Bryan Kohberger was sentenced to four life sentences without the possibility of parole on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to the murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022. 

Families of the victims delivered emotional statements at the sentencing hearing, held in a courtroom in Boise. When given the opportunity to speak, Kohberger declined to do so. 

Kohberger pleaded guilty earlier this month to the murders of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves as part of a plea deal that spared him from the death penalty. He was in the courtroom Wednesday wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and listened as the families of the victims confronted him with powerful statements. 

The hearing lasted about three hours, with more than a dozen family impact statements read aloud.

Chapin, Kernodle, Mogen and Goncalves were killed at a home in Moscow, Idaho, during the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022. Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania six weeks later. Prosecutors said that if the case had gone to trial they would have used DNA evidence that linked Kohberger to the crime scene, his online purchase history, surveillance video of Koherger’s car, and cellphone data that showed him in the vicinity of the killings. His motive is still unknown.

Kohberger sentenced to life in prison 

Judge Steven Hippler spoke emotionally for several minutes before sentencing Kohberger. He called Kohberger a “faceless coward” and said he was in “great awe” of the family members who had given statements. He also criticized Kohberger for failing to show remorse or regret about the slayings. He said he could not legally force Kohberger to explain why he had committed the slayings, and said he did not believe Kohberger would answer the question truthfully either way. 

“There is no reason for these crimes that could approach anything resembling rationality,” Hippler said. “No conceivable reason could make any sense, and in the end, the more we struggle to seek explanation for the unexplainable, the more we try to extract a reason, the more power and control we give to him. In my view, the time has now come to end Mr. Kohberger’s 15 minutes of fame.” 

After speaking, Hippler sentenced Kohberger to four consecutive sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole. He was also sentenced to 10 years in prison on the burglary charge. Kohberger did not react after the sentence was read out. 

For each charge, Kohberger was also charged $50,000. He also owes a civil penalty of $5,000, payable to the family of the victim, for each murder charge. 

Kohberger will be required to submit DNA as part of the plea deal, Hippler said. Kohberger has waived his right to an appeal, but can file a notice of appeal, Hippler said, though that notice might violate the plea agreement. 

Victim impact statements 

About two hours of the hearing were dedicated to statements read by the loved ones of the victims. The first victim impact statement was read on behalf of Bethany Funke, who had lived with the murdered students and called 911 after finding their bodies. 

“That was the worst day of my life, and I know it always will be,” Funke said in the statement, which was read by friend Emily Alant. Funke added that she checks her room every night to ensure there is no one hiding in the space, and said she has struggled to sleep since the slayings. Alant cried as she read the statement, while Kohberger showed no emotion. 

Dylan Mortensen, the other surviving roommate, was the next to speak. She was visibly distraught and took several moments to collect herself before beginning to read her statement through tears. She said she has struggled with panic attacks since the killings. 

“I was barely 19 when he did this,” Mortensen said. “We had just celebrated my birthday at the end of September. I should have been figuring out who I was. I should have been having the college experience and starting to establish my future. Instead, I was forced to learn how to survive the unimaginable.”

Scott Laramie, Madison Mogen’s stepfather, then read a victim impact statement on the behalf of himself and Mogen’s mother, Karen Laramie. He remembered Mogen as someone who “always brought us joy” and who prioritized spending time with her family before she was “taken senselessly and brutally in a sudden act of evil.” 

“This world was a better place with her in it,” Laramie said.  

Karen Laramie had a second statement read on her behalf by her lawyer, Leander James. Mogen’s paternal grandmother Kim Cheeley also spoke, thanking prosecutors and law enforcement officials for “bringing this case to closure.” 

Mogen’s father, Ben Mogen, said that his daughter had already earned all of the credits necessary for her degree at the time of the slayings, and wiped his eyes as he spoke. 

“Maddie was my only child that I ever had. She’s the only great thing I ever did and the only thing I was ever proud of,” Ben Mogen said. He recounted taking her to concerts with friends, and shared a Father’s Day card that he said was the last thing his daughter ever wrote to him, where she’d written “I can’t wait till we can hang out again soon.” 

Steve Goncalves, the father of Kaylee Goncalves, turned the podium to address Kohberger directly. Kohberger continued to not react, though he made eye contact with Steve Goncalves as he spoke. 

“Today, we’re here to finish what you started,” Steve Goncalves said. He called Kohberger a “complete joke” and said the families of the victims “took this disaster” and kept it focused on their loved ones. 

“All anyone talked about when they talked about this case was Kaylee Jade, Maddie May, Xana and Ethan,” Steve Goncalves said. 

