THE mom of one of Bryan Kohberger’s murder victims says she won’t waste any time trying to figure out the reasons for the horrific killing of her beloved son.
Triplet Ethan Chapin was knifed to death alongside fellow University of Idaho students Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves and Xana Kernodle by deranged Washington State graduate Kohberger in November 2022.
Facebook/Stacy ChapinEthan, left, pictured here with his triplet brother and sister was killed in November 2022 at the University of Idaho by Brian Kohberger[/caption]
EPABryan Kohberger (pictured during a hearing) will spend the rest of life behind bars after admitting to the gruesome quadruple murder which shocked the world[/caption]
Facebook/Stacy ChapinStacy Chapin sat down with The U.S. Sun at CrimeCon to talk about how her family are dealing with the grief of losing Ethan (pictured together)[/caption]
The 30-year-old will spend the rest of his life behind bars after earlier this summer admitting to the shocking murders as part of a sudden plea deal.
Yet Ethan’s mom Stacy Chapin has no interest in trying to comprehend why sick Kohlberger tragically cut her son’s life short.
In an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun at CrimeCon in Denver, Stacy showed incredible strength and resilience when confronting the horror unleashed on that fateful night off campus in Moscow, Idaho.
Kohberger has never revealed why he felt compelled to destroy the student’s lives.
Stacy, however, won’t waste any more time attempting to unravel the mind of a maniacal murderer either.
She thinks we will never know the killer’s motive – and she doesn’t care.
“There’s a lot of people who talk about the reasons why but as the mom as one of these kids, I couldn’t never imagine what would be in someone’s mind to do what he did,” Stacy told The U.S. Sun.
“Who knows what someone like that thinks.”
“Nothing will bring Ethan back,” the former teacher and principal added.
“What would we learn if we knew the motive? He has admitted to it and will never leave prison. Knowing why doesn’t change the outcome.”
While confronting the nightmare with her husband, Stacy says it’s pointless dwelling on the brutality of the past, because nothing can help bring back her son.
The Chapins were the only family not to attend the final sentencing hearing earlier this summer.
She said there was “legitimately nothing” for them to add during the emotional, heart-wrenching, victim-impact statements.
Ethan’s brother and sister were asked by the parents if they wanted to take the stand, but they “definitely didn’t.”
Stacy instead posted a photo that day on social media, writing that her son will be “forever” in her family’s heart.
Kohberger was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole on July 23, 2025, after pleading guilty to avoid death by firing squad.
“The only purpose in being there was to represent our son and our brother,” Stacy said of the decision to stay away from the courthouse.
“What is there to say? No one can assume what it’s like to experience something like this from our side.”
Instagram/kayleegoncalvesKaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were all knifed to death by Kohberger on the university’s campus in Moscow, Idaho[/caption]
CUTTING-EDGE DEVELOPMENTS
Since her son’s death, Stacy has transformed her grief into purpose by establishing the Ethan’s Smile Foundation.
The nonprofit honors her son’s adventurous spirit and love for people by offering scholarships to help others achieve their dreams.
The foundation operates as a family unit, with Stacy, her husband Jim, and her two other triplet children serving on the board.
Stacy is also the author of The Boy Who Wore Blue, a published book inspired by Ethan’s character and early years as a triplet who constantly wore blue.
The book’s story and illustrations are drawn from the family’s treasured memories and real-life pictures.
And she has also become an advocate for Othram, an innovative DNA company that helped accelerate Kohberger’s identification and ensure his prosecution.
It also allowed the grieving families precious time to digest the situation rather than spend months waiting for closure by quickly narrowing down the DNA found at the crime scene.
Othram’s connection with the Idaho Police Department was vital, with investigators allowing key crime scene evidence to be examined.
At the height of the frenzy around the brutal murders, with the public begging for answers and it appearing that no clear suspect was yet identified, almost 20,000 tips were sent to cops.
Yet Othram had been working in the background on DNA from a tan leather knife sheaf left in Kaylee Goncalves’ room after murders.
It is now believed that Kaylee was the first victim and Kohberger may have left the sheath behind after being distrupted by Xana coming to check on her friend.
