Kohberger pleaded guilty to four first-degree murder charges and one count of felony burglary in a deal that took the death penalty off the table. Related: Idaho Prosecutor Theorizes Why Bryan Kohberger Spared Dylan Mortensen The lead prosecutor in the University of Idaho quadrule murder case is sharing his chilling theory on why killer Bryan Kohberger spared a potential fifth victim. Complicating matters further, the Ka-Bar knife Kohberger used to murder the four college students has never been recovered. Related: Idaho Prosecutor Theorizes Why Bryan Kohberger Spared Dylan Mortensen The lead prosecutor in the University of Idaho quadrule murder case is sharing his chilling theory on why killer Bryan Kohberger spared a potential fifth victim. Bryan Kohberger Applies to Withdraw Guilty PleaAfter he pleaded guilty in July 2025, Kohberger received four life sentences without the possibility of parole — one for each young life he took.