The sister of Kaylee Goncalves, who was murdered in her off-campus apartment while attending the University of Idaho, has paid a heartbreaking tribute to her sister on what would have been her 22nd birthday.
Gonclaves was stabbed to death along with three other students last November in a brutal attack that shocked the nation.
The suspect, Bryan Kohberger, 28, is in custody and will face trial in October.
In the emotional Instagram post dedicated to her sister, Autumn Gonclaves wrote, “Happy birthday sister. I love you so much. I wish I could feel another hug, see another smile, and hear another “I love you” next to a sweet family photo.
“You deserved your life more than anyone I know,” the post continued, “You worked so hard for everything you had, and you loved your life. You appreciated all the little things and that’s a big deal.”
Kaylee Goncalves’ sister Autumn paid a heartbreaking tribute to her sister on her 22nd birthday
Gonclaves was stabbed to death along with three other students last November in a brutal attack that shocked the nation
Adding: “Learning to live without you is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Something I should have done once.’
Autumn wished her beloved sister a happy birthday and expressed her joy at the idea of meeting her again one day: “Meeting you again is something that never leaves my mind. There’s so much I have to tell you, so much I have to ask you.
Seeing your smile again, hearing your laughter. It keeps me going every day. I know we’ll meet again, but we should never have said goodbye like this.’
Best friends Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21, and young couple Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, both 20, died in the horror attack, which was so brutal that blood could still be seen dripping from the walls of their rental home days after the attack . kill.
Kaylee and Madison were found dead next to each other in bed, while Ethan and Xana were found on the floor below, while Xana was discovered slumped on the floor of her bedroom.
Kohberger, a criminology doctoral student at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, was arrested after a six-week manhunt and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and burglary.
Police linked him to the grisly quadruple murder of four schoolchildren after following his white Hyundai to the scene.
They also matched his DNA to a sample left on a knife sheath found at the scene. The murder weapon was not found in the home.
Best friends Kaylee and Madison were found dead next to each other in bed
Bryan Kohberger, 28, appeared in court in Moscow, Idaho, where he “stood still” as he made a plea. The judge pleaded not guilty on his behalf for the murder of four University of Idaho students
Maddie Mogen (above) Kaylee Goncalves (left) Xana Kernodle (right) and Ethan Chapin (center) – all students at the University of Idaho – were stabbed to death on Nov. 13 in the quiet college town of Moscow
Ethan and Xana were found on the floor below, while Xana was discovered slumped on the floor of her bedroom in the off-campus house.
This is the murder house where four students were stabbed to death. The house has since been boarded up and is slated to be demolished
Officers also seized three knives from the possession of Kohberger’s parents, including one in a different sheath.
Police also confiscated a “black mask,” which bears little resemblance to the black balaclava described by the surviving roommate who saw the killer leave the scene on Nov. 13.
A total of 63 items were seized from Kohberger’s parents’ home, including multiple items of clothing, books, documents, bills and prescriptions.
Police watched Kohberger for days before raiding the home in the early hours of December 30.
Survivors Mortensen and Bethany Funke said they heard noises the night of the attack, with Mortensen telling police she heard Kaylee say “someone’s here” around 4am.
Ten minutes later she heard a thud and a cry from Xana’s room and a man’s voice saying ‘it’s okay, I’m going to help you’.
At 4:17 a.m., a dog was recorded barking loudly at a neighbor’s security camera.
Around the same time, Mortensen said she opened her bedroom door again and saw a tall man with bushy eyebrows exit through the sliding glass doors at the back of the house.
She described being “frozen with shock” when the black-clad man walked up to her and said she locked herself in her room after he left.
Kohberger appeared in court on Monday, May 22, where he entered a “not guilty” plea by remaining silent.
The defendant chose to use Idaho’s “still” plea, meaning he didn’t plead either way, but could still be tried.
The appearance, in which the 28-year-old appeared in court wearing an orange prison suit and looking pale, was his first appearance since he was formally charged with the murders in early January.
Kohberger sat silently as Judge John Judge read his rights and reiterated that he faces the death penalty if found guilty of any of the murder charges before answering “yes” when repeatedly asked if he understood.
When the four murder charges and one burglary charge were read by Judge Judge, he flipped through his indictment papers and shifted in his chair before his attorney Anne Taylor told the judge that her client would “stand still” if asked to respond. .
The non-plea now means the case will go to trial, with Taylor asking the judge to schedule a six-week trial that now begins Oct. 2.
Madison’s father Ben Mogen and Kaylee’s parents Steve and Kristi watched, both dressed in black, looking sad and serious as their daughters’ names were heard in the packed courtroom.