(NewsNation) — As a judge accepted a plea deal from Idaho suspect Bryan Kohberger, a motive for the murders of four college students was not discussed.
Kohberger admitted to murdering Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in November of 2022.
The four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death in an off-campus house in Moscow, Idaho. Kohberger was arrested for the murders in December of that same year.
Previously, Kohberger had pleaded not guilty. In pre-trial hearings, his lawyers had moved for evidence to be dismissed, the death penalty taken off the table and asked to introduce alternative suspects in the defense case.
The plea deal removes the death penalty, and in accepting it, Kohberger waived his right to appeal. He is expected to receive four life sentences to be served consecutively.
Prosecutors laid out a high-level view of the case they would have presented in the trial, which did not include a motive.
When the judge questioned Kohberger about his understanding of the plea deal, Kohberger answered in one-word answers, giving no clarity as to why he committed the crime.
Without a trial, it’s possible that there will never be a clear answer to what led him to murder four college students.
Some of the victims’ families have objected to the plea deal, with Steve Goncalves calling it a “deal with the devil.”