Defense attorneys for Bryan Kohberger want critical DNA evidence in the high-profile case thrown out, arguing that the way law enforcement used investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) to identify him as a suspect violated his constitutional rights.
The former PhD student, who recently turned 30, has been in custody for over two years after he was arrested for the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students at their off-campus house in November 2022. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
Ahead of his highly-anticipated trial later this summer, Kohberger returns to court in Boise this week for a public pre-trial hearing where Ada County Judge Steven Hippler will hear arguments before ruling on the use of genetic genealogy evidence in the case.
Bryan Kohberger was investigated in connection with a 2021 home invasion days after he was arrested for the 2022 murders of four Idaho college students (Getty Images)
Prosecutors allege DNA from a knife sheath found at the crime scene in Moscow matches Kohberger’s genetic profile, linking him to the murders.
But Kohberger’s defense team say the method of using investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) to zero in on him violated his constitutional rights. This process involves entering DNA profiles into public genetic genealogy databases to find relatives and to narrow the list of potential suspects.
Judge Hippler will issue a ruling at the pre-trial proceedings on Thursday and possibly into Friday. Both sides are also expected to discuss various other motions.
The proceedings will be closed to the public, but will be available to watch live on the Idaho 4th Judicial District Court’s YouTube page.
Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were found dead in a shared house (Instagram)
Hippler was appointed to oversee the trial, replacing Judge John Judge, when the trial moved from Latah County to Boise after the defense successfully argued that he would not have an impartial jury in the tight-knit community of Moscow because of the extensive media coverage potentially tainting the jury pool.
Kohberger has pleaded not guilty in the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20.
Hippler recently ruled that Kohberger can face the death penalty if convicted of the murders, despite his defense attorneys arguing that such a sentence would be unconstitutional.