BOISE, Idaho — Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students, could face execution if he's found guilty, as the Ada County judge overseeing the case denied the defendant's motion to strike the death penalty.
Kohberger is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary in the deaths of Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen. The four students were found stabbed to death in a house on King Road, near the University of Idaho campus in Moscow, on Nov. 13, 2022.
According to court documents released on Wednesday, Ada County District Judge Steven Hippler denied the 12 motions collectively filed by the attorneys representing Kohbeger challenging the death penalty.
As reported by the Associated Press, the arguments on the motions were held during a pre-trial hearing on November 7, 2024. Kohberger's defense team made a broad range of arguments, from saying the death penalty does not fit today's standards and it's cruel and unusual punishment to allow a condemned inmate to sit decades awaiting execution.
Judge Hippler wrote in Wednesday's court documents after analyzing the motions, "The Court concludes relief in Defendant's favor is not warranted on any of the motions."
Kohberger's murder trial is scheduled to begin in August 2025.