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The families and loved ones of the four students stabbed to death in a home near the University of Idaho campus faced Bryan Kohberger during his sentencing in a Boise court Wednesday in an outpouring of grief, anger and even forgiveness.

Judge Steven Hippler sentenced Kohberger to four life sentences without parole for four counts of first-degree murder in the brutal deaths of Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves and Ethan Chapin early on Nov. 13, 2022. He was also given a 10-year sentence for burglary and assessed $270,000 in fines and civil penalties. He has waived his right to appeal.

Kohberger pleaded guilty early this month, just weeks before his trial was to start, in a deal to avoid the death penalty. Prosecutors and defense attorneys had agreed on the sentence. Kohberger had a chance to speak in court but declined to do so.

Many loved ones spoke through tears as they gave their emotional statements during Wednesday’s hearing. Some addressed Kohberger directly, while others said they did not want to 鈥渨aste the words鈥� on him.

The prosecutor and judge also choked up at times as they spoke of the victims.

Here’s a look at the hearing in their words:

Surviving roommates speak of their trauma

Bethany Funke was one of two roommates to survive the night of the stabbings. In a statement read by a friend, she said the killings terrorized her and prompted her to sleep in her parents’ room for almost a year.

鈥淚 have not slept through a single night since this happened. I constantly wake up in panics, terrified someone is breaking in or someone is here to hurt me, or I’m about to lose someone else that I love,” Funke’s statement said. 鈥淔or a long time I could barely get out of bed. But one day, I realized I have to live for them.”

Dylan Mortensen, the other surviving roommate, similarly said she had to sleep in her mom’s bed and described panic attacks that hit her 鈥渓ike a tsunami.鈥�

鈥淪ometimes I drop to the floor with my heart racing, convinced something is very wrong. It鈥檚 far beyond anxiety. It鈥檚 my body reliving everything over and over again,鈥� she said, sobbing.

What Kohberger couldn’t take from her was her voice and her memories of her roommates, she said. “Those things are mine. They are sacred, and he will never touch them.鈥�

Families express array of emotions

Scott Laramie, Mogen’s stepfather, said the 鈥渆motional wound will never fully heal.鈥�

鈥淜aren and I are ordinary people, but we lived extraordinary lives because we had Maddie,鈥� he said, referring to his wife, Maddie’s mother. 鈥淎s for the defendant, we will not waste the words. Nor will we fall into hatred and bitterness.”

An attorney for the family read a statement from Karen Laramie. 鈥淪ome may offer forgiveness for what the defendant has done. However, we cannot at this time, or perhaps ever,” the statement said. “Nor will we ask for mercy for what he has done. His acts are too heinous.鈥�

Some other family members, meanwhile, said they forgave Kohberger.

“Bryan, I鈥檓 here today to tell you I have forgiven you because I no longer could live with that hate in my heart,鈥� said Kim Kernodle, Xana鈥檚 aunt. 鈥淎ny time you want to talk and tell me what happened, get my number. I鈥檓 here, no judgment, because I do have questions that I want you to answer.鈥�

Cara Northington, Xana’s mother, emphasized the importance of her faith. 鈥淛esus has allowed me to forgive you for murdering my daughter, without you even being sorry,鈥� she said.

The father of Madison Mogen read the last thing she had written him 鈥� a Father’s Day card. In it, she said she couldn’t wait to 鈥渉ang out again soon” and that she was proud of him.

鈥淲hen I wasn’t wanting to live anymore, she was what would keep me from not caring anymore,鈥� Ben Mogen said, describing struggles with addiction. 鈥淜nowing that she was out there and that she was just such a beautiful person kept me alive a lot of rough moments.鈥�

Steve Goncalves, Kaylee’s father, taunted Kohberger for leaving his DNA on a knife sheath left near Mogen鈥檚 body and getting caught despite being a graduate student in criminology at nearby Washington State University at the time.

“You were that careless, that foolish, that stupid,鈥� Steve Goncalves said. 鈥淢aster鈥檚 degree? You鈥檙e a joke.鈥�

Kohberger declines to speak

When asked by the judge whether he wanted to speak, Kohberger responded: 鈥淚 respectfully decline.鈥�

Prosecutor chokes up showing photos of victims

Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson’s voice caught in his throat as he displayed photos of the victims, including one of all the roommates taken the day before the killings. Sobbing was heard in the courtroom and the judge used a tissue to dry his eyes.

鈥淵ou can see all six of these dynamic, vibrant, loving, special, innocent faces, taken together just across the street from their residence and barely 12 hours before four of them would be brutally murdered in their sleep,鈥� he said.

Thompson acknowledged that the victim鈥檚 families were split on how they felt about the plea deal.

鈥淚 respect the fact that of these fine, suffering people here, not everybody agreed with the decision we made,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 accept that. It’s my responsibility in the end. I recognize that that鈥檚 the duty of the office that I hold.鈥�

Judge reflects on not knowing the motive

鈥淣o parent should ever have to bury their child,鈥� Judge Steven Hippler said. 鈥淧arents who took their children to college in a truck filled with moving boxes had to bring them home in hearses lined with coffins.鈥�

Hippler said he shared 鈥渢he desire expressed by others to understand the why,” while also wondering whether focusing on the motive gave Kohberger agency and power.

鈥淭he need to know what is inherently not understandable makes us dependent upon the defendant to provide us with a reason, and that gives him the spotlight, the attention and the power he appears to crave,” he said. “Yet even if I could force him to speak, which legally I cannot, how could anyone ever be assured that what he speaks is the truth?鈥