Bryan Kohberger update: Idaho students' killer gets October court date in bid to withdraw guilty plea – what to know

Idaho murderer Bryan Kohberger has requested a new judge to oversee the next steps as part of his attempt at post-conviction relief.

Published on: Sep 9, 2026, 15:01:12 IST

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Idaho murderer Bryan Kohberger has requested a new judge to oversee the next steps as part of his attempt at post-conviction relief. The court will hear his arguments on October 15, per ABC3340.

Kohberger's attorneys, in their motion to disqualify Judge Steven Hippler, argued that comments he made during his sentencing show bias. They questioned his ability to remain impartial for upcoming proceedings, and also called for his case to be moved back to Latah County.

During the July 2025 sentencing, Judge Hippler called Kohberger the "worst of the worst" and said, "I'm unable to come up with anything redeeming about Mr. Kohberger because his grotesque acts of evil have buried anything that might have been good or intrinsically human about him."

Hippler’s comments came after Kohberber admitted to killing four University of Idaho students. In the early morning hours of November 13, 2022, the four were brutally stabbed to death at a rental home near their campus in Moscow, Idaho. The lives of Ethan Chapin, 20; Xana Kernodle, 20; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; and Madison Mogen, 21, were abruptly cut short when Kohberger entered their home and attacked them with a knife.

Kohberger told the judge during his plea hearing under oath that he understood the agreement, had discussed it with his attorneys, and was pleading guilty voluntarily because he was guilty. The plea agreement allowed Kohberger to avoid the death penalty and kept him from filing an appeal.

Kohberger was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murders. The sentencing took place in a Boise court on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.

Bryan Kohberger’s post-conviction relief request

In July, Kohberger filed a post-conviction relief request, seeking to abandon his guilty plea and now go to trial. He claimed that he was innocent.

Kohberger alleged that he accepted the plea deal because of ineffective legal counsel, coercion, and false promises made by his defense attorneys.

Hippler in August set two hearings for June of next year: a status conference and an evidentiary hearing.

In case Kohberger's petition is denied, his convictions and life sentences will remain in place. If a judge allows him to withdraw his guilty plea, the case could return to trial, with the death penalty back on the table.

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