Legal/Law/Criminal Justice and Reform

Convicted Idaho University Killer Changes His Tune On Guilty Plea

A jail cell (Sara via Flickr)

A man who pleaded guilty in 2025 of murdering four University of Idaho students is now claiming his coercion was coerced and is seeking a trial to prove his alleged innocence.

Bryan Kohberger, a criminology student serving four life sentences for the 2022 murders, told The New York Times on Sunday that he filed a petition to challenge the conviction and verdict, referencing purported issues with how the plea deal came together.

“My actual innocence is my truth, and the plea, hinged on by false promises and blatant disinformation, MUST be withdrawn,” Kohberger told The New York Times on Sunday night.

The prosecutor’s office and Kohberger’s defense attorney did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

Kohberger claimed that he was “absolutely” innocent in a phone call to the Times.

Post-conviction challenges are rare and typically derive from new evidence or poor counsel, according to the outlet.

In June 2025, Kohberger pleaded guilty on all counts for the 2022 murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

Documents surfaced at the time showing Goncalves’ face disfigured until it was unrecognizable and responding officers characterized on the murder scene as a “bloodbath.”

“The mosquito you just can’t seem to swat. That is what Kohberger and his following have become to this family,” a post from the Goncalves family’s Facebook page read Monday, following the news that the convicted murder is withdrawing his guilty plea. “We read Mr. Baker’s story and he must be so proud of himself for speaking with Mr. Kohberger because the story didn’t have much else in it, other than a guilty man claiming he is innocent once again.”

“Nothing in the story or in Kohbergers statement does he allude to the fact the he did not ‘knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently’ admit to murdering the 4 victims of this tragedy. Kaylee, Maddie, Xana and Ethan,” the family continued.

The family said they are “100% ready” for a trial because they are confident that Kohberger would be found guilty and sentenced to death. Capital punishment is legal in Idaho.

“An actual trial this time? Let’s go! We are confident he will get the death penalty that he escaped by pleading guilty the first time around. Moving on lol. Just an absolute waste of time and taxpayers money. It’s a disgrace,” the Facebook statement concluded.