Where is Alivea now? Netflix's ‘Idaho Murders’ doc recounts Kaylee Goncalves' sister's fight for justice
Netflix's ‘Idaho Murders’ documentary recounts the terrifying events of November 13, 2022. That day, Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Madison Mogen became victims of Bryan Kohberger's cruelty at their off-campus rental home in Moscow. Several documentaries have been made about the incident. However, ‘The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare’ on Netflix stands out as it focuses on the personal lives of the students who died on that fateful day. It showcases what they meant to their community and family, and how they were much more than victims of an unspeakable tragedy.
Several family members appeared in the documentary to talk about their loved ones. One of them was Kaylee Goncalves's older sister, Alivea. In the doc, she recounted hearing about the tragedy from her parents. Soon after the incident, she and her husband, Robbie Stevenson, whom she had married a year prior, packed their bags and drove from Los Angeles to Moscow, Idaho, to be with their family. After Bryan's case went to trial, Alivea decided to take the stand to give a victim impact statement. The statement made headlines across the nation.
During the proceedings, it was revealed that Kaylee was unrecognizable when authorities discovered her remains, according to Fox13. It was the Ka-Bar knife sheath that Kohberger left near her body that helped police track him. "The truth is you're as dumb as they come. Stupid, clumsy, slow, sloppy, weak, dirty. Let me be very clear. Don't ever try to convince yourself you mattered just because someone finally said your name out loud. I see through you. You want the truth? Here's the one you'll hate the most. If you hadn't attacked them in their sleep in the middle of the night, like a pedophile, Kaylee would have kicked your f------ a--." Alivea said directly to the perpetrator. Supporters in the gallery applauded her when she stepped away from the mic.
Alivea talked about that statement in the documentary. “I’m proud of what I did,” she said. “I wish I had done more, but I’m proud of the decisions that I made to not show vulnerability in the traditional sense. Because for me, it was about reclaiming power and reclaiming control. It’s important to me to, I guess we could say, diminish him, to kind of break down and expose who he really is. He’s really just a coward, so to be able to, even just a little bit, put him back in that place was such an amazing feeling.” Kohberger was sentenced to four life sentences without the possibility of parole after he took a plea deal and avoided a death sentence. Alivea added that she was "hurt" by the plea deal in the documentary. She believes Kohberger should never have had that option. “Monsters like that should never-ever ever have options ever again,” she said.
On July 27, The New York Times reported that Kohberger had filed a petition to reverse his guilty plea. Alivea responded on TikTok with a video featuring Kaylee's photos. “What is it like needing this much attention just to feel real? Sounds like someone isn’t liking prison… what a shame,” she said. She also worked to get SB1250 signed into Idaho law, which came into effect earlier this month, according to TV Insider. This law prevents pictures of victims taken during a murder investigation from entering public record. Alivea is now a mother of three kids. Her third child, Theodora MaddieKay Stevenson, who was born in 2023, has a middle name honoring Maddie and Kaylee. ‘The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare’ is currently streaming on Netflix.
