Bryan Kohberger Trial: Kaylee Goncalves Fought Killer After Waking Up to Madison Mogen Murder, Say Parents

At least two of the alleged victims in the Bryan Kohbeger murder case attempted to fight off the murder suspect on the night they were stabbed to death, according to family members.

The parents of Kaylee Goncalves and Xana Kernoddle tell "48 Hours" that the two women attempted to escape their killer by fighting him off inside their off-campus home at the University of Idaho.

Steve Goncalves, the father of Kaylee, says that the coroner determined that Madison Mogen died first, followed by his daughter.

Kaylee and Madison had been lifelong best friends and were sleeping in Kaylee's bed that night on the third floor, while Xana and her boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, were in one of the second-floor bedrooms.

"There's evidence to show that she awakened and tried to get out of that situation, she was assaulted and stabbed," Goncalves tells "48 Hours."

Xana's father, Jeffrey Kernodle, says in his interview that he believes his daughter tried to fight off her killer.

In Kaylee's case, her inability to get out of that situation was due in large part to the fact that she found herself cornered by her killer, says her mother.

"The bed was up against the wall. The headboard was touching the wall and the left side of the bed was touching the wall. And we believe that Maddie was on the outside and Kaylee was on the inside," says Kristi Goncalves. "The way the bed was set up … she was trapped."

She also believes that the killer only intended to murder one victim, not four.

Kaylee's parents also share in their interview that they believe Kohberger had been to the house before, and said they have evidence that shows he followed the Instagram accounts of Kaylee and Madison.

Kohberger's defense team has denied in court filings that there is any connection between their client and the four murder victims.

Kohberger told a previous public defender that he expects to be exonerated at trial. In May, he declined to enter a plea after being formally charged with four counts of murder. The judge in the case entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

His defense team questioned the strength of the case against their client in a filing back in June, claiming that the DNA of three other men had been discovered at the murder scene.

The filing also claims that there is a "total lack of DNA evidence from the victims in Mr. Kohberger’s apartment, office, home, or vehicle."

Another piece of evidence that the defense says is lacking is the identification of the suspect's car.

The probable cause affidavit references a "white sedan" but makes no mention of make or model. Jay Weston Logsdon, the attorney for Kohberger, says that there is only one sighting of a vehicle that is certainly a Hyundai Elantra.

Kohberger's defense team did not respond to a request for comment. A gag order prohibits his attorneys from speaking publicly about their client or his case.

The see more interviews with the victims' family members, tune in to the "48 Hours" special "The Night of the Idaho Murders," airing Saturday, Sept. 16, at 10/9c on CBS, and streaming on Paramount+.

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