He was followed by Alivea Goncalves, Kaylee Goncalves’ older sister, who had also been close to Mogen. She again directly spoke to Kohberger, and he maintained eye contact with her, as she called him a sociopath.

“No one is scared of you today. No one is impressed by you. No one thinks you’re important,” Alivea Goncalves said. There was applause in the courtroom after she finished speaking. She was followed by her and Kaylee Goncalves’ mother, Kristi, who again directly addressed Kohberger. Goncalves family attorney Shannon Grey read statements from Kaylee Goncalves’ aunt and grandmothers. 

Jazzmin Kernodle, the older sister of Xana Kernodle, was the first member of her family to speak. She remembered her younger sister as a “kind, funny” woman who “was everyone’s best friend.” Her father Jeff Kernodle spoke next. He said that the night of the murders, he had been just seven miles from the house and wanted to drive over — but decided against it because he had been drinking. 

“I wish I would have drunk and drove. They would have had a chance, all four of them,” Jeff Kernodle said. 

Next to speak was Kim Kernodle, Xana’s aunt. She told Kohberger that she had “forgiven” him for the slayings. 

“I no longer could live with that hate in my heart, and for me to become a better person, I have forgiven you. Any time you want to talk and tell me what happened, find my number. I’m here. … I’ll be that one that will listen to you.” 

Kernodle’s uncle Stratton Kernodle and stepfather Randy Davis also spoke briefly, with Davis receiving applause after telling Kohberger to “Go to hell.” Karen Worthington, Xana Kernodle’s mother, then addressed Kohberger directly, facing in his direction as she read a prepared statement. She also said she had forgiven Kohberger. 

“I do not fear you or even let you rent space in my head anymore. This forgiveness has released me from any and all evil you have released on me and my family,” she said.  

Prosecutors details process behind plea deal 

After the families finished speaking, prosecutor Bill Thompson took the podium. He walked through the past few weeks of the case, and said the families of the victims had only been interested in a plea agreement that saw Kohberger plead guilty on all counts and waive appeal on all of his motions, which would have “consumed years or decades in the future.” 

The families of the victims were divided over the plea deal. Mogen’s father told CBS News he was relieved to learn of the deal, saying it will allow his family to “actually put this behind us.” The Goncalves family has bitterly criticized the agreement, and told CBS News after a gag order was lifted that they believe the plea deal gives Kohberger a chance to live a “better and more rewarding life inside” prison. 

Thompson said the deal was kept confidential until the last minute because officials did not want to taint a prospective jury pool if the case did proceed to trial.  

“Now, it is time for the judicial system to impose final judgement and close the door on this chapter of these tragedies,” Thompson said. 

He asked that the judge sentence Kohberger to four consecutive life sentences in prison, one for each murder, and 10 years in prison on the burglary charge. As Thompson named each victim, their photo was shown in the courtroom. He also shared a group photo of the foursome. Crying could be heard in the courtroom as Thompson spoke. 

Kohberger declines to speak 

After Thompson spoke, Hippler asked the defense if they had evidence or an argument to present. The team said no. 

Hippler asked Kohberger if he would like to make a statement. 

“I respectfully decline,” Kohberger said. It was the first time he spoke all day. 

Family members could be heard murmuring, “Surprise, surprise,” and, “Coward.”

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order paving the way for a Nippon Steel investment in U.S. Steel, so long as the Japanese company complies with a “national security agreement” submitted by the federal government.

Trump’s order didn’t detail the terms of the national security agreement.

But the iconic American steelmaker and Nippon Steel said in a joint statement that the agreement stipulates that approximately $11 billion in new investments will be made by 2028 and includes giving the U.S. government a “ golden share ” — essentially veto power to ensure the country’s national security interests are protected against cutbacks in steel production.

“We thank President Trump and his Administration for their bold leadership and strong support for our historic partnership,” the two companies said. “This partnership will bring a massive investment that will support our communities and families for generations to come. We look forward to putting our commitments into action to make American steelmaking and manufacturing great again.”

The companies have completed a U.S. Department of Justice review and received all necessary regulatory approvals, the statement said.

“The partnership is expected to be finalized promptly,” the statement said.

U.S. Steel rose $2.66, or 5%, to $54.85 in afterhours trading Friday. Nippon Steel’s original bid to buy the Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel in late 2023 had been valued at $55 per share.

The companies offered few details on how the golden share would work, what other provisions are in the national security agreement and how specifically the $11 billion would be spent.

