Bryan Kohberger's Chilling Three-Word Response As He Denied Victims' Families Closure With No Motive

Bryan Kohbergerappears to have no intention of revealing his motive, at least not to the public.

During his sentencing on Wednesday, the 30-year-old, who fatally stabbed four Idaho students, gave a chilling response when asked by the judge if he had any remarks.

In contrast, the victims’ families delivered powerful impact statements, with Kaylee Goncalves’ relatives being especially vocal, continuing the outspokenness they have shown since Bryan Kohberger agreed to a plea deal.

In the days leading up to Bryan Kohberger’s sentencing, speculation swirled over whether he would deliver a statement in court, especially with regard to his motives.

Unfortunately, those anticipating any from the accused were left disappointed, as the Idaho killer, charged with fatally stabbing Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, turned down the opportunity during his sentencing on Wednesday.

When Judge Steven Hippler asked the former PhD student if he had any comments, Kohberger responded indifferently with, “I respectfully decline,” per the New York Post.

The accused had mainly remained silent in the lead-up to the hearing, speaking only during his guilty plea last month, when he provided mostly monosyllabic answers.

Now, it appears the world may never know what motivated Kohberger to fatally stab the four Idaho students in their off-campus home on November 13, 2022.

During the hearing, Kaylee Goncalves’ family delivered a powerful and emotional impact statement that appeared even more furious than their previous outspoken remarks against the killer, Bryan Kohberger.

Kaylee’s sister, Alivea Goncalves, slammed the Idaho killer as insecure, alongside other pointed words aimed at making Kohberger understand there was nothing profound or remarkable about him.

“You’re a textbook case of insecurity disguised as control, your patterns are predictable, your motives are shallow,” she said, per USA Today. “You are not profound, you are pathetic. You aren’t special or deep, not mysterious or exceptional. Don’t ever get it twisted again.”

Kaylee’s father also echoed the same sentiments in his statement that mocked how Kohberger had made it easy for him to be apprehended by leaving a trail of evidence.

“You’re a joke, a complete joke,” Steve Goncalves said. “You were that foolish, that careless, that stupid… We knew from the very beginning we had you.”

He further remarked, “Nobody cares about you. You’re not worth the time the effort to be remembered. In time, you’ll be nothing but two initials forgotten to the wind.”

Judge Steven Hippler, who presided over the case, condemned Kohberger in his remarks before delivering the sentence.

He described him as “the worst of the worst” for the brutal murders of the four University of Idaho students.

“Truth be told, I am unable to come up with anything redeeming about Mr. Kohberger, because his grotesque acts of evil have buried and hidden anything that might have been good or intrinsically human about him,” Hippler added.

The judge also urged the public to no longer focus on learning about Kohberger’s motive, as it gives him “relevance,” “agency,” and “power.”

He then noted that even if there were a way to compel Kohberger to speak, there is no guarantee he would tell the truth. And even if he did, it’s unlikely his explanation would offer any true sense of satisfaction.

“Even if we could get truthful insight into his why, I suspect it would not in any way quench one’s thirst for actually understanding why," the Boise judge further added. "Because there is no reason for these crimes that could approach anything resembling rationality."

For killing the four University of Idaho students, Bryan Kohberger was sentenced to four consecutive life terms. He also received an additional sentence of several years for burglary in connection with the murders.

As part of the sentence, he was fined $270,000, with $50,000 allocated to each of the victims’ families.

Following the hearing, Kohberger will no longer remain in the Ada County Jail but will not be transferred immediately to a maximum-security prison to begin his sentence.

Instead, he will undergo evaluations in the custody of the Idaho Department of Corrections for a while.

"Once in IDOC custody, the person goes through a reception and diagnostic process (RDU) to evaluate their needs and determine appropriate housing placement," a rep told People Magazine.

"We wait until a person completes RDU to determine their classification or housing placement," they added.