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Despite the judge expressing dissatisfaction, there is still no trial date set for the State of Idaho vs. Bryan Kohberger, the suspect in the fatal stabbing of four University of Idaho students in 2022.
During a hearing on Feb. 28, Judge John Judge mentioned his reluctance to set the trial date for March 3, 2025, stating, "I am not really happy about... setting the trial in 2025. It seems so far away." The judge indicated that he wanted to hear arguments regarding a potential change of venue before making a decision on the trial date.
Bryan Kohberger, who has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, has yet to have a trial date scheduled. The victims were found stabbed to death in their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, on Nov. 13, 2022.
Kohberger was arrested more than six weeks after the slayings in Pennsylvania and faces charges of four counts of murder and one count of felony burglary.
The defense team has until April 17 to submit affidavits and declarations regarding the suggested change of venue. The judge expressed that he was "not persuaded" the trial needed to be moved to a different location.
A hearing on the change of venue is set for May 14, 2024. As a result, a trial date has not been scheduled.
In January 2024, Kaylee Goncalves' mother voiced concerns about the prolonged wait for a trial date, emphasizing the emotional toll on the victims' families. The judge's decision to allow Kohberger to wear a suit and tie to hearings instead of jail clothing has been described as "highly unusual."
Earlier this year, the judge ordered the prosecution to provide the defense with some of the DNA records that led to Kohberger's arrest. The delay in the trial has raised concerns among the victims' families, who express frustration and a desire for accountability.
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At the hearing on Feb. 28, prosecutors revealed they were still awaiting evidence from the defense regarding Bryan Kohberger's alibi. The judge set a deadline of April 17 for the defense team to submit those documents to the prosecutors.
Here's a summary of key details in the Kohberger case so far:
Who is Bryan Kohberger?
Bryan Kohberger is suspected in the deaths of Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21 — four University of Idaho students who were killed in a home near campus on Nov. 13, 2022.
The authorities believe that the students were killed inside the house as they slept, with some of them having defensive wounds. The three women were roommates in the house, and Chapin was Kernodle’s boyfriend who was spending the night.
The bodies were discovered the next morning by two other roommates who were unharmed. Following Kohberger's arrest at his parents' home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, he was extradited to Idaho to face charges of four counts of first-degree murder and one felony burglary charge.
During a hearing in May, Kohberger remained silent, and a judge entered not guilty pleas on his behalf for all the charges.
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Bryan Kohberger was a Ph.D. student at Washington State University (WSU) in the criminal justice department, located in Pullman, Washington, just across the state line from the University of Idaho. WSU officials confirmed this in a statement on Dec. 30, 2022. Authorities from Idaho, with the assistance of the WSU Police Department, conducted searches of both Kohberger's apartment and office on the WSU campus on the morning of Dec. 30, 2022.
During a press conference on Dec. 30, 2022, it was disclosed that Kohberger had a residence in Pullman as a student but originally hailed from Pennsylvania.
On Jan. 3, 2023, WSU officials informed NBC News that Kohberger was "no longer enrolled as a student at Washington State University" after completing only one semester.
Kohberger completed his undergraduate and master's degrees at DeSales University, a private Catholic university in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. He obtained his bachelor's degree in 2020 and completed his graduate studies in June 2022, earning a master's degree in criminal justice.
Following Kohberger's arrest, an internet search revealed a Reddit post where he had reportedly sought volunteers for a graduate research project exploring "how emotions and psychological traits influence decision-making while committing a crime." DeSales University confirmed that the email address associated with the post belonged to Kohberger during his time as a student there.
Knife sheath, cell phone records and a white Hyundai Elantra
A probable cause affidavit, revealing the evidence used to charge and arrest Bryan Kohberger, was unsealed on Jan. 5. In the affidavit, authorities outlined the evidence connecting Kohberger to the crime, including DNA samples, cell phone records, and the movements of a white Hyundai Elantra.
The affidavit mentioned the discovery of a tan leather knife sheath with "Ka-Bar" and "USMC," bearing the U.S. Marine Corps insignia, found on a bed in the home next to Madison Mogen’s body during the crime scene processing on Nov. 13, 2022.
Investigators identified a "single source of male DNA" on the button snap of the knife sheath, according to the affidavit.
On Dec. 27, 2022, police retrieved trash from Kohberger’s parents’ home, and the DNA from the knife sheath was found to match the DNA profile obtained from the trash, as stated in the affidavit.
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During a press conference on Dec. 30, 2022, the police stated that the weapon used in the attack, believed to be a fixed-blade knife, had not been located.
Investigators obtained search warrants for Bryan Kohberger's cell phone records, and the records revealed his phone's movements through Pullman, Washington, around 2:47 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022. The phone ceased reporting to the cellular network shortly after, leading investigators to believe that Kohberger either disabled or turned it off. The phone did not report to the network again until 4:48 a.m., indicating it was heading from Idaho toward Washington.
The Moscow Police Department had previously announced the search for a white Hyundai Elantra as a potential piece of evidence. After the request on Nov. 25, 2022, a WSU officer found Kohberger’s registration to a student apartment complex in Pullman on Nov. 29 at 12:28 a.m. Another officer located Kohberger’s car in the parking lot of the building less than 30 minutes later while searching for white Hyundai Elantras.
