Fury erupts as families confront silent killer Bryan Kohberger in court; he's now caged for life for the brutal quadruple murder in Moscow, Idaho, that left 4 students butchered almost 3 years ago.
Five youngsters are rescued from a house of horrors — officials say the kids were starved and caged up to 20 hrs a day! Plus, a killer's conviction is tossed because his buddy caught some Zzzz's. Jennifer Gould reports.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Crime alert.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
I mean see grace breaking crime These now our Jennifer
Gould standing by Jennifer Nancy.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
The silence from Brian Coberger was deafening, a chilling void
against the thunderous anguish of grieving families, as the cold
blooded killer was condemned to rotten prison for life. On Wednesday,
the former criminology PhD student who butchered four University of
Idaho students in a horrific twenty twenty two home invasion
(00:29):
sat stone faced in an orange jumpsuit and a packed
Ata County courtroom. Raw emotion erupted as loved ones confronted
the sociopath who shattered their lives, demanding answers he chillingly
refused to give. Coburger received four consecutive life sentences without
parole for the murders of Kaylee Gonsalvez, Madison Mogan, Xana Kernodle,
(00:53):
and Ethan Chapin, plus ten years for burglary. The three
hour sentencing became a crucible of pain. Olivia Gonsalez, Kaylee's sister,
tore into him. Take a listen.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
The truth is the scariest part about you. It's how
painfully average you turned out.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
To be.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
The truth is as dumb as they come. Stupid, clumsy, slow, sloppy, weak, dirty.
Let me be very clear, don't ever try to convince
yourself you mattered just because someone finally said your name
out loud.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
I see through you. You want the truth, Here's the one
you'll hate the most. If you hadn't attacked them in
their sleep in the middle of the night like a pedophile,
Kaylee would have kicked.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Your Kaylee's mother, Christy gonsoalve Is, wept, declaring, quote, you
stole my best friend, my daughter, my everything. End quote.
She also said she's disappointed Coburger won't face a firing squad,
but Christie stated she finds comfort and knowing that the
men in prison will have their way with him. End quote.
(02:07):
You got a's in criminal justice, but you'll get d's
in prison. End quote. Dylan Mortenson, one of two surviving
roommates and the one who id'd the killer by his
bushy eyebrows, sobbed about experiencing survivor's guilt. Judge Stephen Hipler
delivered a blistering rebuke, condemning Coburger's quote unfathomable act of evil.
(02:31):
End quote. Undeclared.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Quote.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Your fifteen minutes of fame are over end quote. The
judge urged the public to stop seeking the why because
quote it gives him power and attention that he craves
end quote, effectively stripping that power away. Prosecutors also requested
a ninety nine year no contact order with the victim's families,
(02:53):
a motion currently under review. This final reckoning comes nearly
three years after the nightmare began on noeenth, twenty twenty two.
That early morning, Coburger slipped into an off campus house
in Moscow, Idaho, and savagely killed Gonsalves, Mogen Kernodle, and
Chapin with a k bar knife dion Anna knife sheath
(03:15):
left at the scene. Cell Phone data placing his phone nearby,
and surveillance footage of his white Hyundai Elantra led to
his arrest in Pennsylvania weeks later. The sentencing was made
possible by a stunning plea deal. On July tewond just
before his high profile trial was to begin, Coburger pleaded
guilty to all charges, removing the death penalty but requiring
(03:39):
him to waive appeals, a move that infuriated some families,
including Kailey's father, Steve Gonsalves, who called it a quote
deal with the devil end quote. Others, like Madison's father
Ben Mogen, supported the plea, valuing this certainty and closure
it provided. However, the murder weapon remains missing and no
(04:00):
sexual motive was found, leaving families and the nation grappling
for why these vibrant, young lives were so brutally extinguished.
With the gag order now lifted, many cling to the
fragile hope that new details will emerge, finally shedding light
on the horrifying why behind the massacre and offering a
(04:21):
semblance of the closure they so desperately seek. For the
latest crime and justice news, watch Crime Stores with Nancy
Grace on Merit TV Monday through Friday at seven pm Eastern.
Check your local listings for channel assignment, and follow Crime
Stories with Nancy Grace on your favorite podcast app. Nancy.
Thanks Jennifer. More crime and justice news. After this, a
(04:48):
shoeless toddler wandering alone and covered in urine on a
quiet street led horrified police to a real life house
of horrors. Five innocent children, all under seven, found zip
tided into makeshift cages for up to twenty hours a
day in a Pennsylvania home, wreaking a feces and neglect
in a gut wrenching scene that has stunned a community.
(05:11):
Three adults, Zoe Elise Zenghali thirty one, Dominic Andrew Zungali
thirty one, and Jillian Bem eighteen, now face multiple counts
of child abuse and animal cruelty. Here's Blair County, DA
Pete Weeks.
