Dad of Idaho victim Kaylee Goncalves wants to make Bryan Kohberger feel ‘uncomfortable’ in court
University of Idaho slay victim Kaylee Goncalves’ father wants to make the courtroom “uncomfortable” for Bryan Kohberger on Monday — and urged other victims’ parents to band together in hopes of holding him accountable.
“We’re gonna be there at every moment, analyzing every piece of data … to make sure that it is the right person and we hold them accountable,” Steven Goncalves told NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield on Wednesday night.
Goncalves plans to face Kohberger in Idaho court Monday, when the alleged killer will enter a plea in the Nov. 13 butcherings.
He urged other grieving parents to do the same.
“That kind of pressure has to come from more than just one parent. It has to come from all of us. That’s what we’re working on … They’re all starting to get their power and their strength, and they’re ready to go to court,” Goncalves said.
“The more uncomfortable we can make this room, the more that we can represent each person that was robbed of their lives. …
“It’s not gonna fix the situation, but there should be some accountability when you take people that are special.”
Goncalves’ daughter Kaylee, 21, was found murdered in the off-campus Moscow house alongside her best friend Madison Mogen, 21, housemate Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kernodle’s boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20.
Kohberger was arrested in December and indicted by a Latah County grand jury Wednesday.
The indictment also allows the prosecution to skip the preliminary hearing scheduled for June, which would have revealed more about the tight-lipped investigation.
“I understand why they did it. The witnesses need to be protected,” Steven Goncalves said of the decision.
“They don’t need to be dragged through every obstacle that this process goes through.
“It was a wise decision to go this path.
“All the information will come out, but it doesn’t have to come out in multiple ways.”
Kohberger, 28, is expected to plead not guilty next week, which will prompt a judge to set a trial date.
The former criminology graduate student previously waived his right to a speedy trial.
Steven Goncalves, who stared down Kohberger for the first time in court in January, shared that he is also pushing back on plans to demolish the house at 1122 King Road where the bodies were found.
“I want the defendant to be able to say, ‘There’s nothing that’s important to us that’s in that house.’ I want the truth,” he argued.
“We have to come together, and we have to do what’s right for these young adults that were put in the situation.
“We’re the only voices that they have.”
Kohberger — who lived a few miles away in Pullman, Wash., at the time of the killings — has already been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and burglary.
Documents released shortly after his arrest indicated that his phone pinged in the area near the King Road residence several times in the months leading up to the students’ deaths.
New court documents indicate the prosecutors have handed over 51 terabytes of video, audio and digital materials to Kohberger’s defense team, NewsNation said.
