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The father of one of Bryan Kohberger’s victims has said he would welcome a re-trial for the convicted killer over what he described as a “second shot at the accused murderer.”
Kohberger, 31, has filed a petition to challenge his conviction, just one year after confessing to the November 2022 Idaho killings – and Steve Goncalves, Kaylee Goncalves’ dad, told NewsNation Monday he would “love” to see the convicted killer being held accountable.
“Some people want the second bite of the apple but I would love to have the second shot at the accused murderer” he said.
“I would love for us to be able to reline him up and hold him accountable to the full extent of what he’s done.”
Cowardly Kohberger avoided the death penalty by accepting the plea deal in July 2025, which saw him sentenced to life in prison without parole.
But he’s since claimed he was tricked into accepting the plea because of “false promises and blatant disinformation,” according to the New York Times.
“My actual innocence is my truth, and the plea, hinged on by false promises and blatant disinformation, MUST be withdrawn,” he said.
Kohberger claimed lawyers told him horror stories of an “actual 8×8 death row” cell as they suggested his life would be better if he took the plea deal.
He also claimed there was an “exculpatory discovery” in his case before making the admission.
Goncalves said Kohberger’s claim was “to be expected” and while welcoming the idea of a re-trial, he alluded to the impact on Idaho itself.
“This guy wasn’t even a member of our society. He wasn’t even a member of our state, and we’ve really just been totally put through the wringer having to defend this loser,” he said.
“So I want to protect my community, and I feel like I can’t keep asking for more.”
Earlier Monday, Goncalves’ family branded Kohberger “the mosquito you can’t seem to swat” and said they would be “100% ready” for a trial.
“We are confident he will get the death penalty that he escaped by pleading guilty the first time around,” they said.
Shredding Kohberger, they claimed he “never cried wolf or claimed he was uninformed, pressured, or that there were issues with the discovery that he and his counsel had for 2 years that he thought should have been challenged.”
But Goncalves’ family said that a second trial would be an “absolute waste of time and taxpayers money.”
“It’s a disgrace,” they scoffed.
Kaylee’s mom Kristi, 48, accused Kohberger of playing “judicial games.”
“America has seen our family go through pain for many, many years now,” she told Newsweek Monday.
“We don’t think there’s any merit to it at all.”
By copping to the killings, Kohberger, a criminology Ph.D. student, avoided a trial and he didn’t have to explain why he carried out the murders.
All four of his victims were killed by multiple sharp-force injuries, according to reports of the autopsy carried out by Dr Veena Singh, Spokane’s chief medical examiner.
Kaylee Goncalves, 21, also suffered blunt-force injuries to her face and showed signs of aspyhxia.
Kohberger admitted to killing Goncalves’ best pal, Madison Mogen, 20-year-old Xana Kernodle, and 20-year-old Ethan Chapin.
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