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Bryan Kohberger, convicted for the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, has been ordered by an Idaho court to use donations received while in jail to pay restitution to the victims' families. Judge Steven Hippler revealed that Kohberger received $28,360.96 in donations during his incarceration at Latah County and Ada County jails, primarily from family members. The court has mandated Kohberger to pay approximately $3,000 to the families of Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, with the amounts accruing a 9.125% annual interest rate.
Kohberger, who is serving four life sentences without parole, had previously agreed to pay $20,000 to each victim's family and an additional $35,000 for funeral expenses as part of his plea deal. Despite his financial obligations, Kohberger may still receive future donations and has the potential to secure prison employment to meet these obligations.
The court also addressed the possibility of Kohberger profiting from media deals under Idaho's "Son of Sam" law, which requires any earnings to be placed in an escrow account for potential restitution. However, the law allows for the possibility of Kohberger receiving funds from media contracts in the future if no actions are pending against him after five years. Legal experts suggest that the victims' families could pursue additional civil judgments to block Kohberger from profiting from his crimes.