Judge Rules Key DNA and Digital Evidence Admissible in Idaho Student Murders Case
In a major legal setback for the defense, the judge overseeing the high-profile case of Bryan Kohberger—the man accused of brutally murdering four Idaho college students in 2022—has denied a request to exclude crucial DNA and digital evidence from his upcoming capital murder trial.
Kohberger’s attorneys had pushed to suppress key DNA evidence, calling it the cornerstone of the prosecution’s case. They also sought to exclude data collected from his Apple, Google, and Amazon accounts, along with evidence obtained from his Washington apartment and his parents’ Pennsylvania home.
However, in a sweeping ruling on Wednesday, Judge Steven Hippler rejected these motions, clearing the way for prosecutors to present what they claim is damning forensic and digital evidence linking Kohberger to the crime scene.
Judge: No Violations of Kohberger’s Constitutional Rights
Judge Hippler ruled that law enforcement acted properly throughout the investigation, stating that there was no constitutional violation in how they gathered evidence.
“The Court finds suppression is not warranted on any of these issues,” Hippler wrote, effectively dismantling the defense’s arguments.
This decision bolsters the prosecution’s case, which alleges that in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022, Kohberger—then a criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University—broke into an off-campus home and fatally stabbed four University of Idaho students:
- Ethan Chapin, 20
- Madison Mogen, 21
- Xana Kernodle, 20
- Kaylee Goncalves, 21
After a six-week manhunt, investigators tracked Kohberger to his family’s home in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested on December 30, 2022. A grand jury later indicted him in May 2023 on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. At his arraignment, he remained silent, prompting the judge to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf.
With the trial set for August, Kohberger now faces the possibility of the death penalty if convicted.
Investigative Genetic Genealogy: The DNA Breakthrough
One of the most controversial aspects of the case is the use of investigative genetic genealogy (IGG)—a forensic technique that builds a suspect’s family tree using publicly available DNA databases.
The defense had argued that this violated Kohberger’s constitutional rights, but Judge Hippler disagreed, writing that his attorneys failed to prove any infringement of due process.
This ruling solidifies the prosecution’s ability to use cutting-edge DNA technology to establish a direct forensic link between Kohberger and the crime scene.
With the trial only months away, the stage is set for one of the most closely watched murder trials in recent years, where the prosecution will present their full case to a jury—DNA, digital footprints, and all.
