Oct. 11 (UPI) — Bryan Kohberger’s murder trial in the deaths of four University of Idaho students was delayed to July 30, 2025. Judge Steven Hippler’s Wednesday scheduling order changed the previous June 2 start date.
Jury selection will begin July 30, with the jury trial starting Aug. 11.
“The jury trial shall commence on August 11, 2025, and run through November 7, 2025, inclusive of the penalty phase, if necessary,” Hippler’s order said.
The order said a final pre-trial conference will be held May 15.
Hippler set a Thursday deadline for defense motions challenging the death penalty.
The trial start date in Boise, where the trial was moved from Moscow, appears to be a compromise between the prosecution preferred date of May 2025 and the defense preferred date of September.
Kohberger is accused of murdering Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle, both 20, and Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21, during the early morning of Nov. 13, 2022.
They were killed at a house in Moscow, Idaho.
Idaho’s Supreme Court appointed Hippler to the case after it granted a change of venue Sept. 30.
Kohberger has remained in police custody since December 2022.
The change of venue was granted after defense lawyers successfully argued that there was “reasonable likelihood” media coverage of the case was prejudicial to the case and would compromise a fair trial in Latah County.
