that happened today. And Bill Thompson, who has obviously been on the receiving end of a lot of criticism, not just from some of the family members. But also from the public for offering a plea deal in the first place. Instead of going to trial and bringing to light all of the evidence and the details and the witness testimony. It either the stress of all of that was showing today when he spoke in court, or he really, truly is so incredibly brokenhearted about these victims, he could barely contain himself. He put photos of each of these victims up on the big screen in front of the courtroom, and his voice broke on every single one of them. Then he also put the picture of all six of these kids, the five roommates and Ethan Chapin, just 12 hours before they died in what's now become such a famous photograph where Maddie Mogan is on top of Kaylee's shoulders and they are all together, apparently right across the street from the house where this happened. Again, 12 hours before they're killed, this photo was taken. And he put that up in front of the courtroom. And his voice broke as he referred to where we are with this horrific crime and where it's landed the entire community. Judge Stephen Hippler, also in his sentencing, almost sounded like he was giving a victim's impact statement. It was pretty remarkable. And his voice broke and he seemed choked up as he talked about this killer, this murderer, in front of him. He actually said, this is an unfathomable and an immeasurable act of evil. And he went further, referring to the killer's incompetence.
- [55:50]
Lindsay Haller
Right.
- [55:50]
Ashley Banfield
Like, talk about driving it right through to the things that would hurt. Bryan Coburger, being called incompetent as a murderer, described him as slithering through the glass, sliding black back door, slithering like a snake. This is from the judge's own lips. I wanted you to hear for yourself how the judge referred to him in passing this sentence of four life sentences, consecutive, against. Copy.
- [56:16]
Lindsay Haller
All right. Let me start this morning by acknowledging and thanking those that have come here.
- [56:30]
Ashley Banfield
Today in support of their loved ones.
- [56:32]
Lindsay Haller
And I appreciate your courage and your strength, and I hope that you are able to move on as best as possible. Thank counsel for the professionalism that they've exhibited throughout this case. It's been my great honor to preside.
- [56:52]
Ashley Banfield
In this case and to help bring.
- [56:57]
Lindsay Haller
To the extent possible, some. Some resolution and hopefully justice to this case.
- [57:05]
Ashley Banfield
During the quiet morning hours of November.
- [57:08]
Lindsay Haller
13, 2022, a faceless coward reached the tranquility of six beautiful young people.
- [57:19]
Ashley Banfield
And senselessly slaughtered them.
- [57:21]
Lindsay Haller
Four of them.
- [57:25]
Ashley Banfield
Who committed this unspeakable.
- [57:27]
Lindsay Haller
Evil was unknown for several weeks.
- [57:29]
Ashley Banfield
But due to the killer's incompetence and.
- [57:33]
Lindsay Haller
Outstanding police Work by numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The person that slithered through that sliding.
- [57:41]
Ashley Banfield
Glass door at 1122 King Road now stands before the world and this court unmasked. This unfathomable and senseless act of evil has caused immeasurable pain and loss.
- [58:03]
Lindsay Haller
No parent should ever have to bury their child. This is the greatest tragedy that can be inflicted upon a person.
- [58:15]
Ashley Banfield
Parents who took their children to college in a truck filled with moving boxes had to bring them home in hearses lined with coffins.
- [58:27]
Lindsay Haller
The loss this killer inflicted was not just the death of these people's children, siblings, grandchildren, as we've heard today, it has ripped a hole in their soul, destroying a special part of their very essence. Any person who is a parent defines themselves foremost as such. It is their existence and purpose of being, and it has been stolen from these parents.
- [59:13]
Ashley Banfield
None of us have experienced the loss these victims have in the unspeakable way that they have.
- [59:20]
Lindsay Haller
And therefore none of us can nor should we question the way in which they have handled their loss, Whether that.
- [59:26]
Ashley Banfield
Be in private mourning, removed as far.
- [59:28]
Lindsay Haller
As possible from this media circus, or.
