Judge Rules Key DNA Evidence Admissible in Bryan Kohberger Murder Trial

The decision allows prosecutors to present critical genetic and digital evidence in the case of the 2022 University of Idaho student killings.

Idaho Judge Steven Hippler denied defense motions to suppress DNA evidence and other materials in Bryan Kohberger's murder trial.
The DNA evidence, found on a knife sheath at the crime scene, was linked to Kohberger through investigative genetic genealogy and confirmed via a cheek swab.
The defense argued that law enforcement violated Kohberger's constitutional rights during the investigation, but the judge ruled no such violations occurred.
Additional evidence, including digital records from Apple, Google, and Amazon, as well as cellphone data and surveillance footage, was also deemed admissible.
Kohberger, charged with killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, faces a trial starting in August 2025, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty.