Bryan Kohberger, convicted in the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, faced an abrupt cancellation of three court hearings this week, including a Thursday hearing where his defense sought to remove the presiding judge. The hearings were vacated by Judge Steven Hippler on Tuesday, with no public explanation provided for the decision.
Kohberger’s defense team, led by attorney Greg Rauch, had filed a motion to disqualify Judge Hippler, citing concerns over potential bias. The motion referenced past comments by the judge, including remarks made at sentencing that labeled Kohberger a ‘faceless coward.’ Prosecutors opposed the disqualification effort, arguing Judge Hippler had handled the case appropriately. The defense’s request and prosecutors’ response were scheduled for Thursday’s hearing, which was canceled along with two other hearings set for June 2027.
An amended scheduling order issued by Judge Hippler on Tuesday replaced the vacated hearings but has not been made public. The families of the victims, including Kaylee Goncalves’ relatives, stated they were not informed of the cancellations or the reasons behind them as of Tuesday evening. Requests for comment from the court, prosecution, and defense teams went unanswered.
Kohberger, a former criminology PhD student, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to avoid the death penalty in exchange for a life sentence. In June 2026, his defense filed a motion to withdraw the plea, alleging ineffective counsel and claiming Kohberger was misled during the plea process. His family’s attorney, Jason Goldman, stated the cancellations were merely the ‘start of a longer post-conviction relief process.’
The vacated hearings included a status conference and an evidentiary hearing, both initially scheduled for Thursday. The defense’s motion to disqualify Judge Hippler centered on concerns about his impartiality, while prosecutors argued the judge’s prior rulings did not demonstrate bias. The amended order is expected to outline new deadlines and proceedings, though its contents remain undisclosed.
The case stems from the November 13, 2022, stabbing deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin in an off-campus residence in Moscow, Idaho. Kohberger was arrested on December 30, 2022, and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. His sentencing in July 2025 followed the plea agreement, which spared him the death penalty.