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Kohberger, who is infamously known for his alleged involvement in the brutal killings of four University of Idaho students, is anticipated to enter a guilty plea to all charges during a Wednesday court session. This strategic move is reportedly part of a bargain to eliminate the death penalty from consideration, especially after previous attempts to dismiss capital punishment in his case were unsuccessful.

However, the Goncalves family, particularly those of Kaylee Goncalves, one of the victims who resided at the off-campus house where the tragic murders took place, are vocally opposing this development. They are actively taking to social media to express their dissatisfaction and outrage at the plea deal, which they feel undermines the gravity of the crimes committed and their family’s quest for justice.

In a particularly scathing statement shared via Facebook, the Goncalves family has urged Judge Steven Hippler to intervene and halt the plea deal. They assert that there has been a complete lack of input from the victims’ families in the plea negotiation process, which they argue is a fundamental violation of their rights and the rights of the deceased.

“Right here, right now, we dig our heels into the earth and carve a line deep in the dust,” the family declared emphatically. “This isn’t justice; no judge presided, no jury weighed the truth. [Judge] Thompson robbed us of our day in court. There were no negotiations, no jury of our peers, not even the pretense of cooperation and fairness.”

“Cowardly men, gutless men, they scatter like roaches when the battle closes in,” the post continued. “He is retiring on this deal, his shadow slithering towards the exit, leaving only the stench of his betrayal.” The family’s words not only targeted Kohberger but also pointed a finger at Thompson, the previous judge who oversaw the case before it was transferred to Ada County, accusing him of being spineless and lacking “fundamental decency” and “plain human courage.”

“No backbone, no shred of honor. He did not possess the essential decency, the plain human courage, to face the families, to meet our eyes and ask, ‘How can we make a proposal that works?’” the family lamented, emphasizing the lack of respect shown towards them throughout this entire ordeal.

“Instead, Thompson cut his deal with the devil, his negotiations did not require anything other than a simple guilty plea. Allowing him the leeway to blame the same people you are paid to protect. You betrayed us, Thompson,” the family expressed, criticizing him for failing the Goncalves family and the families of the other victims. “Your deal fails to protect the innocent. You could have stood tall and ensured that the blame remained where it belongs—not on us, not on the broken survivors still carrying the weight of your repeated failures.”

The Goncalves family also made an effort to reclaim the narrative and take back their power during a moment that has otherwise left them feeling powerless and betrayed by the justice system.

“This is our courtroom now. This moment. This stand. Our voices rise to every American who’ll listen,” the family proclaimed in their heartfelt statement. “We could have provided security for the roommates, the best friends, the fallen vet—God rest his soul, and every soul affected in our shattered community. We could have carved our words like sacred commandments, etched deep into unyielding granite, a testament to those we have lost and the justice they are owed,” they wrote, before articulating what their words would have been.

“First: Truth—spill it, BK [Brian Kohberger] Every sickening detail only the killer could know, the kind that twists your guts just to hear but turns even a simpleton proberger against you,” the statement clarified. “Second: You bear the guilt, all of it alone. You do not get to smear the survivors, those still waking to nightmares born of your reckless choices. Third: No profiting from our grief—no books, no private interviews with your ex-professor. Nobody is allowed to study you, because you’re not special. You do not get to spit on our children’s graves by making this all about you.”

They then shifted their focus to the new judge in charge, Steven Hippler, the only one they claim can “step into this void and mend the wreckage Thompson left in the so-called justice system of Latah County.”

“This is what negotiation looks like for the families of murder victims,” they wrote. “It’s ugly. It’s raw. It’s wild. It’s anything but easy. Yet you, Mr. Thompson, didn’t even bother to negotiate with us, so this is all we have left. There’s no more time for us to wait for you to make a stand, so we stand in your place!”

The Goncalves family also directed their statement toward their late daughter, emphasizing that she deserves far more than what the justice system has currently offered their family.

“Kaylee Jade Goncalves, we love you, sweetheart. You deserved better than this justice system! Your soul will not be Thompson’s bargaining chip; we do not accept his plea deals made in your name. We are screaming for you as loudly as we can! Kaylee Jade is worth more than this,” they passionately declared.

“This is our final shot,” the family continued, concluding the statement with another message to Judge Hippler. “Judge Hippler, you’re our only hope that our child’s murder is not granted control over his future in our children’s names. You need to take charge of this deal and make it right because now you OWN IT!”

The Facebook post follows another outcry from the Goncalves family, who have declared their intention to fight the plea deal presented by prosecutors, asserting that it is not only unjust but also disrespectful to the memories of their loved ones.

“Idaho has failed. They failed me. They failed my entire family,” Steve Goncalves, father of Kaylee, informed NBC’s Today show.

Kohberger was arrested in December 2022 and was initially scheduled to go to trial in August after a series of legal delays postponed the proceedings, further complicating the already fraught emotional state of the victims’ families.

The hearing is set for 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, marking a pivotal moment for all involved in this emotionally charged legal battle.