White House spokesman Kush Desai said the order “ensures U.S. Steel will remain in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and be safeguarded as a critical element of America’s national and economic security.”

James Brower, a Morrison Foerster lawyer who represents clients in national security-related matters, said such agreements with the government typically are not disclosed to the public, particularly by the government.

They can become public, but it’s almost always disclosed by a party in the transaction, such as a company — like U.S. Steel — that is publicly held, Brower said.

The mechanics of how a golden share would work will depend on the national security agreement, but in such agreements it isn’t unusual to give the government approval rights over specific activities, Brower said.

U.S. Steel made no filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday.

Nippon Steel originally offered nearly $15 billion to purchase U.S. Steel in an acquisition that had been delayed on national security concerns starting during Joe Biden’s presidency.

As it sought to win over American officials, Nippon Steel gradually increased the amount of money it was pledging to invest into U.S. Steel. American officials now value the transaction at $28 billion, including the purchase bid and a new electric arc furnace — a more modern steel mill that melts down scrap — that they say Nippon Steel will build in the U.S. after 2028.

Nippon Steel had pledged to maintain U.S. Steel’s headquarters in Pittsburgh, put U.S. Steel under a board with a majority of American citizens and keep plants operating.

It also said it would protect the interests of U.S. Steel in trade matters and it wouldn’t import steel slabs that would compete with U.S. Steel’s blast furnaces in Pennsylvania and Indiana.

Trump opposed the purchase while campaigning for the White House, and using his authority Biden blocked the transaction on his way out of the White House. But Trump expressed openness to working out an arrangement once he returned to the White House in January.

Trump said Thursday that he would as president have “total control” of what U.S. Steel did as part of the investment.

Trump said then that the deal would preserve “51% ownership by Americans,” although Nippon Steel has never backed off its stated intention of buying and controlling U.S. Steel as a wholly owned subsidiary.

“We have a golden share, which I control,” Trump said.

Trump added that he was “a little concerned” about what presidents other than him would do with their golden share, “but that gives you total control.”

The proposed merger had been under review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, during the Trump and Biden administrations.

The order signed Friday by Trump said the CFIUS review provided “credible evidence” that Nippon Steel “might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States,” but such risks might be “adequately mitigated” by approving the proposed national security agreement.

The order doesn’t detail the perceived national security risk and only provides a timeline for the national security agreement. The White House declined to provide details on the terms of the agreement.

The order said the draft agreement was submitted to U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel on Friday. The two companies must successfully execute the agreement as decided by the Treasury Department and other federal agencies that are part CFIUS by the closing date of the transaction.

Trump reserves the authority to issue further actions regarding the investment as part of the order he signed on Friday.

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Levy reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

President Trump may want more than the long-anticipated minerals and economic partnership deal to end the pause he has put on U.S. military and intelligence support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, but his specific terms for restarting aid remain murky.

“The president of the United States did not say it has ended. He said it is paused. That is transitional,” U.S. envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg told Margaret Brennan in conversation at Council on Foreign Relations on Thursday. The envoy indicated he personally was unaware of what would determine that decision.

“That’s his call. And I would leave it up to him to make the decision when he thinks it’s equitable or when it’s—when a pause should be lifted,” Kellogg added. 

Diplomatic sources told CBS on Sunday that there is no indication that U.S. aid will be switched back on.

“I think we can see the impact. It’s certainly, on the one hand, emboldened Russia to really step up the attacks. And it’s also not just blindsided, but also partially blinded Ukraine,” said Fiona Hill, former senior director for European and Russian affairs on the U.S. National Security Council during Mr. Trump’s first administration, to Margaret Brennan on “Face the Nation.”

“And frankly, I think it’s going to be an impetus to other allies to start stepping up their own capabilities and questioning themselves about the virtues of sharing with the United States,” Hill added. “I mean, this is a two way street. We have to remember that other countries also share pretty vital information with the United States, even if the scale is not quite the same.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet with Ukrainian officials this week in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the first face-to-face discussions since the explosive Oval Office confrontation between Presidents Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy that triggered the U.S. cutoff. National security adviser Mike Waltz made remarks Friday in the Oval Office that raised expectations that he would discuss not only reviving a minerals deal but also try to get a ceasefire in place, and “drive peace home.” Trump friend and envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff separately announced that he’d be part of the team. 

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy will not be in the Tuesday meeting. He announced that he would be in Saudi Arabia on Monday, and that a Ukrainian delegation — including key aide Andry Yermak, along with Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, and deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavlo Palisa — would meet with the Americans.

