FIRST ON FOX: Convicted Idaho student murderer Bryan Kohberger has been receiving “compensation” from his family and unnamed “third-party” supporters while behind bars, according to a new court filing opposing his legal team’s effort to get him out of paying the full restitution he owes.
In a motion filed earlier this month, Kohberger’s lawyers wrote that he “has no ability now or in the future to pay restitution because he is serving four consecutive life sentences plus 10 years.”
Prosecutors revealed in their response this week that, “there is a history of this defendant receiving financial compensation from family and third parties.” In a sealed exhibit, they also included a summary of Kohberger’s cash flow in both the Latah and Ada County jails.
As part of his plea deal to avoid the death penalty, Kohberger agreed to pay more than $250,000 in criminal fines and fees plus another $20,000 in civil judgments per family to the parents of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20.
His lawyers argued earlier this month that he shouldn’t have to pay another roughly $20,000 to Goncalves’ parents or nearly $7,000 more to Mogen’s mother, Karen Laramie, in travel and accommodation expenses requested by the prosecution.
Read the filing:
“The additional funds sought do not qualify as an economic loss under Idaho Code 19-5304 because Steve and Kristi Goncalves and Karen Larmie (sic) received extensive funds through multiple GoFundMe campaigns that specifically asked for and covered the expenses sought,” attorneys Anne Taylor, Elisa Massoth and Bicka Barlow wrote in a court filing.
KOHBERGER’S LAWYERS SAY VICTIMS’ FAMILIES GOT ENOUGH MONEY FROM GOFUNDME DONATIONS ALREADY
There have also been questions about whether Kohberger will eventually break his silence on the case. He is a former student of the prominent forensic psychologist, Dr. Katherine Ramsland, who has written a number of books about serial killers, based on in-depth interviews with them.
She previously told Fox News Digital she would be open to telling Kohberger’s story, if he shared it with her.
If Kohberger eventually speaks out, he likely will not be able to profit, Fox News Digital reported earlier this year. Like New York’s 1977 “Son of Sam” law, Idaho has legislation that helps prevent criminals from making money through detailing their offenses.
According to Idaho law, if a criminal signs a deal to profit from telling their crime story — including through a movie, book or magazine article — the profits first go to the state treasurer to be sent to an escrow account. Victims or their families, who must be notified, can claim the money through civil lawsuits within five years.
Fox News’ Sophia Compton contributed to this report.
