Alivea Goncalves, the sister of slain Idaho University student Kaylee Goncalves, recently shared chilling details of her experience when she came face-to-face with the man who took her sister’s life in 2022, Bryan Kohberger.
Alivea stated that every fiber of her being was telling her to run from her sister’s k*ller, but she fought through it to deliver her powerful victim statement, which has gone viral on social media for its direct, no-holds-barred nature.
Highlights
- Alivea Goncalves faced Bryan Kohberger in court and said her body told her to “run.”
- Her courtroom statement called Kohberger a “sociopath” with no humanity.
- Kohberger stayed silent during sentencing, flashing only a brief grin.
She said she felt pure fear but refused to walk away
Image credits: NewsNation
Alivea spoke to NewsNation following the sentencing hearing and described the gut-wrenching sensation she felt when she came face to face with her sister’s k*ller.
She said that while she was not intimidated by the man, she immediately felt that Kohberger was a threat, according to a report from the New York Post.
Image credits: Kyle Green-Pool/Getty Images
“I’m not intimidated by him, truly, I’m not. But when I tell you, there’s a primal sense of alarm. My body was telling me, ‘Run, get out. This is a threat,’” she said.
Echoing the theme of her viral victim statement, Alivea stated that Kohberger didn’t even feel like a human being.
“The best description I can give you is as if I came face-to-face with an alien. Behind (his eyes), there’s no human being, there’s no humanity,” she said.
Despite her inner alarms ringing off the hook, Alivea stated that she was more angry than scared when she faced Kohberger in the courtroom. She also wanted to emphasize that Kohberger no longer had power.
Image credits: NewsNation
“There was nothing that was going to make me back down from the moment… and all I felt was rage, almost from the very, very beginning.
“My whole purpose of that speech was taking back this power. It’s been focused around him, his name, his actions… But in my shoes, it pisses me off at times. They have names: Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin. Say it,” she said.
Alivea’s courtroom statement left the room in stunned silence and set the internet on fire
Image credits: kayleegoncalves
Alivea’s words stunned the courtroom. Speaking directly to Kohberger, she labeled him a “sociopath,” “psychopath,” and a “murderer,” at one point even telling the m*rderer to “Sit up straight when I talk to you.”
She also did not hold back her feelings, telling Kohberger that “Disappointments like you thrive on pain, on fear, and on the illusion of power. And I won’t feed your beast.”
Image credits: Alivea Stevenson/Facebook
Then came the most gutting moment of her speech. Alivea called the k*ller a coward who decided to attack his victims when they were most vulnerable.
“You want the truth? Here’s the one you’ll hate the most: If you hadn’t attacked them in their sleep, in the middle of the night like a p*dophile, Kaylee would have kicked your f*cking a*s,” she said.
Image credits: Alivea Stevenson/Facebook
Her words triggered applause from many in the courtroom. Social media users were also left stunned by her bold tone and approach.
“I watched her whole impact statement live. What she did took an act of courage. It was raw. And it was powerful,” one commenter wrote.
Image credits: CBS 21 News
“I have never heard such a powerful impact statement. She showed no fear and didn’t allow him to know that he hurt her,” another stated.
“She did great!!! She made him look the size of a pea,” another commenter noted.
She said her dad’s impact statement gave her the courage to fully speak her mind
Image credits: Kyle Green-Pool/Getty Images
During her interview, Alivea admitted that her father’s impact statement paved the way for her to fully speak her mind.
During his statement, Alivea and Kaylee’s dad put down Kohberger. “You’re not worth the time, the effort to be remembered,” he said.
“I feel like my dad spread his wings so I could fly,” Alivea said. “I basically said, screw it. You’ve worked hard on this, you’re going to get up there and do this.”
Despite Alivea’s fiery speech, Kohberger barely reacted. Observers noted that he briefly smirked at her, chilling some in the courtroom.
When the judge invited him to speak, Kohberger stood and said, “I respectfully decline.”
Netizens shared their thoughts on the chilling case, as well as Alivea’s impact statement