- [59:31]
Ashley Banfield
In front of a camera demanding retribution with the loudest megaphone.
- [59:37]
Lindsay Haller
I've listened intently to the stories and pain that have been shared today with great awe at the courage and resilience.
- [59:45]
Ashley Banfield
Of the surviving family members of those wonderful children. I've listened also to the surviving roommates.
- [59:54]
Lindsay Haller
Both in person and through their friends, and I can't think of how, frankly, courageous they have been, despite the hell.
- [60:03]
Ashley Banfield
That they have faced by uncaring people who have come up with all kinds of crazy theories about two kids simply being kids. The parents, siblings, and other family members who have spoken today are designated as.
- [60:27]
Lindsay Haller
Victims in our legal system.
- [60:29]
Ashley Banfield
But going forward, I hope that they.
- [60:31]
Lindsay Haller
Can shed that label, as it gives too much power to the evil that condemned them to that role.
- [60:39]
Ashley Banfield
They are and should be known as survivors, fighters, and foremost as witnesses to the tremendous lives of value and unbounded promise of these four young people. Truth be told, I'm unable to come up with anything redeeming about Mr. Kohberger.
- [60:55]
Lindsay Haller
Because his grotesque acts of evil have buried and hidden anything that might have been good or intrinsically human about him. His actions have made him the worst of the worst.
- [61:07]
Ashley Banfield
Even in pleading guilty, he is giving nothing hinting of remorse or redemption, nothing suggesting even a recognition or understanding, let alone regret for the pain that he has caused.
- [61:21]
Lindsay Haller
And therefore, I will not attempt to speak about him further other than to simply sentence him so that he is forever removed. From civilized society.
- [61:32]
Ashley Banfield
And then it came time for the judge to give the opportunity to, to the murderer, chance for him to speak. Answer for yourself. Say something. Maybe an apology, maybe a motive, a reason for why you have put everyone through all of this, not just these poor suffering family members, the victims themselves, but also the greater community who just cannot understand how this could happen. What do you have to say for yourself? Bryan Coburger. And effectively he said the words I respectfully decline. That was it. Here's how it looked in court.
- [62:06]
Lindsay Haller
All right, Mr. Coburger, you have an opportunity to make a statement if you wish to. I take it you are declining.
- [62:12]
Ashley Banfield
I respectfully decline. I can tell you this. Lindsay Haller, the producer of this podcast, could hear audibly the reaction from the gallery when Bryan Coburger said the words I respectfully decline. She heard the following coward piece of surprise, surprise. And then it was so abrupt, but the proceeding was over. The live feed was cut right away. But once the live feed went down, effectively Brian Coburger was let out, still belly chained, still with his hands chained to his belly, still with the leg shackles on, still in the orange jumpsuit. He'll be processed, he'll go through a whole new processing and he has no idea what lies ahead for him in the state pen. But it's not going to be comfortable. There are cages within the prison where if he wants a little free time around people, he will have to be in a cage. And if he wants to sit out in the general population of the protective custody inmates, he will be chained, right handcuffed to a desk and the other inmates will be handcuffed to their desks, socially distanced apart like he's in for a world of hell. After the proceeding, the families filed out of the courtroom and the Gonzalez's were the first out on the courthouse steps to speak with the media. And that is when Steve Gonzalez talked about details. He said he actually after President Trump made a demand of the local authorities to reveal what they know. They can't do that legally, they can't demand, they can't force Brian Coburger to speak. But after that, that tweet, Steve Gonzalez said that the detectives called him up and he sat with them for three hours and was debriefed on a lot of information. Some of that I'm about to read to you, but thank God, you know, Steve Gonzalez got it first before it, it became public. So that's coming in just a moment. But Steve said that Kaylee was stabbed over 30 times. Can't imagine what that would have been like as a father to learn that. Christy confirmed that there was a second weapon, but the D. A Wouldn't talk about it. Maybe we'll be getting more documents soon that will describe why there is this conflict where the investigators said in their press conference there that they are only looking for a KA Bar knife. That's it. That's the only weapon that they do not have and they believe is the murder weapon weapon. But Christie said there was a second weapon. And Olivia in court, asked Brian Coburger, what was the second weapon you used on my