Idaho College murder suspect Bryan Kohberger appears in court in Boise for the first time

Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of stabbing four University of Idaho students to death, will make his first court appearance in Ada County next week.

Idaho 4th District Judge Steven Hippler, who was recently assigned to this high-profile case, scheduled a status conference for Kohberger for 2 p.m. Thursday, September 26. The Idaho Supreme Court moved Kohberger's murder trial from Moscow to Boise, and Kohberger was airlifted to Ada County last Sunday.

Kohberger, 29, is accused of killing the four University of Illinois students at an off-campus home in Moscow in November 2022. The victims were Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle, both 20, and Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21.

Kohberger is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated burglary. Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty for Kohberger if a jury convicts him. Kohberger's defense attorneys have filed motions to remove the death penalty as a possible punishment.

Kohberger's murder trial was scheduled to begin in June 2025 under the previous judge, but the change of venue to Boise and the change of judges resulted in the trial date and location, as well as all previous proceedings, being canceled – and possibly postponed.

Hippler is expected to set a new court schedule at next Thursday's status conference at the Ada County Courthouse.

Seating for the hearing will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. A livestream will also be available on the court's YouTube page: youtube.com/@idahofourthdistrictcourt.