Law enforcement reviewed footage from the area on the morning of the killings, discovering footage of a white Hyundai Elantra believed to be connected to the slayings at 3:25 a.m. The vehicle passed by the victims' residence three times, starting at 3:29 a.m. The fourth time it passed was at 4:04 a.m., and it was observed leaving the neighborhood at a high speed at 4:20 a.m.
WSU cameras captured the sedan departing Pullman at 2:44 a.m. and heading east toward Moscow, returning around 5:25 a.m., according to the affidavit.
The two surviving roommates
The affidavit provided additional details from interviews with the surviving roommates who were present during the attack. One of the roommates, identified as Dylan Mortensen (D.M.) in court documents, spoke with investigators and recounted her experience.
According to the affidavit, Mortensen stated that she initially woke up around 4 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022, hearing what she believed was Kaylee Goncalves playing with her dog. Shortly after, she heard Goncalves say something like 'there’s someone here.' Mortensen opened her door multiple times upon hearing crying and a male voice. When she opened it for the third time, she saw a man wearing a mask that covered his nose and mouth, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, "not very muscular, but athletically built with bushy eyebrows," according to court documents.
Mortensen observed the man walking past her toward a sliding glass door while she stood in a "frozen shock phase." After seeing the individual, whom she did not recognize, she locked herself inside her room.
Public defender said Kohberger is ‘calm,’ believes he’ll be exonerated
In a Jan. 3, 2023, interview with YEPPOST, Jason LaBar, the chief public defender of Monroe County, Pennsylvania, stated that Bryan Kohberger has been "calm" and easy to speak to during the four visits LaBar has had with him.
LaBar mentioned, "He said this is not him. He believes he’s going to be exonerated. That’s what he believes, those were his words." It's noted that LaBar represented Kohberger in the extradition process but not in his murder case.
Bryan Kohberger's family was described as "obviously shocked" when he was arrested, according to his lawyer speaking on YEPPOST.
"They don’t believe it to be Bryan. They can’t believe this," said Jason LaBar, Kohberger's lawyer. LaBar also mentioned that Kohberger's father had driven with him from WSU back to Pennsylvania, and there was nothing unusual about his son's behavior during the trip.
In a statement released on Jan. 1, 2023, Kohberger's family expressed condolences to the families who lost their children in the incident. The statement emphasized their commitment to letting the legal process unfold, supporting their son, and respecting privacy during the matter. The family stated, "We have fully cooperated with law enforcement agencies in an attempt to seek the truth and promote his presumption of innocence rather than judge unknown facts and make erroneous assumptions."
Kohberger’s defense: He has a 'habit of going for drives alone'
In court documents filed on Aug. 2, 2023, Bryan Kohberger's defense attorneys in Idaho outlined his defense and alibi, asserting that the suspect was alone on a routine nighttime drive on the night of the killings.
"Mr. Kohberger has long had a habit of going for drives alone," wrote his attorney Anne Taylor in the filing. "Often he would go for drives at night. He did so late on November 12 and into November 13, 2022."
The defense anticipates presenting corroborating evidence during the trial to demonstrate that Kohberger was not at the scene of the crime. According to his attorney, this evidence will come from cross-examining the state's witnesses and presenting defense experts.
"Mr. Kohberger is not claiming to be at a specific location at a specific time; at this time there is not a specific witness to say precisely where Mr. Kohberger was at each moment of the hours between late night November 12, 2022, and early morning November 13, 2022. He was out, driving during the late night and early morning hours of November 12-13, 2022," Taylor wrote. She added that, at this time, Kohberger cannot provide more specific information about potential witnesses and what they might say.
When is Kohberger's trial?
Bryan Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial in late August, leading to the postponement of the trial originally set for Oct. 2, 2023. The delay in proceedings also affected pretrial hearings initially scheduled for Sept. 22, 2023, which were pushed to Oct. 26 due to an unspecified illness.
In addition, the state of Idaho sought to prohibit cameras in the courtroom before the trial, a request that was opposed by a coalition of journalists, including NBC News. On Oct. 26, 2023, a judge declined the state's request.
An unresolved issue is the use of investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) by investigators to locate Kohberger before his arrest. IGG involves utilizing genetic information from publicly accessible DNA databases, such as Family Tree DNA and 23andMe. The prosecution contends that the IGG aspect is not part of their current case against Kohberger, while the defense argues its relevance.
During a hearing on Feb. 28, 2024, Judge John Judge expressed a desire to hear arguments on a potential change of venue before deciding on a trial date. The hearing on a change of venue is scheduled for May 14, 2024.
What happened to the house on King Road?
Following Bryan Kohberger's decision to waive his right to a speedy trial, the prosecution and investigators requested access to the University of Idaho's property on King Road. The FBI spent several days in the fall collecting documentation "to construct visual and audio exhibits and a physical model of the home," as outlined in an Oct. 31, 2023, release from the university.
The plywood covering the windows and doors was temporarily removed for this process and later re-covered, according to the same release.
Towards the end of December 2023, the house was demolished, eliciting mixed reactions from the community.