sister? So there's a cons, there's a, you know, discrepancy there we still have to figure out. But when it came time for the. The Moscow police and the investigators press conference that they held after the sentencing hearing, this was mind blowing because we started to learn things that we had never heard before, not the least of which was. Was the biggest revelation of the day, and that is that they could not find any connection between Bryan Coburger and these kids. They could find no digital trail, no journals, no social media, no nothing that connected Bryan Coburger to these victims or the surviving roommates. They did say that the house was chosen intentionally, but they don't know why. They told us they have no idea who the target was. Many had thought it'd be Maddie. Some thought it was Kaylee. The police said they did not find that in their investigation. That was astounding to me. I thought for certain we'd. We would learn that we will not. They were asked specifically, is Brian Coburger Papa Roger? You know, the online account Papa Roger that got into the online chat groups and started spewing a whole bunch of details of the crime that only the killer would know before the rest of us found out three months later or two months later. And the police said, no, they don't have the connection that he's Papa Roger either. That said, they said he used software that was very advanced to scrub his computer, to wipe it, to clean it. So there may have been a lot of digital forensics that were gone that may have tied him to being Papa Roger. That may have tied him to social media, may have tied him to these kids, but whatever it was, it was wiped clean. They said that the. The evidentiary value was lost on a lot of his electronics. That's unfortunate. Clearly not all, because they found that he purchased the KA Bar knife on Amazon and tried to purchase a replacement knife and sheath, but they did not find that connection. They were asked about the second weapon. And the DA said, ask the family. So we will do that when we get the chance. They asked. The reporters, asked the investigators about psychological testing on Bryan Coburger. And the investigators confirmed that the defense did that, but that the findings did not have any impact whatsoever on the fact that there was a plea offer. They also said that Brian Coburger's jailhouse communications at the Lato County Jail where he was held up until recently, and then the Ada County Jail where he was held prior to trial, those communications had no evidentiary value. Reporter said, are you going to release them? And interestingly the investigator said that is up to the sheriffs of those individual jails. So we will find out if the Ada county sheriff will allow those communications to be released or if the later sheriff will allow those communications to be released. I certainly hope they will since there's so little else that we know about this monster. Okay. And so the also interestingly, the detectives said that when Bryan Coburger was brought to them, they listened to the advice of the FBI behavioral unit and said that they wanted Coburger just to talk and that they wanted to just keep him talking. And so they did that to the best of their ability, but that when the conversation turned towards the murders, he clammed up and stopped giving details. Interestingly, Kohberger's family was not helpful in giving tips or information. I read that to being they didn't have it, they didn't know, they were maybe as shocked as we all were. Certainly nothing has ever pointed to them being in collusion in any way or to covering anything up. No one has ever suggested that. And maybe we'll learn more down the road. But right now it just looked as though they were as in the dark as the rest of us. And given Mrs. Coburger's crying audibly throughout the entire proceeding, maybe that's true. Maybe she just looked at this 30 year old son of hers and think, thought to herself, who the hell are you? What did I raise? How the hell could this have happened? Maybe she thought my son is a monster, who knows? They believe that even if Bryan Kohberger hadn't been so stupid and incompetent as to have dropped the knife sheath, they still believe they would have found him because they felt that the Elantra would have led to him. Maybe it would have taken longer, they said, but even without the knife sheath, they said that they would have caught him. Interestingly, the mad Greek restaurant where the girls worked and was a vegan restaurant where we thought, well, maybe Co Burger connected Through there because he was vegan. Maybe that was the connection. Nope. No evidence that he was ever at the Mad Creek. Couldn't find a motive. Never could discover that on any of their investigative product. And it was interesting when the press corps asked, well, how is there any finality on this for you if you weren't able to determine the motive? And the investigator said, quote, that is not the threshold for, for this