Judge cancels Bryan Kohberger's hearing at the last minute as victims' families are left in the dark

Judge Steven Hippler abruptly vacated Thursday's court hearing for Idaho quadruple murderer Bryan Kohberger with no public explanation and no replacement date set. The hearing was to decide whether Hippler himself should be disqualified from overseeing Kohberger's bid to withdraw his guilty plea. The Goncalves family told reporters they had not been informed of the cancellation or the reason behind it.

Kohberger, 31, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to stabbing students Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in 2022, avoiding the death penalty in exchange for four consecutive life sentences.

He later filed a handwritten motion claiming his lawyers misled him and withheld evidence, seeking a new judge and a retrial to contest his guilt.

Family lawyer Jason Goldman warned: 'This simply marks the start of a longer post-conviction relief process.'