Family of Kaylee Gonsalves Faces Unimaginable Task
It’s a scenario that no family ever wants to confront.
More than two years after the tragic murder of University of Idaho student Kaylee Gonsalves, her family is finally beginning the difficult process of sorting through her belongings.
A post shared on January 27 on the Gonsalves family Facebook page included a poignant note: “This is not the whole story. This is just the beginning.” It accompanied images of cardboard boxes and plastic containers stacked in a home in Idaho, each marked with a simple “K.”
“There are boxes and boxes and boxes. I’m just starting here,” a family member wrote.
The message explained that Kaylee’s belongings had been relocated from her childhood bedroom because it became “too much” to keep there.
“Finally starting to look into Kaylee,” read the post.
The family is searching for specific items, including her orange Sublime t-shirt, a gray Sublime crew neck, and a black Death Row Records shirt, as well as the outfit she wore the night of her murder.
“Good luck. There’s no going back,” the emotional post conveyed.
In another post, a family member shared a photo of a white crewneck sweatshirt with the words “Think about it while it’s legal,” paired with a happy photo of Kaylee wearing it.
“It doesn’t smell like her, it smells like the box it came in, but it was definitely hers,” the caption read, decorated with heart and crying emojis.
More painful finds followed. Family members discovered Kaylee’s mouth retainer and a bright red hairbrush, still entangled with strands of her long blonde hair.
They also found a pink sticky note with an unfinished to-do list, detailing tasks involving her pet Goldendoodle, Murphy. Plans to curl his hair, take him for walks, and cut his nails were among the tasks written with tiny hearts. Additionally, Kaylee included the words “control” and “flexible,” and a question presumably for a prospective employer—a poignant indication of her abruptly halted dreams.
Another note simply stated, “Hello, my name is Kaylee.”
“These items from Kaylee hit me hard today,” the family expressed. “I really want her back!!!”
They also voiced their anger toward Brian Koberger, the man who pleaded guilty in July to the murders of Kaylee and her friends Madison Mogen, Zana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin.
“FU BK!!!!! I wish Steve could have been with me for just one minute in that cell. One minute is enough,” the post stated, referring to Kaylee’s father, Steve Gonsalves.
All these heartfelt posts were shared with hashtags like “goncalvesarmyoflove,” “kayleejade4ever,” and “neverforget.”
This emotional endeavor by the Gonsalves family comes just days after a disturbing autopsy report revealed that Kaylee had been stabbed approximately 38 times when Koberger targeted her King Road home.
Koberger is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole, meaning the motive for this horrific crime may remain unknown forever.
The Gonsalves family did not respond to requests for comment.
