Bryan Kohberger, the 29-year-old former criminology Ph.D. student accused of killing four University of Idaho students, took a step closer to trial following a recent scheduling hearing. The hearing, held more than a year after the 2022 massacre and 13 months after Kohberger's arraignment, addressed various scheduling issues.
During the hearing, attorneys were directed to prepare for upcoming challenges, such as setting a time for the defense to contest the death penalty and establishing pre-trial deadlines. Kohberger, dressed in a suit and tie, remained silent throughout the brief hearing, which concluded in under 20 minutes.
Judge John Judge expressed readiness to move the proceedings forward. Both sides agreed on a trial date set for next summer, specifically June 2, 2025, to coincide with the high school across the street being out of session.
Kohberger, who was studying at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, at the time of the murders, was located just 10 miles away from the crime scene.
The tragic incident, a 4 a.m. home invasion stabbing, resulted in the deaths of four undergraduates on November 13, 2022 – Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. Investigators discovered a Ka-Bar knife sheath under Mogen's body that reportedly contained Kohberger's DNA.
Court documents revealed that Kohberger's Hyundai Elantra was traced following a winding path around the area, to and from the crime scene. The trial, which has already faced delays, saw defense attorneys accusing the prosecution of sluggish evidence disclosure through discovery.
While cellphone data placed Kohberger near the house on the day of the murders, the defense argued that he was driving on mountain roads to admire the night sky, far from the crime scene. Kohberger is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and a felony burglary charge, potentially facing the death penalty if convicted.
His next court appearance is scheduled for August to address his defense team's motion for a change of venue.
