BOISE, Idaho — Victims' families confronted Bryan Kohberger face-to-face in court, delivering powerful statements before addressing the media outside the Ada County Courthouse.
The emotional scene ended with families embracing, signaling a step toward closure in this devastating case that has impacted our entire community.
Hear what the victims and families had to say to Kohberger in the courtroom:
"This way his fate is sealed, society is protected, and we can move on with our lives and recover," said Scott Laramie, Madison Mogen's stepfather.
Steve Goncalves, father of victim Kaylee Goncalves, explained why he deliberately moved the podium inside the courtroom to directly face his daughter's killer.
"I wanted to let him know I was directing everything towards him his days of being protected are coming to end," Goncalves said. "I remember reading it, it said do not move so I was like I'm moving this. So, I want to make it as difficult as possible, and I knew my daughter was going to give a speech and I knew he was going to hate this next group of people…really rip into him and expose him for what piece of trash is was."
WATCH: Steve Goncalves turns the podium to address his daughter's killer directly
Kaylee's older sister Alivea, delivered a powerful statement aimed directly at the convicted killer.
"I'm not here today to speak in grief but truth, because the truth is my sister and her best friend Maddie were not yours to take, they were not yours to study, stalk or silence. They were two pieces of a whole, the perfect Ying and Yang. They were everything that you could never be," Alivea said.
WARNING: A portion of this video includes profanity
Kim Cheeley, Maddie Mogen's grandmother, spoke of memories when Maddie was young, about a year and a half old, and called her funny names, offering a lighter tone in an emotional courtroom.
"For some unknown reason, she called bananas, 'ba deedle-deedles.' When Karen and Ben told her Nana was coming to visit, she figured I said 'deedle-deedle' for that word. So I became 'Deedle-deedle' shortened to 'Deedle' when she was about six or seven, and I was 'Deedle' all her life. I don't think her stepdad, Scottie, ever knew my given name was Kim," said Cheeley.
Hear more from Grandmother, Kim Cheeley:
Meanwhile, Xana Kernodle's aunt, Kim Kernodle admitted her willingness to forgive may come as a shock to some.
"This is going to bother everybody but Bryan, I'm here today to tell you I have forgiven you, because I no longer can live with that hate in my heart. For me to become a better person. I've forgiven you, and anytime you want to talk and tell me what happened, get my number. I'm here, no judgement, because I do have questions that I want you to answer," she said.
When asked if confronting his daughter's killer was the most difficult thing he'd ever done, Steve Goncalves reflected on the emotional weight of the moment.
"To have my whole family be put in a position to where... you're vulnerable in there. You're facing a killer, that killed your own family. It was tough, it was hard, but we knew it had to be said. We knew we couldn't make it easy for this person, we gotta make these things tougher and hold people accountable," Goncalves said.
