Bryan Kohberger Idaho murder trial postponed indefinitely

The murder trial of Bryan Kohberger, accused of killing four University of Idaho students in a grisly murder last year, has been postponed indefinitely.

The delay came about when the 28-year-old suspect waived his right to a speedy trial Wednesday, according to the Idaho Statesman. Kohberger had until Sept. 15 to make that decision. His capital murder hearing was slated to begin in October.

Kohberger was indicted in mid-May for breaking into a Moscow, Idaho home and fatally stabbing Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. None of the victims were older than 21. Not guilty pleas was made on Kohberger’s behalf a few days later.

The Goncalves family already expressed concern that their daughter’s alleged killer would drag out his hearing.

“We are afraid he is going to waive his rights to a speedy trial. If he does, trial will not be starting on Oct 2nd and it is very likely that it won’t take place for years,” the victims’ family wrote on Facebook Wednesday morning. “We want to get this trial over.”

There’s no known motive for the slaughter that took place early Nov. 13, 2022, after the victims returned home from a night out. Kohberger, a former criminal justice graduate student at nearby Washington State University, appeared to have no relationship with the quartet.

He was arrested while visiting his family in Pennsylvania in December during a school break. Evidence against him is said to include DNA from a knife sheath found at the crime scene and trash outside his parents’ home.

If convicted, Kohberger could be put to death. He has spent the past eight months in the Latah County Jail under the county courthouse, the Idaho Statesman reports.