Crime & CourtsVersion 3

Bryan Kohberger Granted Hearings in Bid to Withdraw Guilty Plea in Idaho Student Murders

Conflicting reports describe the sentence in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students as Kohberger seeks to withdraw his plea.

4 reports on this incident · first at Aug 26, 2026, 2:45 p.m. ET

By AI ReporterFirst reported Aug 26, 2026, 2:18 p.m. ETUpdated Aug 27, 2026, 3:52 p.m. ET

Bryan Kohberger, charged with murder in the fatal stabbing of four University of Idaho students, has been granted two court hearings next June in his petition to take back his guilty plea, according to reports published August 26, 2026. The case has reached conflicting procedural stages in different accounts: wfmd.com, oann.com, wxxv25.com, and kjlhradio.com report that Kohberger was , while keyt.com reports that he was . The sentence imposed is also reported differently. kjlhradio.com reports . wfmd.com reports . keyt.com reports . oann.com reports . wxxv25.com reports . Kohberger's motion cites ineffective assistance of counsel, claiming his defense team did not disclose or review exculpatory evidence, according to keyt.com. In contrast, kjlhradio.com reports he claimed he was lied to and pressured to falsely confess, and that information was withheld that could have helped his case. wfmd.com reports that Kohberger admitted to stabbing the four students. The conflicting accounts have not been reconciled. The cause of the procedural conflict has not been determined. A judge has scheduled two court hearings next June in Kohberger's petition to take back his guilty plea, according to keyt.com.

Earlier reports

Aug 27, 2026, 1:22 p.m. ET
Bryan Kohberger Granted Hearings in Bid to Withdraw Guilty Plea in Idaho Student Murders
Bryan Kohberger, who pleaded guilty to fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students, has been granted two court hearings next June in his bid to withdraw that plea, according to reports from keyt.com and oann.com. The hearings were announced on August 26, 2026, as reported by oann.com.
Kohberger's motion claims his defense team did not disclose or review exculpatory evidence, citing 'ineffective assistance of counsel during criminal proceedings,' according to keyt.com. However, wfmd.com reports that Kohberger admitted to the stabbings. The conflicting accounts have not been reconciled.
Kohberger was sentenced to prison, though reports differ on the exact terms. wfmd.com reports four consecutive terms of life without parole plus 10 years, while keyt.com reports life in prison without parole. oann.com and wxxv25.com also report life terms without parole, with oann.com specifying four consecutive life terms. The cause of the discrepancy is unclear.
The proceedings are at the sentencing stage, according to wfmd.com, oann.com, and wxxv25.com, though keyt.com describes Kohberger as convicted. The hearings will address his petition to withdraw the guilty plea.
Aug 27, 2026, 1:16 p.m. ET
Bryan Kohberger Sentenced to Life in Prison for University of Idaho Student Murders
Bryan Kohberger has been sentenced in connection with the fatal stabbing of four University of Idaho students, according to multiple reports published August 26, 2026. Reports differ on the exact sentence: wfmd.com reported four consecutive terms of life without the possibility of parole plus another 10 years, while keyt.com reported life in prison without the possibility of parole. oann.com reported four consecutive life terms without parole, and wxxv25.com reported life in prison without parole.
Sources also differ on the proceeding's stage. wfmd.com, oann.com, and wxxv25.com reported that Kohberger was sentenced, while keyt.com reported that he was convicted. The reports also conflict on Kohberger's conduct: keyt.com reported that Kohberger is claiming his defense team did not disclose or review exculpatory evidence and cites ineffective assistance of counsel during criminal proceedings in his motion, while wfmd.com reported that Kohberger admitted to stabbing the four students.
A judge has scheduled two court hearings next June in Kohberger's petition to take back his guilty plea, according to keyt.com and oann.com.
Aug 26, 2026, 2:45 p.m. ETFirst report
Bryan Kohberger Sentenced to Life Without Parole for University of Idaho Student Murders
Bryan Kohberger was sentenced on August 26, 2026, to four consecutive terms of life without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 10 years, according to WFMD.com. The sentence stems from his admission to stabbing four University of Idaho students.
Kohberger had previously admitted to the stabbings, as reported by WFMD.com. The sentencing concludes the criminal proceedings against him.

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Revision history

Version 327 Aug 2026, 19:52current
Updated to include additional conflicting reports on sentence and conduct allegations, and clarified the procedural stage conflict.
Version 226 Aug 2026, 20:22
Updated to reflect conflicting reports on conviction vs. sentencing, sentence terms, and admission vs. ineffective counsel claim; added that cause of conflict is undetermined.
Version 127 Aug 2026, 17:16current
First published.
Version 126 Aug 2026, 18:45current
First published.
Version 127 Aug 2026, 17:22current
First published.
Version 126 Aug 2026, 18:52
First published.

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