In the early hours of November 13, 2022, four University of Idaho students—Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin—were brutally stabbed to death in a rental house near campus in Moscow, Idaho. The crime scene was particularly disturbing: there were no signs of forced entry, and two surviving roommates were left unharmed in the same house. The case immediately drew national attention due to the shocking nature of the murders and the lack of suspects in the early days. A months-long investigation led law enforcement to Bryan Christopher Kohberger, a 28-year-old Ph.D. criminology student at Washington State University, located about ten miles from the crime scene. Using cell phone data, surveillance footage, and a DNA match from a knife sheath found at the scene, police arrested Kohberger in Pennsylvania on December 30, 2022, and later extradited him to Idaho to face four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary.

As of April 2025, Kohberger’s case is still moving through the pretrial phase. His defense has pursued multiple motions challenging evidence collection, including arguments over cellphone pings, surveillance footage, and the genealogical tracing used to identify him as a suspect. The trial has faced delays due to defense requests for more time and the complexities of handling large volumes of digital and forensic evidence. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, emphasizing the heinous nature of the crime and the calculated planning involved. Judge John Judge continues to rule on motions in limine, including what evidence will be allowed at trial. The case remains one of the most closely watched in the nation, with both legal teams preparing for what is expected to be a high-profile and emotionally charged trial, now tentatively slated to begin later in 2025.


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