The University of Idaho Murders (Update: July 2025)

There has been an update in the University of Idaho murder case (episode #226 from 2022). In July 2025, Bryan Kohberger pleaded guilty to the murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalvez, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. While final sentencing won't take place until later this month, he is expected to spend the rest of his life behind bars...



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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
In the early morning hours of November thirteenth, twenty twenty two,
four University of Idaho students were brutally slain in an
off campus home in Moscow, Idaho. The victims, twenty year
olds Ethan Chapin and Xana Cernadel, and twenty one year
olds Madison Mogan and Kayleygansolvus, were found stabbed to death
in their beds. Each had sustained multiple stab wounds inflicted

(00:27):
with a pretty large knife, according to the Leathak County Coroner.
Two other roommates in the house survived. One reported hearing
cries and upon opening her door, seeing a masked man
clad in black walk past her and exit the home
at around four a m. There was no sign of
forced entry. The shocking crime scene, a quiet college townhouse
turned grisly murder site, left the community in fear and

(00:51):
garnered national attention. For weeks, authorities had no named suspect.
Investigators worked around the clock tracing every lead they could find.
A critical break came with surveillance footage of a white
hun Dielantra repeatedly seen near the crime scene at the
time of the murders. As the investigation intensified, forensic analysts
discovered a leather knife sheath at the scene next to

(01:12):
one of the victim's bodies. On that sheath, they recovered
a single male DNA profile. Using this DNA and some
old fashioned detective work, police gradually honed in on a suspect.
Brian Christopher Coburger, a twenty eight year old PhD student
studying criminology at nearby Washington State University, emerged as the

(01:33):
prime suspect. In late December twenty twenty two, six weeks
after the murders, a surveillance and DNH trail led law
enforcement across the country to Pennsylvania, where Coburger had driven
to spend the holidays with his family. On December thirtieth,
twenty twenty two, a SWAT team stormed a quiet residential

(01:55):
neighborhood in all Brightsville, Pennsylvania, and arrested Brian Coburger at
his parents home in the early hours of the morning.
He was taken into custody without incident. Investigators had secretly
obtained trash from the Coburger family residence days prior, finding
DNA on discarded items that was later determined to belong
to Coburger's father, this familial DNA sample genetically matched the

(02:19):
unknown male DNA found on the knife sheath left at
the murder scene. Armed with that evidence, as well as
cell phone records, vehicle sightings, and other clues detailed in
a lengthy probable cause affidavit, authorities were confident they had
their suspect. Brian Cooburger, who had no prior connection to
the victims, was promptly extradited back to Idaho to face charges.

(02:44):
In early January twenty twenty three, Coburger was formally charged
in Leytaw County with four counts of first degree murder,
one for each victim, and one count of burglary for
the alleged break in at the home. A magistrate judge
ordered Coburger held without bail given the severe of the
charges and the strength of the preliminary evidence tying him
to the crime. The case then moved quickly. Originally, a

(03:07):
public preliminary hearing was scheduled for late June of that year,
where prosecutors would have had to present evidence to a
magistrate to establish probable cause, but instead prosecutors took the
case to a secret grand jury in May. The grand
jury returned an indictment charging Coburger on all counts, eliminating
the need for a preliminary hearing. Coburger was arraigned on

(03:29):
the indictment in Leyta County District Court on May twenty second,
twenty twenty three. In a brief but dramatic arraignment, Coburger
stood silent. He refused to enter any plea of guilty
or not guilty on the charges. In response, Judge John C.
Judge great name by the way, entered pleas of not
guilty on his behalf, as required by Idaho law. The

(03:52):
judge then set an initial trial date of October second,
to twenty twenty three, to comply with Coburger's rights to
a speedy trial. At that point, Koberger faced the possibility
of the death penalty if convicted, a prospect soon confirmed
when Leyta County Prosecutor Bill Thompson announced in June twenty
twenty three that the state would seek the death penalty
against Coburger. The indictment and not guilty please marked the

