22 May 2023 , 16:37
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Bryan Kohberger, the suspect in the Idaho murders case, has refused to enter a plea in court, with NOT guilty pleas being entered by the judge on his behalf as a result.
Facing four counts of first-degree murder and burglary, the 28-year-old criminology PhD student appeared in Latah County Court in Moscow, Idaho, at 9am.
The shocking attack occurred on November 13, claiming the lives of University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20.
The incident sent shockwaves across America and deeply impacted the college town of Moscow.
In court today, (May 22), his attorney said that he was “standing silent” on the charges – so the judge has now entered not guilty pleas on his behalf. The trial has now been set to begin on 2 October 2023.
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Kohberger is led into court (AP)When asked for his plea to counts of murder and burglary, Kohberger remained silent. His attorney rose and said “your honor, we are standing silent,” and the judge then entered not guilty pleas for him.
Judge John Judge read Kohberger his rights and the five charges and asked if he understood. Kohberger replied, “Yes, I do,”
Bryan Kohberger was told by the judge that he faces the death penalty or life in prison on the charges.
If convicted of the four murders, Bryan Kohberger faces the possibility of lethal injection, should the prosecution seek the death penalty.
In the state of Idaho, the maximum sentence for first-degree murder is death and the suspect is facing four counts of this charge.
Prosecutors have 60 days to announce whether or not they are seeking the death penalty in the case.
Kohberger has been in custody since his arrest in Pennsylvania in January.
Bryan Kohberger allegedly broke into a woman's apartment so he could portray a 'hero' image said an expert (Matt Rourke/AP/REX/Shutterstock)He is being held in the Latah County Jail after being extradited to Idaho.
Kaylee Goncalves’ parents have already said that they want their daughter’s killer to be sentenced to death saying he “has to pay” for what he has done.
The victims were tragically discovered stabbed to death in an off-campus residence they shared with two surviving roommates.
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After a six-week investigation, authorities apprehended Mr. Kohberger on December 30 at his parents' home in Pennsylvania.
The final photo of the victims, taken just hours before they were killed: Madison Mogen, 21, top left, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, bottom left, Ethan Chapin, 20, center, and Xana Kernodle, 20, right.Investigators discovered Mr. Kohberger's DNA on a knife sheath left behind at the crime scene, and surveillance footage captured a white Hyundai Elantra, matching his vehicle, driving away from the area during the time of the murders.
Kohberger was a graduate student studying criminology at nearby Washington State University at the time, but prosecutors have not released any information about how he may have chosen the victims or whether he had met any of them previously.
Police released few details about the investigation until after Kohberger was arrested at his parents' home in eastern Pennsylvania early Dec. 30, 2022.
Court documents detailed how police pieced together DNA evidence, cellphone data and surveillance video that they say links Kohberger to the slayings.