A DEVASTATED family ripped apart by the death of their beloved son in the Idaho murder tragedy was forced to quickly move on from unimaginable heartbreak in less than five months for the sake of their surviving children.
Ethan Chapin, 20, was a triplet and one of Bryan Kohberger’s four victims in the sickening University of Idaho knife attack in November 2022.
Facebook/Stacy ChapinThe Chapins have vowed to move forward with their lives following the shocking murder of one of their triplet children[/caption]
Facebook/Stacy ChapinStacy Chapin spoke to The U.S. Sun about dealing with the tragic murder of her beloved son[/caption]
APBryan Kohberger will die in jail following the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students in November 2022[/caption]
Brave mom, Stacy, opened up her heart to The U.S. Sun at Crimecon last month about the nightmare of dealing with her beloved, fun-loving son being murdered with the world at his feet.
She stressed that even though sick Kohberger will rot behind bars for the rest of his life after eventually pleading guilty to the savage killings of Ethan, Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves and Xana Kernodle, her family aren’t interested in the reasons why.
But Stacy, who has thrown herself into vitally important advocacy work in the wake of her son’s shocking death, has revealed there was no time for her and husband Jim to wallow in misery.
With Ethan’s brother and sister, Maizie and Hunter, who were on campus on that fateful evening, recently completing their own studies, the couple made the decision to somehow come to terms with the tragedy and move on for the sake of the remaining triplets’ future.
She says a heart-heart with Jim over a cup of morning coffee helped them realize that the best way forward was to “just get up and live life.”
They will never forget their beloved son, who they joked was minoring in Bud Light Lime and Taco Bell.
But with his brother and sister needing their parents more than ever to deal with the aftermath of Ethan’s senseless killing, Stacy and Jim vowed to honor his memory by ensuring Maizie and Hunter have their unconditional attention and support.
“We just decided that you can lose yourself in grief, “ Stacy told The U.S. Sun.
“We had to do that for Ethan’s siblings. They didn’t deserve parents who had potentially gone in the tank or lost themselves.
“We made a decision on a day in March of 2023 that we couldn’t change the outcome, and we had to still live our life and be great parents to Maizie and Hunter, giving them the best life they deserved.”
BRAVE FACE
The Chapin’s were the only family to abstain from attending Kohberger’s sentencing hearing earlier this summer.
They didn’t want to subject themselves to any more pain.
Once the deranged Washington State graduate admitted to his heinous crimes, that at least removed the prospect of Ethan’s brother and sister having to take the stand and retrace the moments leading up to the sickening murders in a potential retrial.
Kohberger has never revealed why he cut short the lives of the four students.
Stacy admits she won’t waste any time wondering why.
The agony remains and will never leave her. Seeing her children recover from the nightmare and thrive, however, fills her and husband with hope.
“I would be lying if I didn’t say there are still tough moments,” Stacy continued.
“But even now, every day feels like we’re a little bit closer to our new normal, whatever that looks like. Our kids are doing great.
“They’ve also persevered in a way that amazes me as a mom. They were there that day. They all went to college together; they spent every second together.
“The fact that they went back to school and graduated and are now looking at their careers. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Kohberger avoided the death penalty upon pleading guilty on July 23 and was hit with four consecutive life sentences.
The full details of Bryan Kohberger’s sentence
On July 23, 2025, Judge Steven Hippler sentenced Bryan Kohberger to the following:
Count 1: Burglary – 10 years fixed, zero years in determinate. $50,000 fine.
Count 2: First-degree murder of Madison Mogen: Fixed term of life in prison without the possibility of parole. $50,000 fine and civil penalty of $5,000 payable to the family of the victim.
Count 3: First-degree murder of Kaylee Goncalves: Fixed term of life in prison without the possibility of parole. $50,000 fine and civil penalty of $5,000 payable to the family of the victim.
Count 4: First-degree murder of Xana Kernodle: Fixed term of life in prison without the possibility of parole. $50,000 fine and civil penalty of $5,000 payable to the family of the victim.
Count 5: First-degree murder of Ethan Chapin: Fixed term of life in prison without the possibility of parole. $50,000 fine and civil penalty of $5,000 payable to the family of the victim.
The sentencings will run consecutively to one another.
ALWAYS REMEMBERED
While the Chapins stayed away from court, Ethan was on their mind. Stacy posted an emotional message on social media declaring her late son would “forever” be in their hearts.
His name will also shine on through Ethan’s Smile Foundation, which was established by the family to honor his memory.
It aims to showcase “his love of life, people and new adventures” by providing scholarships for fellow students to “follow their dreams.”
“Ethan’s love for life was boundless. With a booming laugh and infectious smile, he spread joy to all who were fortunate enough to know him. Ethan was our storyteller, hard worker, and friend-maker,” Stacy and Jim declared on the foundation website.
“In the wake of his absence, the foundation was born—a tribute to Ethan’s unwavering passion for life. Our mission is simple yet profound: to carry forward the legacy of Ethan by providing scholarships that enable others to follow their dreams.
“In every corner we venture, in every heart we touch, we strive to keep the spirit of Ethan alive, reminding ourselves and others of the adventures and kindness that life has to offer.”
Stacy has also begun to foster a strong relationship with cutting-edge forensics company Othram, who helped accelerate the process of proving Kohberger’s guilt.
The Texas based specialists were able to extract DNA from the tan leather knife sheaf which was found in the room of Goncalves following the killings.
Investigators believe she was the first victim, with Kohberger leaving it behind after her friends came back to check on her wellbeing.
“Myself and Jim are a team,” Stacy concluded. “To have closure means the world to us.”
Instagram/kayleegoncalvesKaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were all knifed to death by Kohberger on the university’s campus in Moscow, Idaho[/caption]
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