Family of Idaho student homicide victim seeks donations to attend Bryan Kohberger trial

MOSCOW (Idaho Statesman) — The North Idaho parents to one of the four University of Idaho students who were fatally stabbed is seeking public donations to pay for their travel to Boise for the murder trial of their daughter’s alleged killer.

A GoFundMe page has been established on behalf of the family of 21-year-old victim Kaylee Goncalves. It includes a fundraising goal of $50,000 after a venue change was approved out of Moscow to Ada County for defendant Bryan Kohberger.

“I would like everyone to know that if we did not need this help, we would NEVER ask for it,” Kaylee Goncalves’ mother, Kristi Goncalves, wrote in a post from a dedicated family page on Facebook. “Going seven hours away for trial is going to be very costly for us — pretty much not even possible if we can’t get some help. If you can’t help, we totally understand. If you can share it for us, we would be more than grateful.”

The Goncalveses live in the city of Rathdrum in Kootenai County, about 100 miles north of Moscow. The family’s home is located more than 400 miles north of the Ada County Courthouse in Boise.

Before the venue change was granted, they had been vocal about their preference for Kohberger’s trial to remain in Latah County — or go to the neighboring county where they reside if a judge decided it needed to be moved. The Goncalveses have said they plan to show up for nearly every court hearing for Kohberger and were consistent attendees during the pretrial phase at the Latah County Courthouse.

“While we still believe a fair trial could have been possible in Latah, we are confident the physical location of a trial will make no difference in the end,” the Goncalveses said in a prior statement through the family’s attorney to the Idaho Statesman. “We know Ada County is more than capable and more experienced to help us achieve justice.”

The other three victims in the November 2022 attack at an off-campus home in Moscow were U of I students Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20.

Kohberger, 29, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. If a jury returns a conviction, prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty for Kohberger. His attorneys aim to remove a death sentence as a possible punishment for their client.

Kohberger was transferred from Moscow to the Ada County Jail earlier this month. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance in Boise with newly assigned Judge Steven Hippler on Thursday afternoon.

Since the Goncalves family fundraiser posted Sunday, it has already reached nearly a fifth of its goal. It currently stands at almost $10,000.