SKAGIT COUNTY, Wash. — As the criminal case against Brian Kohberger comes to a close, a new memorial honoring Ethan Chapin went up at Tyler Amaya’s gym.

Amaya coached Chapin and his siblings since they were in the fourth grade.

“I’m looking for all the signs, and for the sentencing to be happening today and for this to go up, it’s just another sign that Ethan’s energy is still here; it’s everywhere I go,” Amaya said.

Chapin, who grew up in Skagit County, was among the four college students killed at an off-campus home in November 2022. Nearly three years after the murders, Kohberger was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.

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The Chapin family was noticeably absent from the courtroom during Kohberger’s sentencing Wednesday, instead choosing to spend time together rather than attend the court proceedings.

“There’s just nothing that could ever be done from this point forward that could ever, for me, give me anything back from what was taken,” Amaya said.

Though the four life sentences handed down can never replace the four lives lost, Ethan’s spirit continues to live on through memories and Amaya’s nonprofit, Hoop for the Valley.

About $20,000 in donations to the nonprofit from across the country in honor of Ethan have helped provide open gym activities, scholarships, and free clinics to underserved kids in the community, encouraging them to be active and involved in sports, just like Ethan.

“Obviously there’s some evil in the world, and Ethan represented the best of people, and I see Ethan in every kid that walks in this gym,” Amaya said.

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Additionally, Ethan’s Smile Foundation, started by the Chapin family in 2023, has raised more than $100,000 and awarded over 80 scholarships to local students, ensuring Ethan’s legacy is remembered for years to come.

“I want Ethan to be on the mind every time people come into the gym,” Amaya said. “I think it’s an unfortunate reminder that life is life, and we’ve got to take every moment and every moment is precious.”