Hey, folks, It's July twenty third, and today the man who killed four University of Idaho students has an opportunity in open court to finally answer the question why why did he kill those four students? He has an opportunity to tell us, But will he? And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ.
Robes.
Not a lot of mystery in the sentencing of Coburger today, But here we are three years later, and we still don't have any idea why he killed these kids.
And as excruciating as it is for the families, the parents of these four students to just accept the fact that their loved ones are gone and we're brutally murdered, but to have no idea why is just adding insult to injury. And so these families, with the exception of one of the victims' families, will be in court first of all together their own impact statements, their own victim impact statements.
This is their first.
Chance to directly address Brian Koberger, the man who has been well, he's now pleaded guilty to murdering these four students, to tell them the impact he's had on their lives, to tell them the lives he took away and took from this world. But yes, they're also hoping to hear something from him. They all want to know what his motive was, and right now no one knows.
We all remember the crime was shocking, horrific enough at the time, but you're looking for an answer, like what was going on? What was the relationship even to these kids? There was none apparently that we can all tell. But it was so horrific. And here we are three years later that the family is finally there won't be a trial, and some were relieved, we don't have to have a trial.
And some were upset about it.
And some were upset. But this was supposed to be some type of finality, right when people finally, when victims' families finally see the person who's responsible go to prison, the trial is over, supposed to be the end of it, never be over until they get this answer. How could they ever rest in peace, quite frankly, until their families have some kind of finality and understanding about why this man did this.
That's right, one legal expert said.
Today could be if we did hear from Brian Coberger, and we did hear something, this could be what amounts to a legal funeral of sorts where you actually do get closure, and you do get answers, and you can finally put all of those gnawing, nagging questions to bed. But let's just take you back to November thirteenth, twenty twenty two, where Kaylee Goncales, Madison, Mogen Xana Kernodle, and
Ethan Chapin were there in this off campus house. They were students there at the University of Idaho, and they were stabbed to death at their residence in the middle of the night. There were two other roommates there that evening who managed to survive, and one of them actually did and was able to tell police that she saw a masked man walking through their apartment. Those two roommates
may also speak today. There's some anticipation that they may get up and address Brian Coberger as well, but ultimately DNA evidence from a sheath from the knife he used linked him directly to the crime, along with the online
purchase of that knife and the sheath. They had surveillance video of his vehicle in the area and his own cell phone pinged to that tower nearby the site of the killing, so they had a lot of evidence, and they were seeking the prosecutors were seeking the death penalty, and at least one family member of one family wanted to see him put to death. They didn't want him to have life in prison, and they wanted a trial, and they wanted answers.
They were hoping information would come out in that trial.
The trial was going to happen up until a couple of months ago, because up until a couple of months ago he was still maintaining at least a not guilty plea in court and the trial was going to happen. They made an attempt in April at least to try
to get the death penalty off the table. His defense lawyers did because he was recently diagnosed with autism asd autism spectrum disorder, and they made a case that, hey, because he has this, the Supreme Court is saying that this would amount a cruel and unusual punishment, the death
penalty for someone who has this now. Uh huh. The judge rejected that, yes, he has whatever autism now, but that is not going to stop the prosecution from seeking the death penalty, And then negotiations started with the prosecution about pleading guilty and he is pled guilty. Four life sentences, no possibility of parole now short of the death penalty. That is as tough of a sentence as you're going to get, and it's not enough.
Some people want their day in court.
And look, this was a bit of a surprise guilty plead to a lot of people. It happened on July seconds, so just a couple weeks ago. And yes, he is going to prison for the rest of his life. But some family members are upset with prosecutors over the deal. They wanted input, they wanted to have a say and whether or not they were okay with that deal or not. So they were upset that they didn't get their day in court, which was supposed to be August eleventh, and
this trial was supposed to last for three months. This was going to be a very public spectacle.
But they were hoping to.
Get a lot of information out because there had been a gag order for the last two and a half years and investigators were barred from sharing information or releasing anything not only to the public, but to the victims' families as well, so they have been in the dark. I watched an interview with one of the families who said, we don't even know how many times our daughter was stabbed. We don't even know where she was stabbed, we don't know how long it took. They want to know these details.
I know it sounds macab, but when it's your child and you want to know, you want to know what happened to them. And many of these families they don't know specifically know their child was stabbed to death. And that's it.
That's where it begins and ends.
It's been three years, folks, and so much of what happens in trials. Yes, prosecutors want to hold on to information, want to keep it out of the public, but when the trial comes, all that stuff comes out. We're not having a trial. So now we're wondering, and they are pressing for prosecutors to start, like immediately releasing this information so that they could finally get some closure, maybe some finality with all this. But some families today do not
want this to be happening. They don't want a sentencing hearing, they want information, they wanted a trial, they wanted the death penalty on the table. Can't take issue with the other family with however they feel right now. But today is a very important day. He has an opportunity to speak. We don't know.
If he will yes.
And this is all happening at eleven am Eastern time. This is when the hearing is going to begin, and folks have been lined up, people camped out overnight the public to try and get into this trial.
There is tremendous public interest. They say. There's at least.
