The prosecution and defense are working toward a June 2025 trial date for Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students in an off-campus house.
Judge John Judge said he anticipates the trial to take three months.
The defense still wants a change of venue, which has not yet been determined.
The parents of 21-year-old victim Kaylee Goncalves attended Thursday’s court hearing. The Goncalves had been desperate for a date to be set, telling ABC News in January their family is “in limbo” until trial begins.
“We got to get this case over,” Steve Goncalves said. “Let’s do it. Let’s stop playing these delay tactics, let’s just get it done.”
Roommates Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle, as well as Kernodle’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin, were stabbed to death in the girls’ off-campus home in the early hours of Nov. 13, 2022. Two other roommates survived.
A photo posted by Kaylee Goncalves only a few days ago shows University of Idaho students Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Goncalves. The four were found dead at an off-campus house on Nov. 13, 2022.
Kaylee Goncalves/Instagram
Kohberger, who was a criminology Ph.D. student at nearby Washington State University at the time of the gruesome crime, was arrested weeks later.
A not guilty plea was entered on Kohberger’s behalf for four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
Bryan Koberger listens during a hearing to overturn his grand jury indictment, Oct. 26, 2023 in Moscow, Idaho.
Kai Eiselein-Pool/Getty Images
The prosecution and defense have gone back-and-forth proposing potential trial dates at hearings this year.
On Jan. 26, the prosecution told the judge it was ready to go to trial in summer 2024. Prosecutors said summer is best because there will be out-of-state witnesses who need accommodations in Moscow, which they said is difficult while local schools are in session.
The defense argued a summer 2024 trial is not realistic for this complex case. The defense said it still had a lot of digital evidence to go through, more potential witnesses to speak with and more documents to collect from Kohberger’s past and his family.
The prosecution agreed that there was a large amount of information to sift through.
Bryan Kohberger talks to his attorney Anne Taylor before a hearing, August 18, 2023 in Moscow, Idaho.
August Frank-Pool/Getty Images
The defense recommended a summer 2025 trial if the case moved forward in Latah County, but days after the Jan. 26 hearing, Kohberger’s defense filed a motion for a change of venue.
The prosecution said the case has national and international interest, so a change of venue would not solve any problem.
At a Feb. 28 hearing, the judge and prosecution proposed a trial date of March 3, 2025, while the defense asked for a June 2025 trial.
The next hearing to discuss a change of venue will be Aug. 29.
ABC News’ Julie Scott and Sasha Pezenik contributed to this report.
The University of Idaho community is eagerly awaiting the potential trial date set for murder suspect Bryan Kohberger, scheduled for June 2025. Kohberger, a former student at the university, has been charged with the brutal murder of fellow student Sarah Johnson in October 2024.
The case has garnered widespread attention and shock among students, faculty, and residents of the small college town of Moscow, Idaho. Johnson’s body was found in a wooded area near campus, sparking fear and concern among the tight-knit community.
Kohberger was arrested shortly after Johnson’s body was discovered, and has been held in custody ever since. The prosecution has been building a strong case against him, with evidence including DNA samples, witness testimonies, and surveillance footage placing him at the scene of the crime.
The potential trial date set for June 2025 will mark a crucial turning point in the case, as both the prosecution and defense will present their arguments and evidence in court. The trial is expected to be highly emotional and intense, as the families of both the victim and the accused grapple with the devastating impact of the crime.
The University of Idaho has been deeply affected by this tragedy, with students and faculty coming together to mourn the loss of one of their own. The campus community has rallied around Johnson’s family, offering support and solidarity during this difficult time.
As the trial date approaches, there is a sense of anticipation and anxiety among those involved in the case. The outcome of the trial will have far-reaching implications for all parties involved, as justice is sought for the victim and closure is sought for her loved ones.
The University of Idaho murder case has shaken the community to its core, but it has also brought people together in a show of strength and resilience. As the potential trial date looms on the horizon, all eyes will be on the courtroom as justice is sought for Sarah Johnson and her grieving family.
