(MOSCOW, Idaho) — Bryan Kohberger, the suspect accused of killing four Idaho college students in an early morning attack last year, chose to “stand silent” during his arraignment Monday.
Kohberger, 28, did not respond to the judge when asked for his plea and his lawyer specified he was “standing silent.” By not responding, the judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
A trial date was set for Oct. 2.
The prosecution has 60 days to file notice if they decide to pursue the death penalty.
Kohberger was indicted last week on charges that included four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary, according to the documents filed in Latah County District Court.
Prosecutors allege that Kohberger, a Ph.D. student at Washington State University’s department of criminal justice and criminology, broke into a house where six University of Idaho students were staying early on Nov. 13, 2022.
He is alleged to have killed Ethan Chapin, 20; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21. Two other students who were in the house at the time survived and were not treated as suspects.
In the months since the murders, prosecutors have laid out evidence that included Kohberger’s white Hyundai Elantra allegedly passing by the victims’ house several times prior to the murders, according to court documents.
FOLLOW THE PODCAST: “The King Road Killings: An Idaho Murder Mystery” from ABC News, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or your preferred podcast player.
The suspect’s cellphone had been on route to Moscow, but was turned off from 2:47 a.m. to 4:48 a.m., a timeframe during which the murders were committed, police said.
DNA matching Kohberger’s was found on a knife sheath left on one of the victim’s beds, officials said.
Kohberger, who is from Pennsylvania, drove across the country after the end of the semester. He was arrested on Dec. 30 at his parents’ home in the Pocono Mountains. He agreed to be extradited to Idaho in early January.
Monroe County Chief Public Defender Jason LaBar, who represented Kohberger in the extradition hearing, said in a statement at the time that his client “is eager to be exonerated of these charges and looks forward to resolving these matters as promptly as possible.”
ABC News’ Emily Shapiro, Mary Kekatos, Nadine El-Bawab, Aaron Katersky and Josh Margolin contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