Fifty people deep waiting in line to get into that court and have been for hours to see what happens today. But this is going to be live streamed. There are reporters in the courtroom and we're certainly going to be following it. And this may be so extensive that it
carries on until Thursday. So this could be a two day sentencing hearing because the judge wants to make sure every single person who wants to speak, who wants to address Brian Coberger, gets the opportunity to and apparently there are quite a few victim impact statements that the court is expecting.
I didn't see a list. Is there official count I didn't see.
I didn't see it either.
I just know that they because it's just been they've been expecting and some there. I think the family I believe the family of Ethan he they said they will not be there, and you know that's that's just such a personal decision whether you could even stand to be in that courtroom. And some people, some of the family members say, you know, wild horses couldn't.
Hold them back. They will be there and they will be making statements.
Coburger, I think he's been described. Yes he has autism. That was a recent diagnosis, but he has been described in court and when he's just a soft spoke and he doesn't seem to be a very outgoing individual. I don't know how much that has to do with the autism, but the argument that that could have kept him from from possibly getting the death penalty. The confusion, I say confusion. It's just he didn't know these kids. He was in
school nearby. I think I don't think it was more than a twenty mile plus distance he was from, and I don't have that right, but he was close by. I mean, he was going to another school. Why he knew them, why he showed up, and why he did what he did. He attacked two of the students, I believe it was two women to the young ladies first, and authorities did come out at one point and say yes, it appears that he attacked and stabbed a couple of
them while they were still asleep. So the two that were left, there were two other housemates, one of them you mentioned saw him. I cannot imagine how they feel and the answers now they want why were we spared? That is going to be with them the rest of their lives. So it is so key today. This is important for these families to have an opportunity, but this is a huge moment for these families for the rest of their lives and how it's going to go. Is he going to choose to speak? Folks? We still you
remember that case. The first question who is it? It took him six weeks to find them, by the way before he was arrested.
Who is it why? So there is not even I don't even see a lot of speculation, just makings why would he do this? The four people he did not know?
Right, he was a PhD student, so a smart kid. He might have been socially awkward and yes, recently diagnosed with autism. But nothing makes sense, and that's why so many people are so I don't want to use the word fascinated, but perhaps it is a morbid curiosity because people always and look, oftentimes, the why is never a good enough answer. I've learned this. I know you probably have two covering crimes for so many years.
It's always the first.
Thing families want to know, and frankly, everyone wants to know why, and just oftentimes there isn't a good answer, and sometimes there's never an answer, and that's so hard to accept a motive.
This is completely mind bob. You remember how horrific it was at the time when this happened to thinking, I mean, there were all kinds of theories about who could it be. You remember the police told people for a while, you know what, there's no threat to the public. You're cool. They came back later and said, you know what, remember when we said that, we're not sure.
Yeah, They're like, this was a targeted attack. No one should be worried, look anyone. I mean, I have a daughter going back to school in a couple of weeks. Every single parent who sends their child off to college, it's it's such a scary time in life because you've been protecting them, you've been around them, you've been guiding them. You know where they are when they're coming, when they're going,
suddenly they launch off to school. And so yes, this is every single parent's worst nightmare as they're sending their kids off to college. What if they're not safe? What if they're not protected? So for those police officers to say, hey, your kids are fine, there's no one on the loose. Yeah, it took six weeks and he was actually arrested at his parents' home in Pennsylvania, driven.
Across the country. He had driven cross the country home. I think didn't he drive with.
His dad on that?
I believe, so, yes, yes, there are so many questions and it actually look everyone wants to know. But actually President Trump weighed in on this case earlier in the week as well, And welcome back everyone to this edition of Amy and TJ. We are focused on this sentencing hearing that is happening today. All eyes are on a courtroom in in Idaho. Brian Coberger is going to be formally sentenced. He is going to be pleading guilty to four murder charges. He is The sentencing has already pretty
much been determined. He's going to get four consecutive life sentences. He is going to prison for the rest of his life. But the big the big moment today could be if we hear from Brian specifically. Everyone wants to know why he committed these heinous crimes, stabbing these four innocent college students to death while they were sleeping in their off campus home. He's been linked to the attack, he's admitted to the murders, and yet no one knows why they occurred.
Yeah, this is I know, you're just talking about a moment ago. It was six of them, right, six of them living in the house, and you talk about folks in their kids off to college and just the idea, that's exactly what Anna Lease experience her first year is school. How many were in that house?
Seven?
She had seven kids in a house?
Coming up this year is going to be how many I think.
She's doing six, five or six. But yes, it's a big house filled with kids. You feel like they're safe, safety in numbers, they're else And there were boys and girls in the house, so that actually makes me feel safer to know she's got guys there. But that didn't protect these kids on that night from Brian Coberg.
Since sleep in the middle of the night, going to a house people you don't know and kill them why with just why why why? Why? Why? The family is desperate for this answer. And you were talking before we uh hopped onto that break that. Yeah, even the President has chimed in on this and Robes the president is having the same thought it seems the rest of us are having.
He certainly is.
