Bryan Kohberger seeks to withdraw guilty plea in Idaho murders; claims he is innocent and justice was not served

Four students at the University of Idaho—Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves—were fatally attacked inside an off-campus home on King Road in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022.

Bryan Kohberger, a former PhD student studying criminology at Washington State University, was charged with the murders. For over two years, he maintained his innocence but reversed his stance before a scheduled trial in summer 2025, accepting a plea deal.

In exchange for pleading guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and a felony burglary charge, Kohberger avoided the death penalty and the right to appeal. He received four life sentences plus ten years.

Now, a year later, Kohberger claims he is innocent. In a statement to the New York Times, he asserted that in the case of 'State v. Kohberger, justice was not served.' This week, he filed a petition for post-conviction relief, seeking to withdraw his guilty plea and contest the charges against him.¹²

Kohberger's legal team argues that the plea was made under duress and that new evidence may support his claims of innocence. The case continues to draw significant media attention as it raises questions about the justice system and the implications of plea deals.