Bryan Kohberger's signed confession made public

(NewsNation) — After Bryan Kohberger agreed to a plea deal last week, his signed confession has now been made public by officials.

The confession comes not too long after the family of Kaylee Goncalves, one of Kohberger's victims, said their daughter’s killer deserved nothing less than death row after “beating” their daughter before fatally stabbing her.

“The state is showing BK (Bryan Kohberger) mercy by removing the death penalty. BK did not show Kaylee ANY mercy,” the family wrote in a statement. “His life on DEATH ROW while serving his time would have been much worse than serving his time as life in prison. He doesn’t deserve life in prison. He deserved life on death row."

Goncalves' father, Steve Goncalves, had been vocal in his criticism of the agreement between prosecutors and Kohberger, who admitted to fatally stabbing Kaylee Goncalves and three of her University of Idaho friends — Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Ethan Chapin — in November 2022.

He said the family feels they were “used” by government attorneys as prosecutors compiled a mountain of evidence. Goncalves also added that he would have preferred the option of a trial and a potential death sentence for Kohberger.

Ex-Idaho Attorney General David Leroy acknowledged his understanding of why some family members of Kohberger’s victims are upset by a plea deal, but he considers it the best possible outcome.

“This particular settlement is not only agreeable to half of the victim families, but it’s also defensible and explicable in the community’s best interest,” he said.

Kohberger is set to be sentenced to life in prison July 23.