deal. Listen, when you go to trial, you don't have to prove motive. Motive doesn't come up. Well, it can and it's helpful for a jury, but prosecutors do not have to prove motive. It's not part of. Of reasonable doubt. Super freaky. During the hearing, I think it was about 50 some odd minutes into the hearing, you could zoom in on a piece of paper that was sitting in front of Brian Coburger and what it appears to be is a doodle of a black heart all colored in. And prosecutor was asked about that. And during the press conference, the prosecutor just said, this is the first I've heard of it. So it's possible the prosecutor could not see it from his position. It took a camera to zoom in to see it. So it might not have been visible to many people, but it sure is visible now because the Internet is kind of on fire over the black heart that he may have been doodling. So with, with that in mind, I want to read for you some more of the extraordinary work product that's come from the investigators. I'll continue on with the responding officer describing the scene. Kaylee and Madison were covered by a pink blanket which was covered in blood. There was a large pool of blood near Caylee's midsection. Madison appeared to be laying up against Kaylee. Madison had what appeared to be wounds to her forearm and her hands. Madison had a gash under her right eye which appeared to go from the corner of her eye to her nose. Kaylee was unrecognizable as her facial structure was extremely damaged. This may be out of order, but it's the way it came to me and it's the way the documents were released. In a third floor bedroom, I observed two females laying in bed which appeared to have been stabbed to death. The female laying on the left half of the bed, as I looked at it from the doorway, was unrecognizable. Her face was completely disfigured and was stabbed several times. I was unable to comprehend exactly what I was looking at. While trying to discern the nature of the injuries. The second female on the right half of the bed had multiple stab wounds, the comforter was soaked and a pool of blood was still present. So here's some information as well about fellow inmates of Bryan Coburger who were serving alongside him as he's been jailed these last two and a half years. This is what an investigator writes separately what other inmates have said about Coburger. An inmate in same facility as Coburger stated he is, quote, a weirdo, end quote. And said if he wasn't worried about le legal repercussions, he would have physically assaulted Coburger. When asked if he thinks Coburger is guilty, the inmate said, quote, his eyes tell a story. Inmate who was housed next to Coburger from August 2024 to September 2024 at Leyto County Jail said Coburger was the smartest person he had encountered while in confinement. That's not saying a lot, folks. There are only like 13 or so cells that are occupied at certain times and certainly at a certain, you know, window that I recall. Maybe at times there were more, but it's not a very big jail. So being a big fish in a teeny tiny pond is not a big deal. Coburger shouldn't get excited about that. And it said but co Burger became annoying because of habits like washing his hands dozens of times per day and spending 45 minutes to an hour in the shower. He said Kohberger would be awake all night and only take a nap during the day. He said he could hear Coburger moving around all night. There is going to be an avalanche of details that comes out in the ensuing months as these motions are unsealed and as investigative product becomes public. Some of it will be redacted, much of it names will be redacted to protect the innocent and those who just can't deal with the kind of onslaught the Internet has for people. And I'm just so sorry to say that even these victims family members will continue to be assailed by monsters on the Internet. Chris Watts, victim Shanann Watts, his pregnant wife, who he murdered and buried in a shallow grave right before he smothered his two little daughters and buried them in oil tanks, submerged their bodies in oil tanks. His victims family members continue to be attacked by trolls online. It's just the reality. And so my heart breaks for the future of these victims family members because I just know the trolls are out there and they're going to continue doing their horrible things. It's, it's. I know you and I can't believe it, right? Like who are these people? How do they exist? What rock do they live under? But they do. But like I said, it's going to be a couple of months before all of these details become unsealed and released. And the redactions will hopefully protect those, but still be transparent enough for under us to understand this, this, you know, jurisprudence and, and the legal process that led up to what happened today. As always, I am so thankful that we are part of this community together. I thank you so much for watching, for listening. And remember, the truth isn't just serious, it's drop dead serious.