Speaker 5 (05:25):
According to the allegations and the information that I received
from police and CYF, yes, there is a safety concern
for the children to the point that the intervention of
law enforcement certainly could be considered life saving in this event.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
The nightmare began when a witness walking their dog spotted
the lone shoeless child on Cream Hollow Road and East Freedom.
Police responded to the East Freedom address, leading them to
a nearby home where four other children aged two to
seven were found living in utterly deplorable conditions. Charging documents
paint a grim picture. Doorknobs had been removed and gates
(06:06):
were tied shut to prevent the children's escape from their enclosures.
There was no running water and animal feces were strewn
across living areas with neglected pets sharing the same squalor.
Authority stated that the children were systematically placed back into
their enclosures after each meal, a horrifying routine. The conditions
(06:28):
suggested severe physical and emotional abuse, with the children suffering
unimaginable hunger. One officer, moved by their plight, bought them
happy meals from McDonald's, noting they ate quote unquote aggressively
out of sheer starvation. It was also noted that the
child found wandering the street had allegedly tried to dig
(06:50):
out of their room through the walls before escaping through
a window. The three suspects, all residents of the home,
were swiftly arrested. Zoe and Dominic Sungali were jailed on
one hundred and fifty thousand dollars bail each, while Bem's
bail was set at seventy five thousand dollars. All three
are set for preliminary hearings on July thirty first. One
(07:13):
child has been transferred to upmc Children's Hospital for specialized treatment,
while the others are now in protective custody receiving medical evaluations.
The investigation continues and finally it's a verdict that'll keep
New Yorkers tossing and turning. Convicted killer Donald White, who
(07:33):
allegedly shot a queen's pot dealer, is getting a shocking
new trial because, get this, his friend was ejected from
court for napping. An appellate panel of judges, including Betsy
Barrows and Barry war Hits, stunningly ruled White's right to
a quote unquote public trial was violated, despite admitting the
(07:56):
weight of the evidence backed his guilty verdict. A murderer
accused of a brutal slang with a scream mask accomplice
gets a do over because his buddy was catching z's.
This ruling is not just a wake up call, it
is a slap in the face to justice, leaving many
wondering if in New York even cold blooded killers can
get a rest stop on their way to justice. For
(08:18):
many legal egos, this isn't just a bad dream, It's
a judicial nightmare. Nancy.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
For the latest crime in justice needs, go to crime
online dot com and please join us for our daily podcast,
Crime Stories, where we do our best define missing people,
especially children, and help solve unsolved homicides. With this crime alert,
I'm Nancy Grace
Crime alert.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
I mean see grace breaking crime These now our Jennifer
Gould standing by Jennifer Nancy.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
The silence from Brian Coberger was deafening, a chilling void
against the thunderous anguish of grieving families, as the cold
blooded killer was condemned to rotten prison for life. On Wednesday,
the former criminology PhD student who butchered four University of
Idaho students in a horrific twenty twenty two home invasion
(00:29):
sat stone faced in an orange jumpsuit and a packed
Ata County courtroom. Raw emotion erupted as loved ones confronted
the sociopath who shattered their lives, demanding answers he chillingly
refused to give. Coburger received four consecutive life sentences without
parole for the murders of Kaylee Gonsalvez, Madison Mogan, Xana Kernodle,
(00:53):
and Ethan Chapin, plus ten years for burglary. The three
hour sentencing became a crucible of pain. Olivia Gonsalez, Kaylee's sister,
tore into him. Take a listen.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
The truth is the scariest part about you. It's how
painfully average you turned out.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
To be.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
The truth is as dumb as they come. Stupid, clumsy, slow, sloppy, weak, dirty.
Let me be very clear, don't ever try to convince
yourself you mattered just because someone finally said your name
out loud.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
I see through you. You want the truth, Here's the one
you'll hate the most. If you hadn't attacked them in
their sleep in the middle of the night like a pedophile,
Kaylee would have kicked.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Your Kaylee's mother, Christy gonsoalve Is, wept, declaring, quote, you
stole my best friend, my daughter, my everything. End quote.
She also said she's disappointed Coburger won't face a firing squad,
but Christie stated she finds comfort and knowing that the
men in prison will have their way with him. End quote.
(02:07):
You got a's in criminal justice, but you'll get d's
in prison. End quote. Dylan Mortenson, one of two surviving
roommates and the one who id'd the killer by his
bushy eyebrows, sobbed about experiencing survivor's guilt. Judge Stephen Hipler
delivered a blistering rebuke, condemning Coburger's quote unfathomable act of evil.
