Charlie Kirk’s killing, Idaho murders plea and Karen Read verdict: Inside 2025’s biggest crime moments

From shocking acts of violence to courtroom reckonings that captivated the public, 2025 brought a series of crime stories that gripped the nation’s attention. 

Across the country, Americans followed every twist. From the assassination of Charlie Kirk to the long-awaited conclusion in the Idaho student killings, and the fierce arguments over guilt in the Karen Read trial.

As the year draws to a close, here is a look at the stories that shaped 2025, and where they stand today.

CHARLIE KIRK’S ALLEGED ASSASSIN RETURNS TO COURT — WITHOUT SHOWING HIS FACE

Charlie Kirk assassination

The shocking assassination of conservative icon and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk sent waves and ignited debate over political extremism and online radicalization.

Tyler Robinson, 22, of Utah, was taken into custody as a suspect in the assassination.

President Donald Trump said on “FOX & Friends” on Sept. 12, 2025, “I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody.”

Shortly thereafter, officials identified Robinson as the suspected assassin during a news conference. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said a relative of Robinson contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that Robinson had confessed or implied involvement. Robinson attended Utah State University for a semester as a pre-engineering major, according to the school.

Authorities recovered a bolt-action rifle near the scene, which they said was used to assassinate Kirk. This type of weapon is commonly used among hunters and target shooters for its simple, durable design and is limited to a single shot before reloading.

Robinson was taken into custody in Washington County, Utah, after the FBI and Utah Department of Public Safety released photos of a person of interest and asked the public for tips. Shortly after a “FOX & Friends” interview on Sept. 12, 2025, Robinson was identified as the suspect during a news briefing.

Where it stands now:

Robinson was charged in the case, which prosecutors said could go to trial in early 2026.

Idaho student murders – Bryan Kohberger plea 

The brutal 2022 killings of four University of Idaho students stunned the country and sparked one of the most publicized homicide investigations.

Bryan Kohberger, a criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University at the time of the murders, was arrested on Dec. 30, 2022, and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary in connection with the deaths of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

Authorities say Kohberger had driven from Pullman, Washington, to Moscow, Idaho, in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022. Investigators used cellphone pings, surveillance video and DNA evidence recovered from a knife sheath left at the crime scene to identify him as the primary suspect.

After years of pre-trial litigation and delays, Kohberger appeared in court on July 2, 2025, to enter a plea.

Kohberger pleaded guilty to all charges as part of a negotiated agreement with prosecutors. In exchange for the plea, the state of Idaho agreed not to pursue the death penalty. Prosecutors said the victims’ families had been consulted, though some publicly expressed frustration over the lack of a full trial.

The judge later sentenced Kohberger to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus additional time for the burglary charge. During sentencing, Kohberger offered no explanation or motive for the killings.

Where it stands now: 

The case is formally closed with Kohberger’s conviction and sentencing, but significant mystery remains. Kohberger is behind bars in the Idaho Maximum Security Institution (IMSI), located in Kuna, Idaho.

Investigators never presented a clear motive, and Kohberger, now 31, has not publicly explained his actions.

Karen Read’s murder trial

Karen Read’s gripping Massachusetts murder trial captivated the nation, ultimately leading to her acquittal in the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe.

Read, 45, faced charges including second-degree murder, manslaughter, while allegedly driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident causing death.

Prosecutors claimed she struck O’Keefe with her SUV in a snowstorm and then abandoned him. O’Keefe’s body was discovered face-up in the snow outside the Canton, Massachusetts, home of Brian Albert, a fellow officer, on Jan. 29, 2022.

Read consistently denied the charges and argued she was the victim of a widespread cover-up.

Her first trial in 2024 ended in a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict.

On June 18, 2025, after a second trial, a Norfolk County jury acquitted Read on the most serious charges: second-degree murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene.

However, the jury found her guilty of a lesser offense: operating a motor vehicle under the influence (OUI).

