Boise, Idaho — Bryan Kohberger, the man serving four consecutive life sentences for the 2022 stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students, has filed a petition to withdraw his guilty plea and reopen his case, alleging that his defense attorneys provided ineffective counsel and pressured him into a false confession.
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| Bryan Kohberger Files Petition to Withdraw Guilty Plea in Idaho Murders Case |
Kohberger, 31, filed a "petition for post-conviction relief" Monday in Ada County District Court, court records show. In the filing, he claims he was "convinced to falsely confess" to a crime he maintains he did not commit and that his lawyers "advised [him] to lie" in exchange for what they described as a "legal victory."
The stunning reversal comes one year after Kohberger pleaded guilty in July 2025 to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary, avoiding a high-profile trial that had been scheduled for August 2025. At the time, the plea deal spared him the death penalty but guaranteed he would spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole. He was sentenced to four consecutive life terms plus 10 years for the burglary charge.
In court documents obtained by NBC News, Kohberger wrote that he was led to believe "actual guilt was not an important factor in considering the plea acceptance" and that he entered a "false plea" based on "false promises and blatant disinformation." He is representing himself in the ongoing civil proceedings.
The petition echoes claims Kohberger made in a statement to The New York Times published Sunday night, marking his first public comments since sentencing. In the interview, conducted from prison, Kohberger asserted his innocence and dismissed the state's case against him as a "myopic narrative" and a "work of fiction."
"My actual innocence is my truth, and the plea, hinged on by false promises and blatant disinformation, MUST be withdrawn. Circumnavigated by a broken plea, the trial never provided the public the clarity conducive to closure, and justice shall remain abjectly miscarried unless that plea is withdrawn." — Bryan Kohberger
The Murders That Shocked a Nation
Kohberger was arrested in December 2022, more than a month after the brutal killings of Madison Mogen, 21; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20. The four students were stabbed to death in an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho, in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022. Most of the victims were asleep when they were attacked.
At the time of the murders, Kohberger was a doctoral student in criminology at nearby Washington State University in Pullman. Investigators linked him to the crime scene through DNA evidence found on a knife sheath left beneath one of the victims' bodies, as well as cell phone data and surveillance footage tracking his white Hyundai Elantra.
During his plea hearing in 2025, Kohberger told the judge that he broke into the home and killed the four students. However, he never provided a motive for the slayings, leaving that question unanswered and continuing to haunt the victims' families and the Moscow community.
Families and Officials React
The petition has drawn sharp reactions from both state officials and the victims' families.
Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador issued a statement Monday saying his office "stands ready to do whatever is necessary to ensure justice is fully carried out."
"My heart goes out to the families of Madison, Kaylee, Xana, and Ethan, who have already endured unimaginable loss and now must face today's deeply painful news," Labrador posted on X.
The Goncalves family, in a statement released through their attorney, expressed frustration and anger at both Kohberger and The New York Times for giving him a platform. They referred to him as "the mosquito you just can't seem to swat" and said the newspaper article "had little else to offer beyond a guilty man once again claiming he is innocent."
"He wants another chance to roll the dice. The defendant will get another day in court—a welcome break from solitary confinement: a ride, perhaps different food, photos taken, and the spotlight once again fixed on him and his supposed 'innocence'." — The Goncalves Family Statement
Legal Hurdles Ahead
Legal experts note that withdrawing a guilty plea after sentencing is exceptionally difficult. A petition for post-conviction relief is a civil action separate from the direct appeals process and typically requires demonstrating that constitutional rights were violated—most commonly through ineffective assistance of counsel, prosecutorial misconduct, or newly discovered evidence.
Prosecutors now have 30 days to respond to Kohberger's petition. The court will then determine whether to hold an evidentiary hearing on his claims.
Kohberger's defense attorneys, who negotiated the original plea deal, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday.
The case, which captivated the nation with its chilling details and the small-town setting of Moscow, Idaho, now appears headed for a new chapter—one that the victims' families had hoped was closed with the guilty plea and sentencing one year ago.
Timeline of Events
Nov. 13, 2022: Four U of I students are found stabbed to death in their off-campus home.
Dec. 30, 2022: Bryan Kohberger is arrested at his family home in Pennsylvania.
July 2025: Kohberger pleads guilty to four counts of first-degree murder to avoid the death penalty.
July 2026: Kohberger files a petition to withdraw his plea, citing ineffective counsel.
