Judge denies request to suppress key evidence in Idaho college murder trial

A judge on Wednesday denied Bryan Kohberger's requests to suppress key evidence in his upcoming murder trial in the deaths of four Idaho college students.

Kohberger has been accused of murdering four University of Idaho students in November of 2022. The allegations come after students Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were found stabbed to death in an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho. He has pleaded not guilty to the crimes. 

Kohberger's defense team attempted to get two DNA samples from unidentified males at the home thrown out, because the samples came from different people and did not match their client, according to Fox News.

Defense attorney Anne Taylor argued at a hearing last month that the DNA not matching Kohberger could mean her client had nothing to do with the crime. Kohberger was studying for a doctorate in criminology and criminal justice at a nearby university at the time of the murders.

Ada County Judge Steven Hippler appeared skeptical that the presence of other people's DNA at the crime scene was reasonable doubt that Kohberger did not commit the crime, especially because his DNA was allegedly found on a Ka-Bar knife sheath under Mogen's body.

"His DNA is still on the knife sheath, though," Hippler told Taylor. "That's the problem, counsel."

The ruling comes as Kohberger's team prepares for the trial this August, years after the murders took place. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.