BOISE, Idaho — Bryan Kohberger, the man charged with murdering four University of Idaho students in 2022, is back in an Ada County courtroom Thursday, as lawyers will argue several motions in the high-profile case.
Kohberger is accused of breaking into a home near the University of Idaho in November 2022 and fatally stabbing four students — Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, and Madison Mogen.
In a closed hearing on Tuesday, the court decided much of Thursday's hearing would be sealed while evidence related to DNA in the case would be discussed. Idaho News 6 will stream the live portions of the hearing in this article.
Watch live: State v. Kohberger, Idaho Fourth District Court feed
As we've previously reported, investigators tied Kohberger to the crime scene using the Investigative Genetic Genealogy method or "IGG." IGG is a way of mapping DNA genealogy that identifies certain protein sequences that are unique to a person's DNA profile. It is often used for individuals to locate family members through their DNA.
In Kohberger's case, the FBI took DNA from the knife sheath found at the crime scene and tested it against DNA found in the trash can outside his family's Pennsylvania home. Their results lead to an arrest. A cheek swab from Kohberger the night of his arrest showed an astronomically likely match. A DNA expert claimed, "the STR profile is at least 5.37 octillion times more likely to be seen if Defendant is the source than if an unrelated individual randomly selected from the population is the source."
Kohberger currently faces the death penalty in the quadruple murder case.
Trial is scheduled to start in August 2025 and is expected to last several months.
