The courtroom was stunned when Bryan Kohberger’s defense team suggested that someone else may be responsible for the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students. Kohberger, a 30-year-old former criminology student, has pleaded not guilty to the 2022 stabbing deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves, and Madison Mogen.
During a recent hearing, Kohberger’s attorney argued that “alternate perpetrators” could be to blame. The judge immediately sealed the filing, questioning whether the defense had solid evidence to support their claims. “Provide me with whatever actual evidence you have,” Judge Steven Hippler stated, giving the defense until May 23 to submit proof. Legal experts noted that while alternate suspect theories can be valid, they must be backed by facts—not just speculation.
The case against Kohberger includes surveillance footage of a white Hyundai Elantra near the crime scene, cellphone data placing him in the area, and DNA allegedly matching a knife sheath found at the victims’ home. Prosecutors also revealed that Kohberger’s Amazon account shows he purchased a Ka-Bar knife and sheath similar to the one recovered.
As the trial moves forward, it will be live-streamed—though testimony from surviving roommates will remain private. The defense’s latest move has added another layer of intrigue to a case that has already gripped the nation.