(02:31):
End quote. Undeclared.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Quote.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Your fifteen minutes of fame are over end quote. The
judge urged the public to stop seeking the why because
quote it gives him power and attention that he craves
end quote, effectively stripping that power away. Prosecutors also requested
a ninety nine year no contact order with the victim's families,
(02:53):
a motion currently under review. This final reckoning comes nearly
three years after the nightmare began on noeenth, twenty twenty two.
That early morning, Coburger slipped into an off campus house
in Moscow, Idaho, and savagely killed Gonsalves, Mogen Kernodle, and
Chapin with a k bar knife dion Anna knife sheath
(03:15):
left at the scene. Cell Phone data placing his phone nearby,
and surveillance footage of his white Hyundai Elantra led to
his arrest in Pennsylvania weeks later. The sentencing was made
possible by a stunning plea deal. On July tewond just
before his high profile trial was to begin, Coburger pleaded
guilty to all charges, removing the death penalty but requiring
(03:39):
him to waive appeals, a move that infuriated some families,
including Kailey's father, Steve Gonsalves, who called it a quote
deal with the devil end quote. Others, like Madison's father
Ben Mogen, supported the plea, valuing this certainty and closure
it provided. However, the murder weapon remains missing and no
(04:00):
sexual motive was found, leaving families and the nation grappling
for why these vibrant, young lives were so brutally extinguished.
With the gag order now lifted, many cling to the
fragile hope that new details will emerge, finally shedding light
on the horrifying why behind the massacre and offering a
(04:21):
semblance of the closure they so desperately seek. For the
latest crime and justice news, watch Crime Stores with Nancy
Grace on Merit TV Monday through Friday at seven pm Eastern.
Check your local listings for channel assignment, and follow Crime
Stories with Nancy Grace on your favorite podcast app. Nancy.
Thanks Jennifer. More crime and justice news. After this, a
(04:48):
shoeless toddler wandering alone and covered in urine on a
quiet street led horrified police to a real life house
of horrors. Five innocent children, all under seven, found zip
tided into makeshift cages for up to twenty hours a
day in a Pennsylvania home, wreaking a feces and neglect
in a gut wrenching scene that has stunned a community.
(05:11):
Three adults, Zoe Elise Zenghali thirty one, Dominic Andrew Zungali
thirty one, and Jillian Bem eighteen, now face multiple counts
of child abuse and animal cruelty. Here's Blair County, DA
Pete Weeks.
Speaker 5 (05:25):
According to the allegations and the information that I received
from police and CYF, yes, there is a safety concern
for the children to the point that the intervention of
law enforcement certainly could be considered life saving in this event.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
The nightmare began when a witness walking their dog spotted
the lone shoeless child on Cream Hollow Road and East Freedom.
Police responded to the East Freedom address, leading them to
a nearby home where four other children aged two to
seven were found living in utterly deplorable conditions. Charging documents
paint a grim picture. Doorknobs had been removed and gates
(06:06):
were tied shut to prevent the children's escape from their enclosures.
There was no running water and animal feces were strewn
across living areas with neglected pets sharing the same squalor.
Authority stated that the children were systematically placed back into
their enclosures after each meal, a horrifying routine. The conditions
(06:28):
suggested severe physical and emotional abuse, with the children suffering
unimaginable hunger. One officer, moved by their plight, bought them
happy meals from McDonald's, noting they ate quote unquote aggressively
out of sheer starvation. It was also noted that the
child found wandering the street had allegedly tried to dig
(06:50):
out of their room through the walls before escaping through
a window. The three suspects, all residents of the home,
were swiftly arrested. Zoe and Dominic Sungali were jailed on
one hundred and fifty thousand dollars bail each, while Bem's
bail was set at seventy five thousand dollars. All three
are set for preliminary hearings on July thirty first. One
(07:13):
child has been transferred to upmc Children's Hospital for specialized treatment,
while the others are now in protective custody receiving medical evaluations.
The investigation continues and finally it's a verdict that'll keep
New Yorkers tossing and turning. Convicted killer Donald White, who
(07:33):
allegedly shot a queen's pot dealer, is getting a shocking
new trial because, get this, his friend was ejected from
court for napping. An appellate panel of judges, including Betsy
Barrows and Barry war Hits, stunningly ruled White's right to
a quote unquote public trial was violated, despite admitting the
(07:56):
weight of the evidence backed his guilty verdict. A murderer
accused of a brutal slang with a scream mask accomplice
gets a do over because his buddy was catching z's.
This ruling is not just a wake up call, it
is a slap in the face to justice, leaving many
wondering if in New York even cold blooded killers can
get a rest stop on their way to justice. For
(08:18):
many legal egos, this isn't just a bad dream, It's
a judicial nightmare. Nancy.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
For the latest crime in justice needs, go to crime
online dot com and please join us for our daily podcast,
Crime Stories, where we do our best define missing people,
especially children, and help solve unsolved homicides. With this crime alert,
I'm Nancy Grace
Host
Nancy Grace
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