Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger had his trial delayed again after no date was set at a hearing held Wednesday afternoon.
Judge John Judge heard arguments about trial scheduling – as well as the defense’s request for a change of venue but no official decision was made. They set a date for another hearing May 14 to determine the location.
Kohberger, 29, is charged with four counts of murder in the deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves at a rental home near the university campus in Moscow, Idaho, last year.
Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty for the former criminal justice student at Washington State University, if he is convicted.
A trial date has not yet been set after Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial.
Kohberger is pictured right in court on Wednesday. Judge John Judge is hearing arguments about trial scheduling – as well as the defense’s request for a change of venue
Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger is seen in May 2023
Prosecutors pushed for a trial date this summer. But the alleged killer’s public defender Anne Taylor told the judge that a trial date of Summer 2025 was realistic.
The judge previously decided to ‘percolate’ on when to set the date, apologizing to the families of victims for the delay but saying he wanted to ensure the trial only takes place ‘once’, with no room for retrials.
‘My heart goes out to the victims. I can’t even imagine the pain and the grief because they can’t really go forward with this hanging on their head, so I’m sorry,’ he said.
Kohberger was arrested in December 2022 after police matched a DNA sample left at the scene to his father.
They were alerted to him by his car – a white Hyundai Elantra, similar to one seen in the area on the night of the murders.
He denies the killings but is yet to make any public statement himself.