Bryan Kohberger argues ‘alternate perpetrator' in Idaho student murders

Yahoo

16-05-2025

The Brief
Bryan Kohberger's defense suggested an alternate suspect in the University of Idaho student murders, with evidence due by May 23.
Jury selection begins July 30, with the trial expected to be livestreamed starting August 11.
A hearing on alternate perpetrator claims is set for June 18, with the state responding by June 6, and seats reserved for the surviving roommates.
BOISE, Idaho - Bryan Kohberger, the man charged with stabbing four University of Idaho students to death, was back in court on Thursday for what was expected to be his last hearing before his trial, and his attorneys dropped one final bombshell regarding the possibility of an alternate suspect.
It's been more than two and a half years since Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle were murdered at an off-campus home in November 2022. Thursday's pre-trial hearing brought Kohberger one step closer to the start of his trial, slated to begin this summer.
By the numbers
"The plan will be to take the universe of jurors who are summoned and then scramble them," Judge Steven Hippler said.
He went on to say those jurors will be assigned a number between one and 10,000. After filling out a questionnaire and going through the voir dire process, 12 jurors and eight alternate jurors will be selected to serve on this jury.
"The more people who talk to the media and the more things that are in the media and not admissible — whether true or not — the more difficult it makes things," Hippler said.
Perhaps the biggest detail to come out of the proceeding was talk about alternative perpetrators.
What they're saying
"I did, as I indicated this morning, receive the defense's proffer regarding alternate perpetrators, and that will be sealed," Hippler said.
The defense has until May 23 to give him evidence that supports those allegations and information that includes how they believe what they're offering is admissible, Hippler said. The state will then have until June 6 to respond. A hearing on the matter is set for June 18.
On Thursday, the judge also mentioned the two surviving roommates.
"I should point out that I will reserve two seats for the two surviving roommates who are technically victims of the burglary," said Hippler. "I don't know if they have any desire to be here, I suspect not, given the way they've been treated in the media."
Jury selection is scheduled to begin on July 30. It will not be livestreamed. However, as of right now, he does intend to allow the trial to be livestreamed, and that's expected to start on August 11.
The Source
Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Shirah Matsuzawa.
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