Bryan Kohberger, the man behind one of the nation's most horrifying college murders, is now claiming he shouldn't have confessed. He filed for post-conviction relief Monday in Ada County District Court, arguing that faulty legal counsel forced him into a guilty plea he says he never wanted.
Kohberger was convicted last year of breaking into a six-bedroom University of Idaho home in 2022 and stabbing four students to death. Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, all in their early 20s, were found with dozens of knife wounds. Goncalves also bore evidence of asphyxiation and blunt force trauma.
In a statement shared with the New York Times, Kohberger declared his sudden change of heart. "I hereby declare my intention to enter a not guilty plea, and welcome the State the opportunity to prove their case at trial," he wrote, adding that his "actual innocence is my truth" and that the original plea was "hinged on by false promises and blatant disinformation."
The former Washington State University doctoral student in criminal justice is now representing himself, according to court records.
Overturning guilty pleas in serious felony cases is uncommon, though legally possible if a defendant can demonstrate new evidence or prove their attorney was grossly negligent. Kohberger is currently serving four consecutive life sentences without parole, plus an additional decade for burglary related to the same incident.
The evidence against him was substantial. Police discovered DNA matching Kohberger on a knife sheath at the murder scene. Surveillance footage captured a white Hyundai Elantra matching his vehicle passing the house multiple times. His cell phone was powered off during the killings. Investigators arrested him in Pennsylvania in late December 2022, where he was staying at his father's home. Police recovered a pistol, two knives, black gloves, a black hat, and a black facemask from him and the family residence.
One survivor reported seeing a shadowy figure dressed entirely in black during the attack.
Kohberger's bid has drawn swift and fierce pushback. The Goncalves family released a statement describing him as a "narcissist" and comparing him to "the mosquito you just can't seem to swat." They pointed out that Kohberger never previously raised concerns about his legal representation during two years of case review and discovery. "He admitted his guilt," the family stated. "He chose not to leave his fate to a jury."
Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador said his office stands ready to defend the conviction. "My heart goes out to the families of Madison, Kaylee, Xana and Ethan, who have already endured unimaginable loss and now must face today's deeply painful news," he posted on social media.
No motive for the killings has ever been established or articulated by Kohberger himself.
Author James Rodriguez: "This is pure desperation dressed up as legal strategy, and the families shouldn't have to relive this nightmare because Kohberger suddenly regrets facing facts he already admitted to."
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