Bryan Kohberger, convicted of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, has been assigned a new attorney as he seeks post-conviction relief—a legal step that could allow him to withdraw his guilty plea and potentially face a new trial. On Monday (August 3), Judge Steven Hippler appointed Greg Rauch, a private defense lawyer from Moscow, Idaho, to represent Kohberger after the Idaho State Public Defender’s Office cited a conflict of interest due to its role in Kohberger’s original case. Rauch was brought in through the office’s Alternate Counsel Division, a common practice when such conflicts arise.
Kohberger, now 31, is serving four consecutive life sentences plus ten years for burglary, after pleading guilty in July 2025 to the murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. The killings took place at an off-campus house near the University of Idaho campus in Moscow, Idaho. Kohberger’s plea deal required him to waive his right to appeal, but it does not prevent him from filing for post-conviction relief, which can challenge the effectiveness of his previous legal representation or other aspects of his conviction.
In a handwritten petition filed on July 27, 2026, Kohberger alleges that his prior defense team coerced him into a false confession and withheld potentially favorable evidence, such as untested hair found at the crime scene that was not matched to him. He claims he was told to lie as part of a legal strategy and that actual guilt was not considered important in accepting the plea deal. Rauch said he has not yet reviewed the case file or spoken with Kohberger but plans to do so soon.
If Kohberger’s petition is successful and he is allowed to withdraw his plea, the case could return to trial. Prosecutors would have the option to pursue the death penalty, which was previously taken off the table as part of the plea agreement. Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador has stated that his office is prepared to ensure that justice is carried out in the case.
Kohberger remains incarcerated at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution in Kuna, about 300 miles south of Moscow. The next steps in the case will depend on Rauch’s review of the petition and subsequent court decisions.
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