University of Idaho Murders: Case Updates | MURDERISH Ep. 218

As if the families of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves, and Maddie Mogen haven’t been through enough, the killer has forced his way back into the headlines. From a segregated cell south of Boise, where he’s serving four life sentences, Bryan Kohberger has launched a long-shot petition to vacate his guilty plea, alleging ineffective counsel, undisclosed evidence and a botched deal. In a handwritten motion provided to the New York Times in late July, the convicted murderer said he wants the state to prove its case at trial, even if it means facing the death penalty, an outcome taken off the table as part of his plea agreement. Even though Kohberger has been granted an evidentiary hearing scheduled for June 2027, legal experts say the motion has almost no chance of succeeding. The one-time PhD student proclaimed aloud in an Ada County Courthouse in July 2025 that he was responsible for the deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves, and Maddie Mogen. The four college friends were murdered the morning of July 13th, 2022, inside a home they shared just off campus. While the victims’ families await a judge’s decision on Kohberger’s motion, they remain embroiled in a lawsuit against WSU. The complaint alleges the quadruple homicide was “foreseeable and preventable,” and that the university’s inaction, administrative failures and refusal to enforce campus safety protocols allowed Kohberger’s escalating, predatory behavior to continue unchecked. Follow Jami @JamiOnAir on Instagram and TikTok. Subscribe to Jami’s YouTube channel @JamiOnAir: https://www.youtube.com/@jamionair Sponsors Quince: Visit quince.com/jami - get free shipping and 365 day returns. Aramore: Visit aramoreskincare.com and use code MURDERISH for 20% off your first order. Whatnot: Download Whatnot today and get $20 off your first purchase. Bravo’s Most Wanted - listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bravos-most-wanted-with-jami-rice-and-katie-ginella/id1896791981 Dirty Money Moves: Women in White Collar Crime - Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dirty-money-moves-women-in-white-collar-crime/id1619521092. Research and writing by: K. Brant. Want to advertise on this show? We’ve partnered with Cloud10 Media to handle our advertising requests. If you’re interested in advertising on MURDERISH, please send an email to Sahiba Krieger sahiba@cloud10.fm and copy jami@murderish.com. Visit Murderish.com to learn more about the podcast and Creator/Host, Jami, and to view a list of sources for this episode. Listening to this podcast doesn’t make you a murderer, it just means you’re murder..ish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices