Judge rules in Kohberger restitution dispute on anniversary of students' deaths

Kevin Fixler, The Idaho Statesman on Nov 13, 2025

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BOISE, Idaho — The judge overseeing the Moscow college student murders case ordered Bryan Kohberger, who admitted to the killings, to compensate two of the victims’ families for funeral-related costs.

Fourth Judicial District Judge Steven Hipper ruled Thursday that Kohberger, already responsible for more than $300,000 in criminal fines and fees, must pay another $3,000 at the request of state prosecutors. Kohberger’s attorneys successfully argued against adding restitution that would have expanded the amount he owed by nine times to offset other expenses for the two families.

His public defense team argued at a hearing last week that he already had no ability to pay any of the costs.

“Even if a defendant is unlikely to ever meet the full amount of restitution, an order of restitution may be upheld if it does not require installment payments or deadlines but simply gives the victims the present ability to obtain a judgment,” Hippler wrote in his ruling.

Kohberger, who turns 31 next week, pleaded guilty in July to killing the four University of Idaho undergraduates at an off-campus house in Moscow in November 2022. The victims were seniors Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, both 21; and junior Xana Kernodle and freshman Ethan Chapin, both 20.

Thursday also marked the three-year mark since the four students were fatally stabbed. The U of I Greek system, to which the four students belonged, plans to gather Thursday night at a garden memorial on campus built after their deaths and dedicated to them.

In the prearranged plea agreement, Kohberger accepted no chance of parole and waived all appeal rights in exchange for the state to drop its pursuit of the death penalty if he was convicted of the murders at trial. Hippler handed Kohberger four life sentences in prison and the hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, which included $29,000 in restitution between the Kernodle and Chapin families and the state’s crime victim’s compensation fund.

But reimbursement for the families of Goncalves and Mogen was not included, and prosecutors asked for more than $27,000 of additional restitution. The combined total covered the costs of urns, plus travel and hotels, according to a defense filing.

Kohberger’s attorneys contested the extra costs to their client, who is serving his sentence at the state’s maximum security prison south of Boise. Under Idaho law, 20% of all deposits to a prisoner’s account is collected to pay down restitution ordered by the court.

At the hearing last week, defense attorney Elisa Massoth argued that receipts submitted from the two victims’ families seeking repayment for travel and hotels do not qualify for restitution in Idaho. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson acknowledged the error, and rescinded the request beyond the expenses for urns totaling about $3,000.

Massoth also said the additional costs missed a filing deadline. And, as someone incarcerated for life, Kohberger has no source of income, so no ability to pay any of the fines stemming from his murder conviction, she said.

While Kohberger was in custody over two and a half years awaiting trial, Hippler detailed in his order Thursday that the contributions to his jail account totaled about $28,361 across “several hundred donations.” That amount was nearly enough to cover the full restitution previously ordered paid between the Chapin and Kernodle families and the crime victim’s compensation fund, he said.

The specific sources of the donations is not publicly known because the payments were previously sealed by the court. Massoth said the lump sum donations were mostly made by Kohberger’s family to pay for jail calls leading up to his scheduled trial.

Her client’s financial situation has changed since he admitted to the murders and was sent to prison, she said. Hippler ruled otherwise.

“While these funds may no longer be available to defendant, it is foreseeable he will continue to receive donations in the future, particularly given that much of the donated amounts came from his family,” the judge wrote.

Kohberger’s total restitution to the four families and the victim’s compensation fund now stands at about $32,000. The families were also previously awarded a combined $20,000 in civil damages.

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