Pivotal Plea Hearing for Bryan Kohberger Scheduled This Wednesday

ADA COUNTY, Idaho — Bryan Kohberger, accused of the murder of four University of Idaho students, has a plea hearing scheduled for Wednesday. Sources indicate he has been presented with a plea deal that could remove the death penalty from consideration.

In correspondence with the victims’ families, Kohberger has expressed his intent to plead guilty to all four counts of murder. In turn, the deal stipulates life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, along with a waiver of his right to appeal.

Following this news, the family of victim Kaylee Goncalves expressed their outrage on social media. “We are beyond furious at the State of Idaho,” they wrote. “They have failed us. Please give us some time. This was very unexpected.”

Kohberger, 30, previously pleaded not guilty to the November 2022 murders of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves, and Madison Mogen. The students were discovered fatally stabbed in their off-campus residence in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13, 2022.

In recent developments, Kohberger’s trial has seen a slight delay, with jury selection now expected to commence on August 4, 2023, and opening statements slated for August 18. Prosecutors have been seeking the death penalty in this high-profile case.

A graduate student in criminology from Washington State University, Kohberger was apprehended in December 2022 at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania. This arrest followed the discovery of DNA evidence linked to him from a knife sheath found at the crime scene.

A grand jury indicted Kohberger in May 2023. This story is still evolving; stay tuned for updates.