For over two years, Bryan Kohberger’s legal team has been laying the groundwork for a complex defense strategy in the shocking University of Idaho murder case.
But this week, a judge just handed them a major setback—one that could dramatically reshape the trial moving forward.
No Room for Speculation, Says the Court
In a pointed ruling issued Thursday, Idaho Judge Steven Hippler rejected Kohberger’s attempt to cast suspicion on four unnamed alternate suspects.
His legal team had tried to suggest these individuals—some of whom knew the victims—might be the real killers. But the judge wasn’t buying it.
He ruled that the defense’s argument lacked even “a scintilla of competent evidence” and described their claims as “entirely irrelevant.”
In his words, suggesting any of the four were involved would require “rank speculation” from jurors.
Who Were These Alternate Suspects?
While the names were redacted in court documents, we now know the defense had narrowed in on four people.
Three of them had social ties to the victims and lived nearby.
One even interacted with them at parties just hours before the murders.
The fourth person had a minor run-in—a passing encounter at a store—with one of the victims about five weeks before the killings.
All four cooperated fully with police. They gave DNA and fingerprints, and allowed searches.
None of their DNA was found at the crime scene or on the victims, the judge noted clearly.
The Fourth Man and a Missed Connection
The fourth man’s involvement sounds more like a fleeting moment than anything criminal.
According to court documents, he saw one of the victims while shopping, briefly considered speaking to her, and then left. Surveillance footage confirmed this.
He even voluntarily provided his phone number and DNA sample to investigators.
That, the judge said, is hardly grounds to accuse someone of murder.
Defense’s Hands Are Tied—At Least for Now
Because of the ruling, Kohberger’s legal team won’t be allowed to bring up these alternate suspect theories in court.
They can, however, still question law enforcement about the thoroughness of their investigation during the trial.
That means the defense may try to poke holes in how the case was built, even if they can’t offer other suspects.
Delay Denied, Trial Timeline Firm
Kohberger also tried one more legal maneuver—an eleventh-hour request to delay his trial.
That was denied too. So after a long road of pre-trial motions, venue changes, and delays, it looks like things are finally moving forward.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin in early August, and barring any surprises, the long-awaited trial will kick off this summer.
The Night That Shook a College Town
Kohberger is accused of carrying out a brutal stabbing spree that killed four University of Idaho students—Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, and Madison Mogen—inside their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13, 2022.
Two other roommates were inside at the time.
Hours later, they found the bodies and made the chilling 911 call that launched the case.
No Known Link to the Victims
Despite the mounting evidence, one lingering question still hangs over the case: why?
Kohberger, a criminology PhD student, had no known connection to any of the victims. Prosecutors say they’re seeking the death penalty.
Thanks to a change in Idaho law, that could mean execution by firing squad if he’s convicted.
DNA, Phone Records, and a Key Witness
Authorities zeroed in on Kohberger after finding his DNA on a knife sheath left next to Mogen’s body.
Cell phone records showed him near the house several times before the murders.
Surveillance footage also caught a white Hyundai Elantra—matching his car—speeding away from the scene.
One of the surviving roommates, Dylan Mortensen, described seeing a masked man in black with “bushy eyebrows” that night. She’s expected to testify at trial.
A Surprise Witness Emerges
Another twist? A DoorDash driver who delivered food to Xana Kernodle shortly before the killings told police she saw Kohberger near the house that night.
She revealed this detail during a traffic stop in Pullman, Washington, and is also expected to take the stand.
What Comes Next
Kohberger remains behind bars since his arrest in Pennsylvania in December 2022.
At his arraignment, he remained silent, and the judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
As the trial date inches closer, his defense team faces an uphill battle—especially now that their most dramatic claim has been struck from the courtroom.