The man accused of murdering four University of Idaho students in one night is attempting to withdraw his guilty plea. Bryan Kohberger, 31, originally pleaded guilty last year, admitting that he was the man responsible for the quadruple homicide that took place in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13, 2022. Kohberger’s initial plea sidestepped a trial and earned him a conviction of four consecutive life sentences.
Now that Kohberger has indicated that he intends to withdraw his plea, a lengthy criminal trial becomes a certainty. This also means that Kohberger could face the death penalty if convicted. Not only is capital punishment on the books in Idaho (and used), but the state also passed legislation in 2025 making execution by firing squad a possible option.
The crime that grabbed headlines and the attention of millions occurred during the early morning hours of November 13, 2022. At around 4AM on that Sunday, a masked intruder entered the off-campus house located at 1122 King Road via a sliding glass door. Once inside, the killer, armed with a Marine Corps K-bar-style knife, murdered best friends and roommates Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21. Goncalves alone was stabbed upwards of thirty times.
At approximately 4:17 AM, security cameras near the home picked up sounds of a struggle and Goncalves’ distressed dog barking. Investigators believe that Kohberger descended to the home’s second floor, where he murdered Xana Kernodle, 20, and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, 20. Kernodle was stabbed over fifty times and was likely chased throughout the house.
Two roommates survived the events of that night, including Dylan Mortensen, who provided eyewitness testimony to investigators claiming that she saw a tall, slender, white male dressed in black and wearing a mask as he made his way out of the house. Later, after weeks on the run, Kohberger was arrested at his family’s home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania on December 30, 2022. Investigators matched his DNA with the DNA found on the sheath of the murder weapon, which was left at the scene.
At the time of the murders, Kohberger was a Ph.D. student in criminology at Washington State University located in nearby Pullman. He also had a history of heroin addiction and committing petty crimes to feed his habit. His medical history indicates that Kohberger suffers from four mental health illnesses: autism (level 1), OCD, ADHD, and the eating disorder ARFID. Many have speculated since 2022 that Kohberger had developed a parasocial attraction to one of his victims, with most naming Goncalves, who was very active on social media, as the object of the killer’s desire.
Kohberger’s handwritten plea for post-conviction relief was filed with the Idaho court on Monday. Kohberger now not only claims innocence but also argues that he committed several false confessions. The note also excoriates his defense team of Anne Taylor, Elisa Massoth, and Bicka Barlow for failing to inform him about “exculpatory discovery” and evidence that they did not bring to trial.