Ukraine envoy Kellogg told Brennan on Thursday that the Trump administration was waiting on what he referred to as Ukraine’s “term sheet” for ending the war, and said the Russian version had already been received. Tammy Bruce, the State Department spokesperson, said in a statement on Friday that Rubio spoke with Ukraine’s foreign minister about “all sides” taking steps to secure a sustainable peace, which would suggest a request for Ukrainian concessions. It is not clear if Russia has offered any at all. Kellogg said that Trump has talked about the potential of Ukraine getting territory back from the Russians, but acknowledged that the U.S. president did not specify which territory.

It is also unclear what would trigger any U.S. pressure on Russia. Mr. Trump posted on social media that he would consider sanctions on Russian energy and banking, but then later said in the Oval Office that Putin’s stepped up attacks on Ukraine during the U.S. pause was something “anybody would do.”

“I don’t believe what he said for a second about the sanctions,” said Fiona Hill on “Face the Nation.” “I believe more what he just said there in the Oval Office, sitting behind, you know, the resolute desk.”

“He sees, you know, obviously, the Ukraine- Ukrainians, and he said that in the Oval Office during the meeting with President Zelensky, that he sees them on the back foot, as losing, and he’s basically telling them that they have to capitulate. Very clear,” she continued

Kellogg said Thursday that there was room for further U.S. pressure on Moscow especially when it comes to enforcement of existing sanctions.

“I think it was between one to 10, we’re probably at a seven. The problem is with enforcement we’re probably at a three,” Kellogg said. “I think the most important thing is the enforcement sanctions, not to serve the sanctions themselves.”

CBS News confirmed via three U.S. officials that the U.S. has paused lethal intelligence sharing with Ukraine, which includes no longer providing coordinates for targeting of Ukrainian strikes for US provided weapons like HIMARS.

In a statement Saturday, private sector company Maxar imagery confirmed that the US government had “temporarily suspended Ukrainian accounts” in its Global Enhanced GEOINT Delivery program, which provides Ukraine access to commercial satellite imagery collected by U.S. intelligence.

The Trump administration also halted the transfer of any of the $3.85 billion  in remaining military equipment designated for delivery to Ukraine. In addition, the European Command told CBS in a statement that it had been ordered to mothball deliveries of weapons already in transit from past shipments approved by the Biden administration prior to January 20th.

Two U.S. officials confirmed that the government is still sharing some intelligence with Ukraine to allow its forces to protect themselves against Russian attacks. Republican Rep Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania , a member of the intelligence committee, told “Face the Nation” on Sunday that lawmakers would be briefed on the specifics of the Trump intel cutoff this coming week.

Billionaire tech executive Elon Musk cast the upcoming presidential election in dire terms during an appearance with Donald Trump, calling the Republican presidential nominee the only candidate “to preserve democracy in America.”

The CEO of SpaceX and Tesla who also purchased X, Musk joined Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday at the site where the former president survived an assassination attempt in July. Musk said “this will be the last election” if Trump doesn’t win. Wearing a cap with the “Make America Great Again” slogan of Trump’s campaign, Musk appeared to acknowledge the foreboding nature of his remarks.

“As you can see I am not just MAGA — I am Dark MAGA,” he said.

It was the first time that Musk joined one of Trump’s rallies and was evidence of their growing alliance in the final stretch of the presidential election. Musk created a super political action committee supporting the Republican nominee and it has been spending heavily on get-out-the-vote efforts. Trump has said he would tap Musk to lead a government efficiency commission if he regains the White House.

Trump joined Musk in August for a rare public conversation on X, a friendly chat that spanned more than two hours. In it, the former president largely focused on the July assassination attempt, illegal immigration and his plans to cut government regulations.

Before a large crowd Saturday, Musk sought to portray Trump as a champion of free speech, arguing that Democrats want “to take away your freedom of speech, they want to take away your right to bear arms, they want to take away your right to vote, effectively.” Musk went on to criticize a California effort to ban voter ID requirements.

The event took place at the same property where a gunman’s bullets grazed Trump’s right ear and killed a Trump supporter, Corey Comperatore. The shooting left multiple others injured.

Several members of Comperatore’s family, as well as other attendees and first responders from the July rally, returned to the site on Saturday. Also appearing with the former president were his running mate Republican Ohio Sen. JD Vance, son Eric Trump, daughter-in-law and RNC co-chair Lara Trump, along with Pennsylvania lawmakers and sheriffs.

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Kinnard reported from Chapin, South Carolina, and can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

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The story has been corrected to reflect that Elon Musk said Democrats “want to take away your right to vote, effectively,” not “fight to vote, effectively.”