(04:16):
beginning of what was expected to be a long, complex
legal journey toward a capital murder trial. Almost immediately after
Brian Koeberger's arrest, the Court imposed an unusually broad gag
order on the case, prohibiting attorneys, law enforcement, and others
involved in the case from speaking publicly about the details
of the investigation or the legal proceedings. The purpose of

(04:37):
this was to ensure Coburger's right to a fair trial
by reducing the influence of pre trial publicity, of which
there was already a lot. As a result, much of
the information about the case was kept behind closed doors,
with the media only able to report on what had
been disclosed in official court filings or via court room testimony.
As you can imagine, though the media did not remain silent.

(04:59):
A of nearly thirty news organizations filed a petition against
the gag order, arguing that it infringed on First Amendment
rights in the public's right to be informed about the case.
In April twenty twenty three, the Idaho Supreme Court rejected
the petition, holding that the media should have first sought
relief in the lower court. This left the gag order
in place, and for much of twenty twenty three, public

(05:22):
knowledge of the case was severely restricted. However, the battle
between the media and the court continued as the issue
of pre trial publicity remained contentious. Despite the legal constraints,
the media coalition pressed on, attempting to challenge the gag
order even further. In June, a motion was filed to
loosen the restrictions, particularly for the victim's families who felt silenced.

(05:44):
Judge John C. Judge again I kink it Over, how
awesome of a name that is presiding over the case
at the time, ruled to keep the gag order largely intact,
emphasizing the importance of protecting the jury pools and partiality.
This ruling meant that much of the case remained hidden
from public view even as the court proceedings advanced toward trial.
One of the most critical pieces of evidence in the

(06:06):
case against Brian Coburger was the DNA found on the
leather sheath left at the crime scene. Forensic investigators were
able to link the DNA on the sheath to Coburger
through genetic genealogy, a cutting edge method that has been
increasingly used in criminal investigations. This technique allowed authorities to
trace Coburger's familial connections, ultimately leading them to his location

(06:29):
in Pennsylvania. The DNA match was the lynchpin that tied
Coburger to the murders, and the subsequent surveillance and investigations
sealed his fate as the prime suspect. The defense, however,
immediately challenged the DNA evidence in pre trial motions. Coburger's
attorneys argued that the use of genetic genealogy to identify
him was a violation of his constitutional rights, as this

(06:52):
method was essentially an invasive search without a warrant. They
also raised concerns about the integrity of the evidence, suggesting
that the DNA could have been planted or contaminated during
the investigation. This argument was vigorously contested by the prosecution,
which maintained that the evidence was legally obtained and was
directly linked to Coburger through a series of meticulously documented steps.

(07:14):
In January twenty twenty five, a multi day suppression hearing
was held where both sides presented expert testimony. Judge Stephen Hippler,
who took over the case after the venue was moved
to Idaho's Aida County, ruled that the DNA evidence would
be admissible. He determined that Coburger had no reasonable expectation
of privacy over the DNA left at the crime scene

(07:36):
and that the use of genetic genealogy was legal under
Idaho law. This ruling was a significant victory for the prosecution,
as the DNA evidence was one of the strongest links
connecting Coburger to the murders and the crime scene. The
defense continued to challenge the evidence and attempt to undermine
the prosecution's case. They sought to dismiss the indictment on

(07:56):
the grounds that the grand jury had been improperly instruct
This motion was quickly denied by Judge Judge, who noted
that Idaho law was clear on the standards foreign indictment.
The defense also filed several motions to limit the media
coverage of Coburger's case, arguing that the constant publicity was
prejudicing potential juries. However, the judge allowed cameras in the courtroom,

(08:18):
albeit with stricter controls to prevent further bias. As the
legal proceedings continued, the defense hinted at an alibi for
Brian Coberger, suggesting that they had evidence that he was
not at the crime scene at the time of the murders. However,
they did not specify what that evidence was. This raised
questions about the defense's strategy. Would they try and claim

