BOISE, Idaho, Aug. 13 (Meridian News Online) — Bryan Kohberger is seeking to withdraw his guilty plea to killing four University of Idaho students, a move that could reopen a criminal case that ended with life sentences instead of a trial and possible execution.
Kohberger’s handwritten petition was filed in an Idaho court, according to court documents reported by CNN. He is challenging his 2025 guilty plea to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary in the deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.
The petition does not itself cancel the plea or order a new trial. A judge must decide whether Kohberger has shown a legal basis to withdraw it.
What is Kohberger claiming?
Kohberger alleges that his plea was affected by threats, false promises, incorrect information and ineffective assistance from his defense team. He also claims his lawyers failed to disclose or review evidence that could have helped him.
Those claims are allegations in Kohberger’s filing. They have not been established by a court. The supplied reports do not show that a judge has ruled on the petition, scheduled a hearing or appointed new counsel.
In a statement provided to The New York Times and reported by CNN, Kohberger said his claim of innocence was his “truth” and that his plea was based on “false promises and blatant disinformation.”
Why does the death penalty matter?
Kohberger pleaded guilty under an agreement with Latah County prosecutors. The deal removed the possibility of the death penalty and called for four consecutive life sentences without parole for the murder counts, plus 10 years for burglary, according to reports based on the plea agreement and sentencing judgment.
The agreement also reportedly included a waiver of appeal rights and provisions for restitution.
If the plea were withdrawn and a new trial allowed, prosecutors and the court would have to determine what charges and penalties could legally be pursued. The Goncalves family believes prosecutors could seek the death penalty again. That is the family’s position, not a decision by prosecutors or a ruling by the court.
The family said it would welcome a trial. In a statement quoted by the BBC, the family said Kohberger had chosen not to leave “his fate – or the facts of the case – to a jury” when he pleaded guilty.
What happened in the case?
Goncalves, Mogen, Kernodle and Chapin were killed on Nov. 13, 2022, at an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, according to authorities and case records cited in the supplied reports.
Kohberger later faced four murder counts and a burglary count. His trial was canceled after he accepted the plea agreement in 2025. He was sentenced in July 2025 to the four life terms and the additional burglary sentence.
The case is an Idaho prosecution involving Latah County prosecutors. The supplied reports identify the sentencing judge as Judge Hippler but do not provide the full court name or case number.
How are Kaylee Goncalves’ parents responding?
Kristi and Steve Goncalves have continued to speak publicly about their daughter and the effect of her death on their family.
In an interview on the “Hang Out with Sean Hannity” podcast, Kristi Goncalves described starting each morning by wondering whether the grief would ever end. Steve Goncalves said she hoped to see Kaylee in her dreams, according to Fox News’ account of the interview.
The family has criticized Kohberger’s attempt to change his plea and has said it is confident he could face the death penalty if the case returns to trial. The family’s statements do not establish what prosecutors will seek or what the court will allow.
For now, the legal status is limited to a request: Kohberger is asking the court to reopen the case and let him withdraw his guilty plea. Until the court rules, his 2025 convictions and sentences remain in place.
