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A mother from Idaho took the stand in a courtroom recently to share her heart and offer the grace and forgiveness of God to the man who killed her daughter.
Bryan Kohberger confessed to murdering four University of Idaho students in their home in November 2022. Kohberger recently had his sentencing hearing, where he was sentenced to four consecutive sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole and ordered to pay a combined $200,000 in fines and $5,000 in civil penalties to the families of each victim.
During the sentencing, each family of the four victims were invited to say what they wanted to Kohberger.
Mother Offers Forgiveness because of Her Christian Faith
Cara Northington, the mother of murder victim Xana Kernodle, shocked the crowd when she shared her faith alongside forgiveness to her daughter's killer.
"Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, now has her in His loving arms in Heaven, where she can never be harmed ever again for eternity," Northington said. "Because of her, I came to know my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Because of her, many will come to Christ. That has filled me with joy, hope and peace that surpasses all understanding."
Northington addressed Kohberger directly as well.
"Jesus has allowed me to forgive you for murdering my daughter without you even being sorry or asking for this. This is only possible because He who lives in me is greater than any evil in this world."
While Kohberger's confession allowed him to escape the death penalty, his sentence will never allow him to walk outside prison walls again. In 2022, Kohberger was a Ph.D. student in criminal justice. One night, he went into the house and murdered Kernodle, and her roommates, Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen and Ethan Chapin. Two other roommates slept through the attack and were unharmed.
"I do not fear you or even let you rent space in my head anymore. This forgiveness has released me from any and all evil you have inflicted on me and my family. It has allowed me to let our Lord deal with you."
When Kohberger dies, Northington said that, "inevitably, you will stand before our Lord and will have to answer to Him over the sins you have committed in murdering our children. I am washing my hands of you and turning you over to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, whom vengeance belongs to."
Before she finished, Northington shared that she spends time in prayer for Kohberger.
"I do pray for you, I pray that you come to the end of yourself, I pray that before this life is over, that you ask our Lord and Saviour in your heart to forgive you."