Judge Rules Idaho College Murder Trial Venue Must Be Changed

The trial regarding the University of Idaho quadruple murder case will have a new venue, as ruled by Judge John Judge. This decision comes after the defense presented evidence suggesting that extensive media coverage could jeopardize the fairness of the trial in Latah County, where Moscow is located.

Judge John stated, “Considering the undisputed evidence presented by the defense, the extreme nature of the news coverage in this case, and the smaller population in Latah County, the defense has met the rather low standard of demonstrating a reasonable likelihood that prejudicial news coverage will compromise a fair trial in Latah County. Thus, the Court will grant Kohberger’s motion to change venue for presumed prejudice.”

While the new location for the trial has not yet been determined, the decision ultimately rests with Idaho’s highest court.

The suspect, Bryan Kohberger’s legal team, sought to move the trial to Boise, citing that the jury pool in Latah County had been compromised by prior publicity surrounding the case.

In their argument, the defense conducted surveys with residents of Latah County, revealing that the “pressure to convict” Kohberger was perceived as “so severe” that an impartial trial was unlikely. One survey respondent notably expressed a willingness to “burn the courthouse down” if Kohberger were not convicted. In contrast, residents in Boise reportedly exhibited much less intense emotional reactions, suggesting a more balanced perspective.

The prosecution, however, has argued that this case has drawn national and international attention, asserting that coverage in Boise would not mitigate any potential bias. They believe that moving the trial would not resolve the underlying issues stemming from the extensive media interest.

Families of the victims, particularly the relatives of Kaylee Goncalves, have expressed their disappointment with the decision to relocate the trial. They remarked, “As victims’ families, you are left to just watch like everyone else and really have little rights or say in the process, and at the same time, you are the most vested in the outcome. We have always felt that a fair and impartial jury could be found in Latah County and still believe that is where the trial deserves to be held to help the community heal.”

Moscow’s Mayor, Art Bettge, also voiced his opinion in August, asserting that if the trial remained in Latah County, he believed jurors would be capable of setting aside personal feelings and pre-existing knowledge to deliver a fair verdict based solely on courtroom evidence.

The trial is scheduled to start on June 2, 2025, and is expected to run until August 29, 2025. The judge confirmed that, regardless of any venue change, the trial dates would remain the same.

Kohberger is facing serious charges, including four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary, in connection with the fatal stabbings of four University of Idaho students in an off-campus residence on November 13, 2022. He was a criminology Ph.D. student at nearby Washington State University at the time of the incident.

A not guilty plea has been entered on Kohberger’s behalf, and if convicted, he could face the death penalty.