Bryan Kohberger has named an alternate suspect who he claims is the real killer of four University of Idaho students, in a bombshell move just weeks before he goes on trial for his life.
The quadruple homicide suspect returned to a courtroom in Ada County, Idaho, Thursday morning where Judge Steven Hippler is expected to make a series of last-ditch decisions that will shape his looming capital murder trial this summer.
In an 11th-hour move to save him from the firing squad, the 30-year-old suspected killer’s defense took the explosive step of pointing the finger at another suspect.
Who this suspect is and what evidence the defense has that could tie them to the brutal murders remains a mystery.
The judge ordered that the defense filing remains under seal, keeping it cloaked in secrecy until trial.
The defense for the criminology PhD student has previously revealed their plans to argue he was framed and that two killers must have committed the shocking crime.
Judge Hippler gave Kohberger’s defense a deadline of May 23 to hand him ‘whatever actual evidence you have that supports those allegations other than just allegations.’
He also ordered the defense to ‘provide for me how it is you believe that what you’re offering is admissible’ at trial.
The state will then have until June 6 to respond to the defense claims, before the two sides battle it out in a hearing later in the month. The judge will then rule whether or not the jury can hear about this alternate suspect at trial.
The explosive move from Kohberger’s team comes less than a week after bombshell new details emerged in the case, including his phone calls to a family member after the murders, his chilling porn choices and disturbing online searches about serial killer Ted Bundy.
Kohberger is facing the death penalty if convicted of the brutal murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.
