Bryan Kohberger has pleaded guilty to all counts.
A judge sentenced Bryan Kohberger to serve four life sentences without parole for the brutal stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students nearly three years ago.
In Wednesday's hearing, families of Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Kaylee Goncalves described the anguish they've felt since their loved ones were killed in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022.
MORE | Judge sentences Bryan Kohberger to life in prison for murdering 4 University of Idaho students
The Associated Press and ABC News contributed to this report.
After listening to statements from victims' families, Bryan Kohberger said in court, "I respectfully decline" to speak.
"I respectfully decline," he said.
One person said, "surprise, surprise," in the courtroom. Another said, "coward."
Prosecutor Bill Thompson said in court that the discussion about the plea deal had to stay secret to avoid tampering potential jurors if the trial went forward. He said he respected the fact that some of the victims' relatives did not agree with the plea deal.
As the families wept, Thompson displayed a photo of each victim in the courtroom. He listed each count and read the names of the victims: Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.
"From today forward, our memories should be focused on these innocent victims whose lives were taken," he said.
The victims not only had their own families, and not just their friends and sororities and fraternities, "but this family," Thompson said, as he displayed the photo of the four victims and the two surviving roommates that was taken on Nov. 12, 2022, the day before the murders.
"You can see all six of these dynamic, vibrant, loving, special, innocent faces, taken together just across the street from their residence. And barely 12 hours before four of them would be brutally murdered in their sleep," Thompson said.
Thompson said a trial could have resulted in years or decades of appeals, in part because of the huge number of motions that were filed in the case.
The defense team made "dozens" of attempts to dismiss the case.
Among those efforts, Thompson noted that the defense unsuccessfully suggested that other people were somehow responsible for the crimes.
He said he respected each family's "candid" reactions to the plea deal.
Randy Davis, Xana Kernodle's stepfather, addressed the other victims' families, saying this was likely the last time they'd all be in the same room.
"I love you all and I feel your pain," he said.
Davis said Kohberger had also ruined the lives of the Kohberger family.
"He has contaminated, tainted their family name, and pretty much made a horrible miserable thing to ever be related to him," he said.
Then he turned to Kohberger.
"I don't know what my limits are here. I am struggling man," Davis said. He said he wished he had five minutes with Kohberger in the woods to teach him about loss and pain. "I'm shaking because I want to reach out to you but I hope you feel my energy," he said, banging on his chest.
To Bryan Kohberger, he said while shaking, "You're gonna go to hell ... you're evil ... you took our children ... you are gonna suffer, man."
"Go to hell," he concluded, as everyone clapped.
