Mother of slain Idaho college student makes desperate plea ahead of Brian Kohberger murder trial
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The mother of one of the four University of Idaho students viciously murdered in their off-campus home is raising money to attend the trial of their accused murderer.
Xana Kernodle was killed alongside her boyfriend Ethan Chapin and friends Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen back in November 2022.
Their accused killer, 30-year-old PhD criminology student Bryan Kohberger, will finally face trial in August.
A friend of Xana's mom, Cara Kernodle, has now launched a fundraising appeal in an effort to ensure she can be in court during the proceedings.
'There is no way she can afford to be there without help,' her friend Lori Scott wrote on the GoFundMe page.
'She has overcome so much and just wants to be there to know the correct justice is served.
'No mother should have to deal with this but to not be able to afford to be at trial is unthinkable.'
Cara is also being supported by her friends and her local church, but Scott said the financial burden is still too big to bear, particularly when factoring in every day living costs.
'She has been stressing this. Let's help her not have to... The travel expenses, food, and having to miss work is something most of us couldn't do without help.'
The mom-of-three has been living in North Idaho, 400 miles from the courthouse where Kohberger will be tried, since her release from prison last year.
'The loss of my beautiful daughter Xana has been the hardest thing I never thought I would have to endure,' she recently told Fox News.
'If you are not able to donate, prayers are even more appreciated. My hope is that truth and justice through God will be accomplished.'
Cara had previously told DailyMail.com she fell into a dark place after her daughter's death, struggling to stay sober as she fought her battle with addiction, which ultimately resulted in her incarceration.
'It's a living nightmare,' she said. 'I relapsed after my daughter's killing. Then four days after that, I got picked up on new charges.'
At night, she said, she can barely sleep as she replays the massacre in her mind and wrestles with personal demons.
Cara was released from custody in late 2024, according to court documents, and will remain on probation until late 2027.
Her fundraising efforts follow the families of both Goncalves and Mogen, who have both successfully raised money to attend court proceedings during the case.
The Goncalves fundraiser has raised more than $80,000 to ensure 10 of Kaylee's relatives can be there every single day of the trial.
'We are looking to find an Airbnb or a house for rent that will house all 10 Goncalves family members as well as their small pets for at least those three months,' the fundraiser said, noting the trial is anticipated to last at least 12 weeks.
'Since this will be a huge disruption to their work and life, we also would love to raise enough money for meals, loss of work, transportation.'
The Mogen fundraiser has raised more than $46,000.
'Maddie's mom, Karen, and stepfather, Scotty, need financial support for travel, room, board and lost wages to attend the trial in person,' the page read.
'We ask for your kindness in this impossibly difficult time to help them fill the financial gaps. Any donations not used for these expenses will help raise funds for memorial scholarships.'
Kohberger successfully appealed to have the trial moved from North Idaho to Boise in an effort to secure an impartial jury.
Just last week, Kohberger's legal team filed a bombshell last-minute request to delay his upcoming trial amid concerns that an episode of NBC's Dateline that aired earlier this month violates a gag order and would make it harder to find jurors.
The episode had revealed new details about the killings, including the suspected killer's phone records, porn choices and online searches for Ted Bundy.
It also aired never-before-seen surveillance footage of a suspect vehicle fleeing the horrific crime scene on November 13, 2022.
'The show repeatedly emphasizes the nonpublic nature of this information, stating it was obtained from unnamed sources wo are close to the investigation and that the materials were obtained exclusively by Dateline,' reads the 40-page motion.
'Much of the ''investigative'' materials presented by Dateline was taken out of context and will not be admissible at trial because it lacks reliability,' Kohberger's attorneys argued.
'Moving forward with a capital murder trial in August will infringe upon Mr. Kohberger's constitutional rights, as counsel requires more time to review discovery, complete investigations and prepare for trial.'
Judge Steven Hippler had already ordered an investigation into the leak.
The three month trial will be followed by the sentencing phase if he is convicted, where jurors will decide whether or not to send him to death row. Due to changes in state law, Kohberger could face the firing squad.
