Horrific new details of Idaho victim Kaylee Goncalves final moments

The heartbroken parents of a University of Idaho Massacre victim have shared horrific new details of their daughter’s final moments.

The heartbroken parents of one of the victims of the University of Idaho Massacre have shared horrific new details of their daughter’s final moments just days after her killer dodged the death penalty as part of a guilty plea deal.

Kaylee Goncalves, 21, was murdered alongside three other students, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, 20, by Bryan Kohberger on November 13, 2022.

The four university students were attacked and stabbed to death around 4am while they were sleeping in their student accommodation near the university’s campus in Moscow, Idaho.

Two other housemates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, were left unharmed.

On July 3, Kohberger pleaded guilty to the gruesome attack, nearly three years after it made headlines around the world, part of a deal that spared the 30-year-old from the death penalty – a decision which divided the victims’ families.

Ms Goncalves’ parents have since taken to social media to air their frustrations at the deal, sharing harrowing new details about the undergrad’s final moments on their family Facebook account, including the revelation that she fought for her life as the killer stabbed her to death, the New York Post reports.

Kaylee Goncalves was murdered alongside three other students, including her best friend Madison Mogen, 21, in November 2022. Picture: Instagram

Now the parents of the 21-year-old University of Idaho student have detailed horrific new details of her final moments. Picture: Instagram / @kayleegoncalves

The University of Idaho students – Kaylee Goncalves (second from left, bottom) and Madison Mogen (second from left, top), Ethan Chapin (centre) and Xana Kernodle (second from right) – were stabbed to death in their beds as they slept, in their off-campus home. Picture: ZUMA Press Wire

“[I]f your 21yr old daughter was sleeping in her bed and BK [Bryan Kohberger] went into her house with the intention to kill her and he did, by stabbing her MANY times, as well as beating her in the face and head while it was clear that she fought for her life … what would you want?” the post said.

The family’s frustration comes as it was revealed in court by that Kohberger walked up to the third floor and murdered Ms Goncalves and her best friend, Madison Mogen, 21, rather than target any of the three people sleeping in the two bedrooms on the second floor.

“It gets so old having people say we want vengeance and make it sound like we are animals for having those feelings … I just find it so hard that so many people are judging us and they have never stepped foot in our shoes,” the family added.

Bryan Kohberger has just been spared the death penalty after pleading guilty to the killings in a court hearing on July 3. Picture: AP Photo/Kyle Green

The Goncalves’ family had hoped Kohberger would receive the death penalty, but Ms Mogen’s father expressed relief over the agreement.

“We can actually put this behind us and not have these future dates and future things that we don’t want to have to be at, that we shouldn’t have to be at, that have to do with this terrible person,” he told CBS News.

“We get to just think about the rest of our lives and have to try and figure out how to do it without Maddie and without the rest of the kids.”

Kohberger also waived his right to appeal or seek leniency as part of the agreement.

His trial was set to begin next month with jury selection slated for August 4 and opening arguments for August 18.

He now faces life in prison without the possibility of parole, with his sentencing set for later this month.

Originally published as Horrific new details of Idaho victim Kaylee Goncalves final moments