MOSCOW, Idaho — Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of murdering four University of Idaho students, made an appearance in a Latah County court Thursday.
During Thursday's proceedings, the judge overseeing the case, Judge John Judge, made a ruling to close two forthcoming hearings scheduled for May 14 and May 16 to the public. These closed hearings will primarily address the potential relocation of Kohberger's trial away from Latah County.
The defense team representing Kohberger advocated for these hearings to be open to the public, while the state prosecution argued for their closure.
As of now, a trial date for Kohberger has not been determined.
Through a statement presented by their attorney, members of the Goncalves family have expressed their frustration with how long the court is taking to set a trial date.
"This banter has been going on for 17 months. Then once you get a hearing, you have a hearing about the decision that was made at that hearing before the last hearing, and there needs to be another hearing," the family's statement reads. "This case is turning into a hamster wheel of motions, hearings, and delayed decisions. Not every motion needs a hearing. Not every decision needs to take a month to decide."
Kohberger is charged with the first-degree murders of Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen. The four were found stabbed in a home near the University of Idaho campus on Nov. 13, 2022. Kohberger was arrested one month later in Pennsylvania and has been in the Latah County Jail ever since.
Since his arrest, Kohberger has been indicted by a grand jury and chose to stand silent at his arraignment. Last year, the state of Idaho filed intent to seek the death penalty against Kohberger. His trial date has yet to be set.
To watch Thursday's hearing in full, watch the YouTube video below:
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