Where it stands now: 

Read’s criminal case is over after she was acquitted of all major charges in her boyfriend’s death and received a year of probation for a misdemeanor OUI conviction. The state is no longer pursuing any criminal charges against her.

She still faces a wrongful-death civil lawsuit filed by O’Keefe’s family, with several claims continuing through the courts. The civil case is expected to extend well into 2026.

Minnesota lawmaker killing

The 2025 killings of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband prompted a statewide manhunt and a widespread federal investigation.

Vance Boelter, 58, was arrested after a multistate manhunt and charged with multiple federal counts, including murder, attempted murder, stalking and firearms violations, in connection with the June 14 assassinations of Hortman and her husband, Mark, and the shootings of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, both of whom survived.

Investigators said Boelter was impersonating a police officer and had a hit list that included the names of other Democratic officials the night he shot and killed the Hortmans and wounded the Hoffmans.

According to federal filings, digital evidence, security-camera video and ballistics tests tied Boelter to the attack, and authorities have described his alleged motive as politically driven.

DEATH PENALTY LOOMS FOR CHARLIE KIRK’S ACCUSED KILLER, BUT LEGAL BAR IS HIGH AS TRUMP, COX MOUNT PRESSURE

Where it stands now: 

Boelter has pleaded not guilty to federal charges including murder, stalking and firearms violations. No trial date has been set yet.

Boelter remains in custody pending further court proceedings.

Bourbon Street terror attack

Fourteen New Year’s spectators were killed, and dozens more were injured, after a driver plowed a Ford F-150 into New Year’s crowds near Canal and Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

Authorities said that 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas and an Army veteran, intentionally drove his truck at approximately 3:15 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2025 in a terror attack.

Authorities would later find bomb-making materials and remnants of a fire at the property, saying Jabbar likely attempted to cover up his crime by trying to burn evidence at the rental home in the St. Roch neighborhood, about two miles from the French Quarter.

Jabbar was killed following a shootout with officers.

Where it stands now: 

With Jabbar killed in the shootout with police, there is no active criminal prosecution, but the investigation remains open.

Federal agents are continuing to examine Jabbar’s digital devices, social-media history, travel records and possible contacts to determine whether he acted alone or had support. The FBI is treating the attack as a terrorism case, and analysts are still reviewing evidence.

Menendez brothers

In May 2025, a judge resentenced the Menendez brothers to 50 years to life in prison, making them eligible for parole because they were younger than 26 when they committed the murders.

Erik and Lyle were sentenced to life in prison for the shotgun murders of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, in August 1989. The defense’s assertion was that the brothers had been driven to violence by years of physical and sexual abuse at their father’s hands. 

Superior Court of Los Angeles County Judge Michael Jesic’s resentencing in May 2025 opened the door for the brothers to seek parole.

However, in August both brothers were denied parole because the board said they still posed an “unreasonable risk to public safety.”

Erik’s denial centered on his history of serious prison violations, including contraband cellphones and past involvement in a gang-related scam. The board also said he had not shown enough insight or accountability for the murders.

CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION LATEST CASE OF CONSERVATIVES BEING TARGETED FOR MURDER

Lyle, though considered well-behaved, was found to display “antisocial traits” and a pattern of minimizing or misleading the board about his past.

“The panel has found today that there are still signs” that Lyle poses a risk to the public, Parole Commissioner Julie Garland said in August.

“We find your remorse is genuine,” she said. “In many ways, you look like you’ve been a model inmate. You have been a model inmate in many ways who has demonstrated the potential for change. But despite all those outward positives, we see … you still struggle with anti-social personality traits like deception, minimization and rule breaking that lie beneath that positive surface.” 

Where it stands now: 

The hearings marked the closest the Menendez brothers have come to freedom since their convictions.

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Despite each receiving three-year denials, they will be eligible to request an administrative review in one year. If granted, they could appear before the parole board again.

Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz and Stepheny Price contributed to this report.