Bryan Kohberger Sentencing: Bethany Funke Reveals Fear and Trauma in First Public Statement
I Was Scared He Would Come for Me Next” — Surviving Roommate Bethany Funke Breaks Silence at Bryan Kohberger Sentencing
By [ShugalNews] | July 23, 2025
In a moment that stunned the courtroom and brought many to tears, Bethany Funke, one of the two surviving roommates in the University of Idaho student murders, finally broke her silence at the sentencing hearing of Bryan Kohberger, the man who confessed to brutally killing her four roommates.
🕯️ A Night That Changed Everything
On July 2, Bryan Kohberger — a former criminology Ph.D. student — stood in an Idaho courtroom in Boise, where he admitted to murdering:
- Madison Mogen, 21
- Kaylee Goncalves, 21
- Xana Kernodle, 20
- Ethan Chapin, 20
Now facing four life sentences without the possibility of parole, Kohberger listened as victim impact statements were delivered, including one from Bethany Funke, who had previously avoided the spotlight and fought efforts to compel her testimony.
😢 “The Worst Day of My Life”
Funke, too emotional to speak in court, had her close friend Emily Alandt read her heart-wrenching statement aloud.
“I was scared the person who did this would come for me next,” Funke wrote. “I have not slept through a single night since this happened. The fear never really leaves.”
Her words revealed a haunting portrait of trauma, survival, and resilience. She said she lives with “constant fear” and grief but forces herself to move forward.
“Every day I remind myself to live for them,” Funke added.
🚨 A Silent Morning of Horror
Funke slept through the massacre, unaware that the house had become a crime scene. She only woke up later after receiving a chilling text from fellow survivor Dylan Mortensen, who also delivered an emotional statement.
The two women spent hours in confusion and rising dread, locked in Funke’s room, texting their roommates who were already dead.
They “assumed they would be mocked by their roommates for being scaredy cats,” Funke said.
But the horror became undeniable around noon, when they finally ventured upstairs — and discovered the unimaginable.
🎙️ Public for the First Time
Until now, Funke and Mortensen were known only by their initials — B.F. and D.M. — in court filings. Their identities had been protected due to the high-profile nature of the case and their ongoing trauma.
At the hearing, Dylan Mortensen spoke directly to Kohberger, saying:
“Because of him, four beautiful, genuine, compassionate people were taken from this world for no reason.”
Kohberger, clad in an orange jumpsuit, reportedly stared coldly at the survivors as they spoke.
🧠 Background: The Idaho Murders That Shocked the Nation
The November 2022 killings in the quiet college town of Moscow, Idaho, sparked national headlines and a viral manhunt. Kohberger was arrested weeks later in Pennsylvania, thanks to DNA evidence and cell tower data.
He had studied criminal behavior — and, chillingly, may have used that knowledge to plan the attack.
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🖼️ Visual: Victim Tribute & Courtroom Sketch
Here’s an image representation based on the courtroom setting and the survivors’ emotional testimony.
Click to expand the image.
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