Judge Rejects Bryan Kohberger’s Second Attempt To Dismiss Charges For Murders Of Four University Of Idaho Students

Bryan Kohberger, the man who has been charged in the murders of four University of Idaho students, had his second attempt to throw out the case against him denied by a state judge.

Kohberger is facing four charges of first-degree murder and a burglary count for allegedly entering an off-campus rental home. His alleged victims were Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xena Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, all of whom were undergrads at the University of Idaho at the time of the murder.

Kohberger attended the nearby Washington State University to obtain a Ph.D. in criminology. 

His defense team filed two motions to dismiss earlier this year. They tried to argue that the burden of proof should be “beyond a reasonable doubt.” 

The second motion claimed that juror bias and prosecutorial misconduct would affect Kohberger’s trial.

Initially scheduled to begin in October, Kohberger’s trial has been delayed. The suspect wants to focus on challenging the indictment and DNA evidence.

Kohberger was arrested in December 2022 following a six-week manhunt for the suspect. Indicted in May, Kohlberger could face the death penalty if convicted. DNA evidence connecting him to the crime was found at his home.

The defense team’s first attempt to have the case dismissed was rejected by the judge in October.

The property where the killings took place is scheduled to be torn down. Several of the victims’ families have pushed back against the decision, calling it “one of the most critical pieces of evidence in this case.”