He has taken to truth social and he has put out several statements. But one of them he said, I hope the judge makes Coburger at a minimum explain why he did these horrible murders. There are no explanations, there is no nothing. People were shocked that he was able to plea bargain, but the judge should make him explain what happened. I mean that I think would have maybe made some of these family members feel a little bit better if the deal had been struck between prosecutors and
the defense. Okay, fine, you can plead guilty. We'll take the death penalty off the table, but we want you in open court to explain why you did what you did. I'm wondering why they didn't go that route, you.
Know what, because maybe they didn't discuss it with the family ahead of time, Right, did they get a say in this? Oftentimes this is the case. Prosecutors are good about this, and I'm not sure what they did in this particular instance, but that had to be something. You know, families would have insisted. This is a part of the plea deal. You gotta speak, Yeah, you got to tell us what's happening. Short of that, I don't believe the George the judge can order him to do anything.
Well, I don't think the judge can either, but I believe as a part of a deal, you absolutely could have that be a condition and he could have taken it lately or left it, and so I just I really wonder why they didn't go that route, because that's tough because a lot of legal experts will tell you because his sentencing has already been determined, he's already going to prison for the rest of his life, he really
doesn't have an incentive to speak. There's no reason why he has to speak, and so if they're not into rehabilitating him or even understanding him at this point, he really doesn't have to say one thing. And so people are saying there's a fifty to fifty chance that he speaks. Well, okay, anybody could say that, but I don't know that anything he could say. Imagine I'm putting myself in the shoes
of those parents. I can't imagine there's anything he could say that would make me feel any better or have any more closure.
About what happened to my child. I do know that.
One of the girl's parents said, if he said he was sorry, if he apologized, it would matter, It would make a difference. It would feel like they got something from him. But most folks are doubtful that is going to happen.
But anything could happen.
And again, this we don't know at what point he gets the opportunity to speak, or the judge will say, do you have anything to say?
It's right, it's the last thing, right before the judge issues the sentence.
And so if you're looking at and we're expecting quite a few people to get up and give these victim impact statements. And there has been some belief that this may go into day two until tomorrow, so we may not even he may not even get the chance to speak or not to speak until tomorrow.
But this is certainly going to be interesting.
And I mean, my heart's actually beating fast imagining that anticipation or waiting to see or waiting to hear or wanting to know if he's going to tell me what happened to my child?
What was the one I'm sorry you said? They said, I'm sorry. It would be worth something, right. I can't remember the trial, we saw that too long ago. Where the who Oh my goodness, I am getting Oh my god, I just got to overcome with emotion thinking about it, because you remember how messed up I was over it. It was the the kid who was who had killed folk?
Was it?
Where was it? And one of the mothers of the victim asked if she could go hug him? Yes, And I saw that video. Oh my god, I'm thinking about it now. I worked up about it because that was such a powerful and emotional moment to see. So you never know what works for one family might not work for another. What works for one dad might not work for the mom. What works for this in the same family either. You don't know how this day and what
words could mean anything. These people have to live the rest of their lives without two twenty year olds and two twenty one year olds. That's how young these kids were sleeping in the midnight and killed. So if I am I don't know enough about his personality. I don't think there's been anything other than the murder that people come out and say he's so he's been malicious, he's been vindictive, he's been you know, some killers taunt right
the victims family. He hasn't done that. But will he go quietly?
What could he say?
Robes, I did it because blink, and you're just gonna go whatever answer you give, it's probably gonna make you feel worse like over that. For that, there's no justification, there's nothing.
There's no justification what happened to those for young, bright and budding students who were about to just go take on the world. It's just it's so gutting and so incredibly sad, and so perhaps, yeah, anything short of an apology, I don't know any weight it would carry or any explanation.
Yet there is no explanation.
You don't. Prosecutors have asked you talk about him speaking to the family and saying something, but a fouled emotion before today's hearing, asking for a gag order on Coburger be continued, meaning he has been ordered not to try to contact the victims' families. They want that extended for about another one hundred years for whatever reason they stuck that number in their ninety nine years. But they don't want him any point ever to be allowed to torture this family.
Yes, and one of the family members spoke out and said that they're the reason why they wanted the death penalty and they wanted the trial is because they don't want him to have influence over anyone. They don't want him to have influence over other inmates. They said, this is a bright person who is intelligent PhD student. They don't want him to have a healthy and a rewarding life inside of prison. I believe he said he considers what Coburger is about to enter into is adult daycare.
He said that's not good enough for me. My daughter lost her life. He shouldn't get to go to adult daycare and be interacting with inmates, writing reading. You know, he was even concerned he might write a book or do something. So a gag order I think would certainly help the parents and the family members of these students
feel a little bit better. You can understand that you just wouldn't want this person who did what he did to have any influence over anybody ever again, whatever that may be wherever that may be.
We shall see folks. If he does speak today, we will have our eye on the court out there, and it is being live stream if you want to check it out yourself, there's several outlets you can find it no problem where it's being live streams. But we'll keep an eye on today and we'll check back in with you when it warrants, which we assume it is going to warrant fairly soon. But for now, folks, we appreciate you as always hanging with us for my partner, Hamy Robot on TJ. Holmes will talk to y'all soon