(IntegrityPress.org) – Former criminology university student Bryan Kohberger, who faces murder charges for the slaying of four students in Idaho, appeared at a scheduling hearing recently, moving his case nearer to trial.
On Thursday, June 27, Judge John Judge instructed attorneys on the Kohberger case to prepare to address various scheduling issues before proceeding to trial, including when the defendant’s lawyers challenged certain pre-trial deadlines as well as the use of the death penalty.
Kohberger, who was arraigned 13 months prior, appeared at the hearing, which lasted less than 20 minutes, dressed in a suit and tie while remaining silent the entire time. He was similarly silent during his arraignment in May 2023 when asked to respond to how he would plead, forcing Judge to enter a not-guilty plea on Kohberger’s behalf.
Judge, who said the court was beginning to reach “a point of diminishing returns,” seemed ready to move forward with the trial against Kohberger during the scheduling hearing, and set a start date for the trial a year from now in June 2025.
The 29-year-old former Ph.D. student is accused of killing four victims, all University of Idaho students, in Nov. 2022 after invading their home and stabbing them to death. The victims were 20-year-old Ethan Chapin, 20-year-old Xana Kernodle, 21-year-old Kaylee Goncalves, and 21-year-old Madison Morgen. Kohberger’s DNA was found on the sheath of a Ka-Bar knife discovered underneath Mogen’s body, linking him to the killings. Investigators also tracked Kohberger’s vehicle and found he traveled a meandering route that day around the general area of the crime scene.
Kohberger, who is being held in Latah County without bond, faces one count of felony burglary and four counts of first-degree murder and could face the death penalty if convicted. The next hearing is scheduled for August 29 when Kohberger’s team will file a motion to change the venue. They also have until Sept. 5 to file motions challenging the use of the death penalty in the case.
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