Bryan Kohberger pleads not guilty to killing 4 Idaho students.

Judge Enters Not Guilty Pleas for Bryan Kohberger in Murder of 4 Idaho Students

Background

In November 2022, four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death in a rental home near the campus. The incident shocked the community of Moscow, Idaho, and led to many students switching to remote learning for the rest of the semester. Bryan Kohberger, a graduate student studying criminology at Washington State University, was arrested and charged with burglary and four counts of first-degree murder in connection with the slayings.

The Arraignment

Kohberger declined to enter a plea in Latah County District Court, and his defense attorney Anne Taylor told the judge that they were going to “stand silent” at this time. In response, 2nd District Judge John Judge entered not guilty pleas on Kohberger’s behalf. The trial is expected to begin on October 2 and could last up to six weeks. Kohberger declined to waive his right to a speedy trial, and it’s still possible that the trial could be delayed or moved to a different location.

The Investigation

Prosecutors have not released any information about how they believe Kohberger may have chosen the victims or whether he had met any of them previously. Police pieced together DNA evidence, cellphone data, and surveillance video that they say links Kohberger to the slayings. Traces of DNA found on a knife sheath inside the home where the students were killed match Kohberger, and a cellphone belonging to Kohberger was near the victims’ home on a dozen occasions prior to the killings. A white sedan allegedly matching one owned by Kohberger was caught on surveillance footage repeatedly cruising past the rental home around the time of the killings.

The Trial

Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson now has 60 days to inform the court whether he will seek the death penalty in the case. The small courtroom was packed for the arraignment, with some members of the news media and other onlookers lining up outside three hours before the proceeding was set to begin. Family members of one of the victims wept as the charges were read.

The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.

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