3 minNews
Kohberger Hearings Vacated as Judge Weighs Bias Motion
Three scheduled hearings in Bryan Kohberger's Idaho case have been abruptly vacated, and his family's attorney says the post-conviction process is only beginning.
Three upcoming hearings in the case of Bryan Kohberger, convicted in the 2022 stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students, have been unexpectedly vacated, according to court records. The first of the hearings had been set for Thursday. Two others scheduled for next year have also been removed from the calendar, and a series of deadlines in the coming months are expected to be affected.
The Thursday hearing was to address a motion from Kohberger's new Idaho attorney, Greg Rauch, seeking to disqualify Judge Steven Hippler from the case over concerns of potential bias. Hippler has issued an amended scheduling order that is expected to clarify the status of the vacated hearings, but the order has not yet been made public.
Jason Goldman, a New York attorney representing Kohberger's family, said the cancellations are not a sign that the case is winding down. «This simply marks the start of a longer post-conviction relief process,» Goldman said. The comment suggests the legal fight over Kohberger's plea and conviction could stretch well beyond the current court term.
Kohberger was arrested on Dec. 30, 2022, at his parents' home in Pennsylvania, six weeks after the killings. The arrest came as a national surprise because no suspect had been publicly identified in the weeks following the attack. At the time, Kohberger was studying for a Ph.D. in criminology at Washington State University, about 10 miles from the University of Idaho campus and across the state line.
The victims were Madison Mogen, 21; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20. All four undergraduates were stabbed to death in a home invasion at an off-campus rental house just steps from the edge of school grounds. The killings drew intense national attention and left the university community in mourning.
In July 2025, Kohberger accepted a plea deal that allowed him to avoid the death penalty. He offered no motive or explanation at the time. A year later, he filed a handwritten motion for post-conviction relief asking to withdraw his guilty plea, claiming he is innocent and that he had ineffective counsel and was misled into pleading out. Court documents also indicate Kohberger has claimed his family was involved in plea discussions.
Prosecutors have opposed Kohberger's effort to remove Hippler, who previously called him a «faceless coward.» The dispute over the judge's role is now at the center of the vacated Thursday hearing, and its resolution could shape the next phase of the case.
The amended scheduling order from Hippler is expected to set new dates and clarify which deadlines remain in effect. Until that order is released, the timeline for the post-conviction proceedings remains uncertain. The case is ongoing.
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