MOSCOW, Idaho – The team who defended convicted killer Bryan Kohberger says he shouldn’t be required to reimburse victims’ family members for things like travel and accommodations, in part because the families had GoFundMe accounts for those expenses.
As part of his sentence for killing four University of Idaho students, a judge ordered Bryan Kohberger to reimburse families for funeral expenses and other expenses that had been paid to them through the Idaho Crime Victim Compensation Fund.
The total of those costs came to $28,956.88.
On September 22nd, the Latah County Prosecutor’s Office filed a request for additional restitution.
Specifically, the state requests $20,409.32 to Steve and Kristi Goncalves and $6,920.32 to Madison Mogen’s mom Karen Laramie.
The state submitted a 17-page document explaining the costs, but that document is sealed by the court.
The defense’s response, though, sheds more light on the request.
In it, attorneys say the additional costs don’t fit under what Idaho law requires “because Steve and Kristi Goncalves and Karen Laramie received extensive funds through multiple GoFundMe accounts that specifically asked for an covered the expenses sought.”
The families raised money through the GoFundMe accounts to pay for accommodations in Boise during what was expected to be a long trial. The trial was called off when Kohberger pleaded guilty to the charges instead.
On July 3, the Goncalves family posted to Facebook that they were trying to determine the best way to return any donations submitted to the GoFundMe account.
The defense points to one GoFundMe account raising $85,583. Another raised $48,815 and a third raised $73,493.
“Given the specific funds sought and obtained for expenses to travel to Boise, the request should be denied because neither family suffered an economic loss for that which the State seeks reimbursement,” the defense wrote in its response. “Both families did indicate a desire to refund any donations after the case resolved after sentencing, but whether they were able to accomplish this or donor’s requested funds returned is not included in the State’s motion.”
The defense also says “Mr. Kohberger has no ability now or in the future to pay restitution because he is serving four consecutive life sentences plus 10 years.”
The defense response was filed October 7. A date for a hearing on this matter has not yet been set.
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