Convicted Idaho Murderer Seeks to Withdraw Guilty Plea
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Convicted Idaho Murderer Seeks to Withdraw Guilty Plea
- Bryan Kohberger, who pleaded guilty in July 2025 to the murders of four University of Idaho students, filed a petition in late July 2026 to withdraw his plea, asserting his "actual innocence."
- Kohberger, sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without parole, claims his guilty plea was a result of coercion, disinformation, and false promises.
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Bryan Kohberger, convicted in the November 2022 murders of University of Idaho students Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, is now seeking to retract his guilty plea. In July 2025, Kohberger pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary, an agreement that spared him the death penalty. He subsequently received four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 10 years for burglary.
However, in a statement released on July 26, 2026, Kohberger asserted his “actual innocence” and declared his intention to withdraw his guilty plea, alleging it was “hinged on false promises and blatant disinformation.” He stated he welcomes a full trial and is prepared to face the death penalty again. Kohberger, who was a PhD student in criminology at Washington State University at the time of the murders, claims his plea was coerced and that exculpatory evidence, such as “clumps of unknown hair found in Ethan Chapin’s hands,” was withheld.
Legal experts indicate that overturning a guilty plea after sentencing is uncommon, generally requiring substantial proof of coercion, fraud, or significant errors that corrupted the plea process. Kohberger is currently representing himself in this post-conviction relief petition.
Separately, throughout the legal proceedings, Kohberger has garnered a notable following of female admirers. These individuals have expressed support, sent him fan mail, and even contributed money to his commissary account. Social media groups dedicated to Kohberger have emerged, with some members identifying as hybristophiliacs, a term describing individuals attracted to those who commit crimes.