Additional Coverage:
- Bryan Kohberger appointed new lawyer after Idaho murders case costs taxpayers over $8 million (foxnews.com)
Bryan Kohberger, whose defense in the University of Idaho quadruple homicide case has cost taxpayers over $8 million, has been granted a new court-appointed attorney as he attempts to withdraw his guilty plea in the stabbing deaths of four students.
On Wednesday, Ada County District Judge Steven Hippler approved Kohberger’s request for post-conviction counsel, instructing the Idaho State Public Defender’s Office to assign an attorney to represent him throughout all further legal proceedings.
This development follows Kohberger’s handwritten petition seeking to rescind the guilty plea he entered last year. That plea had resulted in prosecutors dropping the death penalty in exchange for his admission of guilt.
In his petition, Kohberger claims he was “convinced to falsely confess” and alleges that his previous defense team-Anne Taylor, Elisa Massoth, and Bicka Barlow-failed to disclose crucial “exculpatory discovery.” This refers to evidence highlighted in the recent book Broken Plea, which Kohberger contends was never reviewed in court. Notably, this contradicts Kohberger’s earlier statements that his plea was made knowingly and voluntarily, without coercion or promises beyond the plea agreement.
The petition has drawn sharp criticism from the victims’ families. Kristi Goncalves, mother of victim Kaylee Goncalves, expressed that her family is ready to return to court if the case is reopened.
Judge Hippler’s order clarifies that the motion for court-appointed counsel falls under Idaho’s post-conviction relief statute and notes that filing fees do not apply to such petitions. Kohberger had also requested to proceed with partial payment of court fees, but this was deemed unnecessary.
Kohberger pleaded guilty in July 2025 to the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. The four students were fatally stabbed in an off-campus Moscow, Idaho residence in November 2022. He was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.
An analysis by the Idaho Statesman revealed that the entire investigation, prosecution, and publicly funded defense have cost taxpayers more than $8 million. Kohberger’s defense alone accounted for nearly $5.5 million, with initial funding coming from Latah County and later by the state after taking over the case. Additional expenses include law enforcement, prosecution, university involvement, and incarceration costs.
Public records show that since the statewide public defender system assumed responsibility, Kohberger’s attorneys have been paid over $980,000. The financial impact of the upcoming post-conviction proceedings remains uncertain.
Investigators had noted Kohberger turned off his cellphone before the murders and reactivated it afterward. He also searched online for local police dispatch recordings following the killings. Though no victims’ DNA was found in his car, soil from a shovel inside matched dirt from the Moscow area, according to an FBI analyst.
At sentencing, Kohberger showed little emotion as family members and surviving roommates delivered moving impact statements. He received four life sentences without parole, closing a case that has deeply affected the University of Idaho community and the state.