Who is Bryan Kohberger? What Trump requests of the judge in the Idaho college murder case
4 University of Idaho students were stabbed to death in November 2022. Bryan Kohberger will be sentenced for the murders in July 2025.
- President Donald Trump has called for Bryan Kohberger to explain his motive in the Idaho student murders case before sentencing.
- Kohberger pleaded guilty to the murders and is expected to serve life in prison.
- The sentencing hearing begins July 23, 2025, and Kohberger is not required to explain his motive as part of his deal.
President Donald Trump has asked the judge overseeing the Idaho college murders case to require defendant Bryan Kohberger to explain his actions.
Kohberger pleaded guilty July 2 to the murders of four University of Idaho students who were found stabbed to death in November 2022. The sentencing hearing will begin Wednesday, July 23, and he is expected to serve life in prison after taking a plea deal to avoid the death penalty. But the deal does not require Kohberger to explain his motive.
"These were vicious murders, with so many questions left unanswered," Trump wrote July 21 on Truth Social. "While Life Imprisonment is tough, it’s certainly better than receiving the Death Penalty but, before Sentencing, I hope the Judge makes Kohberger, at a minimum, explain why he did these horrible murders. There are no explanations, there is no NOTHING."
At the time of the Idaho college murders, Trump was preparing to announce his re-election bid for the White House. Trump has been previously quiet about this case, but has often put pressure on the judiciary since taking office again in what many are calling a constitutional crisis.
Before Trump's post, the judge presiding over the case said the court was receiving phone calls to try to influence his decision in the case, according to The Spokesman-Review. The outlet reported he called it "highly inappropriate."
Here is what to know about the case:
Who is Bryan Kohberger?
Bryan Kohberger is the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students who were found stabbed to death in a rental house near campus on Nov. 13, 2022.
Kohberger, 30, pleaded guilty July 2, 2025, to the murders of Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, as part of an agreement to avoid the death penalty. The murders rocked the quiet college town of Moscow and set off a weekslong manhunt.
Kohberger, who was studying criminal justice at nearby Washington State University at the time, was arrested in Pennsylvania, where his family lives.
Kohberger will be handed four consecutive life sentences for the murders, plus 10 years for burglary, according to his plea deal.
When is Bryan Kohberger's sentencing?
Kohberger's sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday, July 23, at 9 a.m. local time. The hearing "is expected to last the day," with multiple breaks scheduled throughout, the court said.
Judge Steven Hippler said the hearing may stretch into a second day. Families of the victims will be allowed to make statements about the impact of the crimes before the sentence is given. Kohberger will be allowed to make a statement, too, but he is not required to do so.
The public will be able to watch Kohberger's sentencing in person at the Ada County Courthouse and via livestream, according to the court's website.
Trump wants Kohberger to explain his motive. What do we know about it?
Kohberger's plea agreement does not require him to explain his motive. His attorney, Anne Taylor, previously said in a statement to Paste BN that his defense team will not make any comments or provide any information, even after the sentencing.
But Hippler recently lifted a long-standing gag order, paving the way for prosecutors, police and others connected to the case to speak out. Hippler also said he plans to review sealed documents in the high-profile case to determine whether they should be made public.
Moscow Police Chief Anthony Dahlinger told ABC News his department also plans to release more information about the case. But when asked if investigators were able to determine a clear motive, he said he couldn't answer.
Contributing: Zac Anderson, Jeanine Santucci, Christopher Cann and Michael Loria, Paste BN
Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the Paste BN Network. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.