The mother of Xana Kernodle, one of the four University of Idaho students who was murdered in their off-campus residence, has courageously shared why she has forgiven Bryan Kohberger, the convicted murderer.
Xana Kernodle tragically lost her life alongside her boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20, and her roommates Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, both 21, in November 2022. This occurred after Kohberger broke into their Moscow, Idaho, home.
Kohberger confessed to fatally stabbing the four students during the early morning hours and subsequently received four life sentences after agreeing to a plea deal that spared him from the death penalty.
Kernodle’s parents and her sister, Jazzmin, provided testimony at Kohberger’s sentencing hearing. Jazzmin described Kernodle as kind, humorous, and ‘everyone’s best friend’, as reported by Fox13.
In her victim impact statement, Jazzmin emphasized that Kohberger’s actions did not diminish Kernodle’s ‘light’. Now, her mother, Cara Northington, has opened up about why she has chosen to forgive the man responsible for her daughter’s death.
“I don’t hate Bryan Kohberger,” Northington stated honestly during a faith-based event at a church in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on September 6.
Northington’s forgiveness of Kohberger came as she sought a new beginning in her life. She explained that at the time of her daughter’s murder, she was grappling with a 30-year struggle with drug addiction.
Her ongoing addiction eventually led to her incarceration for a probation violation just over a year after Kernodle’s death. While in jail, Northington turned to faith.
During her 10 months in prison, she devoted time to reading the Bible, leading to a personal transformation that included forgiving and moving past Kohberger.
“I was very determined and hungry for the word,” Northington said about her Bible study, according to The Spokesman-Review. “The Lord just had me surrender it all. And I did, and I haven’t gone back.”
Northington’s newfound sobriety brought her an ‘overwhelming joy’, setting her on the path to forgiving Kohberger.
However, she declared she is now ‘washing [her] hands’ of him, refusing to allow him to occupy any more space in her mind.
“I do not fear you or let you have space in my head anymore,” Northington stated, acknowledging that despite his crimes, Kohberger was ‘still made in God’s image’.
During her speech at the event, Northington also paid homage to Kernodle, describing her as a ‘beautiful soul’ who could ‘light up a room’.
“She was funny. She just had a way of making you feel special,” Northington remarked.
For confidential advice about drug-related issues, you can contact American Addiction Centers at (313) 209-9137, available 24/7, or reach out through their website.