Accused of Idaho student murders refuses to file plea | world News

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Criminology student Brian Kohberger, 28, is accused of stabbing four college students to death in the attack in November last year.

By Daniel Baines, news reporter

Monday, May 22, 2023 18:57, United Kingdom

A man accused of stabbing four college students in their beds in Idaho last year has refused to be stabbed to death, after a court appearance.

Criminology student Brian Kohberger, 28, appeared in the Latah County courtroom on Monday.

He spoke to confirm his name and other details, but remained silent when asked to file a petition.

County Judge John Judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf and the case was adjourned.

It came after a grand jury formally indicted Kohberger on four counts of murder and one count of robbery last week.

He allegedly killed housemates Kylie Goncalves, 21, Madison Maugen, 21, Zana Kernodel, 20, and Kernodel’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin, 20, in the early hours of November 13 last year.

Two other roommates were home at the time of the attacks and were sleeping in their bedrooms.

One of them told the interrogators that she woke up at 4 am to the sound of crying and opened her door.

Photo: Victims Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Xana’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin

Read more: The mystery of the murder of four University of Idaho students in their beds Moment police stopped Idaho suspect weeks before arrest

Court documents showed that she then stood in “frozen shock” when she saw a masked man dressed in black walking beside her and leaving the house.

The housemate then locked herself in her room and went back to bed.

When the surviving housemates awoke the next morning, they called other friends into the house and one of those friends called the police believing the housemates had passed out.

Only then do they discover the gruesome crime scene.

Court documents revealed that Coburger’s DNA was found on the knife sheath button at the crime scene.

In the affidavit, Police Corporal Brett Payne said phone data also showed that Kohberger had visited the area near the home about ten times prior to the attack.

He said that these apparent visits all took place in the late evening or early hours of the morning.

At the time of the murders, Kohberger was working on his doctorate in criminal justice at Washington State University, about 10 miles (16 km) from the University of Idaho campus, where he had studied victims.

Police stopped the suspect twice in Indiana on December 15 — just over a month after the murders and two weeks before his arrest.

Earlier this year, Kohberger’s lawyer said he was eager to be cleared and called him an “ordinary guy”.

The judge has decided that Kohberger’s trial will begin on October 2. He could face life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted of murder.

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