Steven Goncalves Engaged To Journalist Covering His Sister's Case

In the latest twist during the fallout of one of Idaho's most high-profile cases, University of Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves' brother Steven has revealed he will marry journalist Olivia Vitale, the reporter he worked with writing the story of that tragic 2022 killing. The news came just one month after Bryan Kohberger was sentenced to life in prison for killing Kaylee and her three companions, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin.

However, although the case was a source of "a lot of pain" for the Goncalves family and gained national media attention, it also brought into Steven's life someone who would have a profound impact on him as a person. Olivia Vitale is an independent journalist with a following of over 1.3 million on TikTok. "I interviewed Steven's family. This was when Bryan was still not arrested yet," she remembered. 

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Olivia's work had come to the family's attention online when they discovered her TikTok page and contacted her to collaborate on documenting elements of Kaylee's story. "Several days before she had passed, she had sent my page to Kristi and was talking about it. So they wanted to reach out and do a documentary with me." Despite the early connection, Olivia wouldn't meet Steven in person until nearly a year later, while filming the demolition of the King Road house where the four students had been killed. A professional relationship that evolved into one of reporting and documentation ultimately led to them getting engaged.

The tale of Steven and Olivia is a rare story of hope born of utter tragedy. The 2022 killings still stand as a dark chapter in Idaho's past, but they reveal the ability of people to seek comfort, company, and love amid life's bleakest moments. For the Goncalves family, still reeling from Kaylee's death, this engagement means a moment of light, of personal joy, in a sea of grief. In his announcement, Steven Goncalves notes how unpredictable connections can be forged even in the most unlikely of circumstances, serving as a poignant reminder to stand by our resilience and life's often unforeseen nature.