Parents of University of Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves claim they have evidence that she tried to escape killer but was trapped and brutally murdered
Kaylee Goncalves’ parents claim their daughter was ‘trapped’ in her best friend’s body as she tried to escape their killer.
Steve Goncalves says his daughter was trapped in her bedroom due to the layout of the Moscow, Idaho, property the night she was killed.
Kaylee, 21, was murdered along with her best friend Maddie Mogen, 21, roommate Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kernodle’s boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20, on November 13, 2022.
Both Kaylee and Maddie slept in the same bed the night of the murders, with Kaylee’s parents claiming they had evidence showing she was ‘trying to get out of the situation’ before she was killed.
Bryan Kohberger, 28, has been charged with the murders of the four University of Idaho students, with Steve revealing that Maddie was likely the first to be killed.
He believes Kaylee was trapped between her friend’s body and the wall before the attacker attacked her, citing the coroner’s report.
Both Kaylee (left) and Maddie (right) slept in the same bed the night of the murders, with Kaylee’s parents claiming they had evidence showing she was “trying to get out of the situation.”
He believes Kaylee was trapped between her friend’s body and the wall before the attacker attacked her, citing the coroner’s report.
Speak with Peter Van Sant of CBS Newshe said: ‘There is evidence to show that she woke up and tried to get out of that situation, (but) she was attacked and stabbed.
‘The bed was against the wall. The headboard hit the wall and the left side of the bed hit the wall.
“And we believe Maddie was on the outside and Kaylee was on the inside. The way the bed was set up…(Kaylee) was stuck.”
Kaylee’s mother, Kristi, said she thinks the killer’s plan “went wrong,” adding that he “planned to kill one and kill four.”
Their comments come after Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial, delaying the trial until at least next year.
He refused to answer when asked for his plea, so a judge entered a not guilty verdict on his behalf. His legal team denies the allegations against him.
Relatives of the victims spoke with Van Sant on “The Night of the Idaho Murders,” with Xana’s sister Jazzmin opening up for the first time.
“I don’t know why (the murders) happened,” she said. ‘I wish we knew. They were, all four of them, such wonderful people and they had such an impact on the lives around them.”
Where the bodies were found. Ethan and Xana were found murdered on the second floor of the King Road home, while Kaylee and Madison shared a bed on the third floor
Bryan Kohberger, 28, has been charged with killing four University of Idaho students last November
Xana Kernodle’s family says they believe the student ‘fought back’ against her attacker in new interview
Victims (L-R) Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen (on Kaylee’s shoulders) Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle
Steve said: ‘We’re not going to sit back and cross our fingers and pray that we get justice.’
Xana’s father said he believes his daughter has fought back against her killer, adding, “It’s disturbing to think about it.”
The Goncalves family believes alleged killer Kohberger made several reconnaissance trips to the Kings Road property.
“He had to know when people were coming and going,” Steve says.
A police statement said Kohberger visited the property at least a dozen times prior to the murders.
Goncalves’ family conducted its own investigation and spoke out frequently before a gag order was issued.
The family says the investigation revealed that Kohberger followed both Kaylee and Maddie on Instagram, adding that it “appeared to be his real account.”
Steve said, “We’re not going to sit back and cross our fingers and pray that we get justice.”
His wife said she believes Kohberger is responsible for the killings, adding: “He will feel like we are all staring at the back of his head. And he knows… what he did to our daughter.”
The Murder House in Moscow, Idaho. Murdered roommates Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen were found in their beds on the top floor. College sweethearts Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle were found in a second-floor bedroom, while survivors Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke were sleeping on the first floor.
A floor plan of the top floor shows the master bedroom where Kaylee slept, next to a second bedroom where Madison slept when they were slaughtered
The floor layout shows that the killer would have taken a winding route through the kitchen, foyer and living room
But Kohberger’s defense team says there is “no connection” between him and any of the victims, debunking the claims on social media.
The silence order means there is little information about the case, but legal filings have shown the alleged killer’s lawyers are questioning the genealogy used to arrest him.
His team has also argued that the alleged images of his Hyundai Elantra were misidentified.
Legal experts are beginning to question whether the case is open and shut as it first appeared when Kohberger was arrested.
Bryanna Fox, a professor of criminology at the University of South Florida and a former FBI special agent, said she doesn’t consider it a “slam dunk.”
“It appears the defense is arguing that there was a haste in judgment, that the police made an arrest too quickly and focused too quickly on their client,” she explained.