Updated

Updated · Fox News · Oct 16

Kohberger Lawyer Seeks Judge’s Removal in 4-Murder Case Over “Worst of the Worst” Remarks

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Oct 16

Kohberger Lawyer Seeks Judge’s Removal in 4-Murder Case Over “Worst of the Worst” Remarks

Q: What explosive new evidence involving hair found at the crime scene is fueling Kohberger's desperate bid to undo his plea?

The key evidence is unidentified hair recovered from Ethan Chapin’s hand at the crime scene. Court filings and subsequent reporting say investigators found both light- and dark-colored hairs, and DNA testing excluded Kohberger as the source of at least one of them, while the owner of the hair was never identified. That unresolved hair evidence is now central to Kohberger’s effort to undo his guilty plea. He argues his lawyers failed to fully investigate or explain potentially exculpatory material before advising him to plead guilty, and that the plea was therefore not knowing and voluntary. Reporting tied to his filing also references claims about additional hair found in blood on a bed frame near Chapin. The evidence is being portrayed by some commentators as potentially significant because it could suggest another person was involved or present during the killings. But that remains speculative. Public reporting does not show that the hair has been linked to an alternate suspect, and other explanations are possible, including transfer from another victim or innocent contamination. Prosecutors are expected to counter that this does not outweigh the broader case against Kohberger, which included DNA on the knife sheath, cellphone data, surveillance footage and other forensic evidence. Legal experts quoted in coverage say the hair issue may be one of the few avenues available to challenge the plea, but they also describe the bid to withdraw it as a long shot.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 16

Greg Rauch, Bryan Kohberger’s court-appointed lawyer, filed a new 12-page reply pressing to disqualify Judge Steven Hippler from post-conviction proceedings tied to Kohberger’s bid to undo his guilty plea.
Rauch argues Hippler’s sentencing comments — calling Kohberger a “faceless coward,” saying he “slithered” into the home and questioning his capacity for truthfulness — could lead a reasonable observer to doubt the judge’s impartiality.
Latah County prosecutors urged the court to reject the effort, saying the defense is on a “fishing expedition” and that Hippler’s remarks after Kohberger admitted killing four University of Idaho students do not show bias.
The dispute comes as Kohberger challenges the plea deal that spared him the death penalty; Rauch has until Jan. 13, 2027 to file a fuller post-conviction petition.
A hearing on the recusal issue had been set for Thursday but Hippler canceled it abruptly and said it would be rescheduled.