Thankfully for those impacted by the horrific crime, Othram’s genetic DNA testing was able to cut through the questions and deliver the verdict everyone was looking for.
The Texas-based company’s technology constructs family trees that helped investigators navigate towards a Pennsylvania family with Italian heritage, which finally pinned PhD criminology student Kohberger, to the crime.
Bryan Kohberger’s eerie confession
On July 2, Bryan Kohberger pleaded guilty to killing four University of Idaho students during a chilling and emotionless courtroom appearance. With one-word answers, he confessed to the disturbing crime:
Judge Steven Hippler: Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty?
Bryan Kohberger: Yes
Judge Hippler: Did you on November 13, 2022 enter the residence at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho with the intent to commit the felony crime of murder?
Kohberger: Yes
Judge Hippler: Did you on November 13, 2022 in Latah County in the state of Idaho kill and murder Madison Mogen, a human being?
Kohberger: Yes
Judge Hippler: And did you do that willfully, unlawfully, deliberately, with premeditation, and with malice of forethought?
Kohberger: Yes
Judge Hippler: Did you on or about the same date in Moscow, Idaho, kill and murder Kaylee Goncalves, a human being?
Kohberger: Yes
Judge Hippler: And did you on that same date in Moscow, Idaho, kill and murder Xana Kernodle, a human being?
Kohberger: Yes
Judge Hippler: And then on or about November 13, 2022, again in Latah County, Idaho, did you kill and murder Ethan Chapin, a human being?
Kohberger: Yes
Later in the hearing, Kohberger officially changed his plea, one count at a time, with the same emotionless tone that belied the horrific nature of his murders.
Judge Hippler: With respect to count one, burglary felony, how do you plead Mr. Kohberger?
Kohberger: Guilty
Judge Hippler: As to count two, murder in the first degree as it relates to the murder of Madison Mogen, how do you plead guilty or not guilty?
Kohberger: Guilty
Judge Hippler: As to count three, as it relates to murder in the first degree to the murder of Kaylee Goncalves, how do you plead guilty or not guilty?
Kohberger: Guilty
Judge Hippler: As to count four, the first degree murder of Xana Kernodle, a human being, how do you plead guilty or not guilty?
Kohberger: Guilty
Judge Hippler: As to count five, first degree murder of Ethan Chapin, a human being, how do you plead guilty or not guilty?
Kohberger: Guilty
Photo: AP
FUTURE HOPE
Colby Lasyone, chief of staff for Othram, said the nailing of Kohberger’s guilt was a “great example” of how modern-day companies and cops work together for the greater good.
“If this crime had happened in a state where you didn’t have a forward-thinking crime lab, with a contract with a place like Othram, in this case, the testing may not have happened,” he told The U.S. Sun.
“It would have taken even longer.”
The resolution of the case was warmly welcomed by Stacy, who vowed to keep Ethan forever in their hearts as they somehow attempted to move on with their lives.
His triplet siblings – Maisie and Hunter – also attended the University of Idaho and, together with husband Jim, Stacy has promised to show them the kind of strength of character which has helped her emerge from the darkest of times.
“Jim and I had a conversation over a coffee probably five months after we lost Ethan,” Stacy continued.
“We just decided that you can lose yourself in grief or you can make a choice to just get up and live your life.
“Maisie and Hunter don’t deserve parents that had potentially lost themselves. We couldn’t change the outcome, we had to still live our lives and give them the best life that they deserved.”
Talking to NBC News earlier this summer, Stacy and her husband described Ethan as an “incredible” 20 year-old freshman, who studied recreation, sport and tourism management, as laid back, full of life and laughs.
They jokingly said he was minoring in Bud Light Lime and Taco Bell.
Ethan’s loss is immeasurable. Yet Stacy says moving forward is all the family can do.
“I would be lying if I didn’t say that it doesn’t have moments,” she said.
“But even now, every day feels like you’re a little bit closer to your new normal, whatever that looks like. Our kids are doing great.
“They’ve also persevered in a way that amazes me as a mom. They were there that day. They all went to college together. They spent every second together.
“And the fact that they went back to school, graduated and are now concentrating on their careers, I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
The U.S. SunStacy told The U.S. Sun her family shown incredible strength following Ethan’s senseless murder[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