(08:39):
that Coburger was innocent, or would they focus on creating
reasonable doubt by pointing to other potential suspects. The defense
also filed a motion to challenge the death penalty, arguing
that Coberger's constitutional rights had been violated during the investigation.
This motion was denied in late twenty twenty four, leaving
the death penalty as a possible outcome of Coburger were

(09:01):
to be convicted. Despite these setbacks, the defense's focus remained
on avoiding the death penalty. As the trial date grew
ever closer, Coburger's attorneys sought to delay the proceedings, and
by the fall of twenty twenty four, the trial was
postponed to the summer of twenty twenty five. This delay
gave both sides additional time to prepare for what was

(09:22):
still expected to be a lengthy and complex trial. In
a stunning turn of events, Brian Coburger pleaded guilty to

(09:44):
all charges in the Moscow student murders case, averting the
long anticipated trial. On July second, twenty twenty five, barely
a month before the scheduled trial date, Coburger appeared in
an Ada County courtroom and admitted to the killings as
part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. The deal, which
had been secretly in the works for several weeks, spared

(10:06):
him from a possible death sentence in exchange for his
guilty pleas to fore counts a first degree murder and
one count of burglary. The state of Idaho agreed not
to pursue the death penalty, instead recommending that Coburger received
multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole. Coburger, now
thirty years old, spoke in court to affirm his understanding

(10:27):
to the agreement. When Judge Hipler asked him, are you
pleading guilty because you are guilty? Coburger replied yes. He
went on to answer yes repeatedly as the judge read
each victim's name and asked if he had murdered that person.
Observers in the courtroom described an emotional scene. Family members
of the slain students sobbed as Coburger calmly acknowledged his

(10:48):
responsibility for each life that he took. The plea hearing
shed new light on the prosecution's case, as prosecutors outlined
for the record the evidence they would have presented at trial.
Some of that evvervidence had been known from prior affidavits,
but additional details began to emerge. Prosecutors stated that if
the case had gone to trial, they would have introduced

(11:09):
the DNA evidence linking Coburger to the k barred knife
sheath left next to Madison Mogan and Kaileygansolvus, including the
fact that Coburger had purchased the same model of knife
and sheath on Amazon prior to the murders. The murder
weapon itself was never recovered, but the sheath DNA was
as damning as any fingerprint. They would have shown surveillance

(11:29):
footage of Coburger's white Houndaelandra, making passes by the King
Road house that night, and presented cell phone tower data
indicating that Coburger's phone was in the vicinity of the
victim's home at around the time of the murders, as
well as evidence that the phone had been turned off
during the likely window of the crime, suggesting an attempt
to avoid detection. To support the DNA match, the state

(11:49):
had assembled what seemed to be a powerful, circumstantial case.
They had Coburger's car, his phone, and online activity pointing
toward his involvement, although no one could still speak to
an exact motive. Coburger's guilty plea was accompanied by a
brief statement of his own actions. In court, he admitted
that he entered the victim's residence at around four a m.
On November thirteenth, twenty twenty two, with the intent to kill.

(12:14):
This appears to be the extent of his confession. Notably,
the plea deal did not require Coburger to explain why
he committed the murders, and he offered no further insight
into his motives. Even in confessing, Coburger remained vague about
the most haunting question, what would drive a criminology student
with no known personal connection to these students to slaughter

(12:34):
them in cold blood? That question may never be fully answered,
as the plea agreement did not include a requirement for
a detailed confession beyond the basic acknowledgment of guilt. Under
the terms of the plea, Coburger faces a sentence of
four consecutive life terms, one for each victim, as well
as an additional fixed term for the burglary charge. He

(12:55):
will have no possibility of parole, effectively guaranteeing that he
will spend the rest of his day in prison, and
as part of the deal, Brian Cooeberger waived any right
to appeal his convictions or sentences. Judge Hipler carefully explained
in court that while the plea agreement sentencing recommendation is
for life in prison, the court is not formally bound
to follow it. Technically, the judge could impose a different sentence,

(13:18):
for example, making the life sentences concurrent or adding additional years. However,
Coburger cannot withdraw his plea or appeal if the judge
deviates so long as the death penalty is not imposed.
In practice, it is expected that the judge will honor
the agreement for consecutive life terms. Coburger affirmed on the
record that he understood those terms and that he had

(13:39):
not been coerced and was pleading guilty of his own
free will. The plea deal apparently came together quietly behind
the scenes. According to a letter later shared by one
victim's father, the defense approached prosecutors to request a deal,
and after negotiation, Coburger agreed to plead guilty and forego
any future appeals. Experts were surprised this state would settle

(14:02):
given the considerable evidence in their favor. One veteran capital
defense attorney told CBS News that she was mystified that
prosecutors agreed to take death off the table only a
month before trial, speculating that perhaps the state had some
concern or simply decided to spare the victim's families the
ordeal of a trial in decades of appeals. Prosecutor Bill

(14:23):
Thompson has not made a public statement due to the
gag order, but in court filings, the state acknowledged that
avoiding years of uncertainty in securing guaranteed life sentences for
the defendant could be seen as a just outcome. The
victim's families, who were consulted via the prosecutor's office, gave
their reluctant blessing to the deal, according to reports. Though
some family members clearly wanted to pursue the death penalty,

(14:46):
they also understood that accepting a plea would bring swift
and certain justice and spare them from reliving the grisome
details at trial and the likely appeals. Indeed, as one
legal commenter noted, they're getting a conviction right away and
the absolute guarantee of life behind bars without parole, potentially
saving the family's decades vannguish. With the guilty plea entered,

(15:09):
the focus now turns to the sentencing phase. Judge Hippler
scheduled a sentencing hearing for July twenty third, twenty twenty five,
in Ada County Court. That proceeding is expected to last
only one day. It will give the slain students' families
and loved ones an opportunity to deliver victim impact statements
in open court their first chance to directly address Brian

(15:30):
Coberger and the court about the pain and loss that
he caused. These statements could be very emotionally charged and
heart wrenching, as the parents and siblings of Madison, Cayley, Xana,
and Ethan describe who their loved ones were and how
their murders devastated so many lives. Coburger himself will be
offered a chance to speak if he so wishes, though

(15:50):
it is unclear if he will choose to say anything
beyond what he's already admitted. At the sentencing hearing, Judge
Hippler will formally impose the agreed upon punishment. Bar ring
any last minute surprises. Coburger will be sentenced to life
imprisonment without parole on each of the four murder counts,
to be served one after the other, plus a ten
year term for burglary. In effect, it is a sentence

(16:13):
of life behind bars with no possibility of release or reduction.
The chapter of legal proceedings will close with that sentence. Afterward,
Coburger will be transferred into the custody of the Idaho
Department of Corrections to begin serving as time, likely in
the maximum security wing of the Idaho State Correctional Institution
or another appropriate facility for a convicted quadruple murderer. And

(16:36):
because he waived his appeal rights, the case will not
drag on in the higher courts as many death penalty
cases do. There will be no appellate litigation or retrials,
barring some extraordinary development. This stands in contrast to what
would have been likely decades of appeals had he been
convicted at trial and sentenced to death. This swift resolution
brings relief in that sense. Still, some matters remain. In

(17:00):
the immediate aftermath of the plea, the media coalition has
urged the court to lift the long standing gag order,
arguing that with no trial pending, Coburger's rite to an
impartial jury is no longer at stake. As noted, Judge
Hipler kept the gag in place through sentencing at the
prosecution's request, but he has scheduled a hearing for July
seventeenth to consider the media's motion to vacate it. But

(17:23):
until the court rules otherwise, the cone of silence remains.
I'm sure we'll be discussing some of those hearings in
the weeks ahead. While certain facets of the story remain
unexplained or unresolved, we can at least rest assured that
the stories of the murdered University of Idaho's students will
soon be fully resolved. To many f