Bryan Kohberger returns to court for Idaho murders hearing with ‘surprise witness’: Live updates

Bryan Kohberger returned to court this week for a hearing where his defense team questioned a Moscow Police Department detective over the handling of phone records, part of their motion to compel the prosecution to turn over additional evidence in the case.

They’re seeking material including dashcam footage related to the search warrant at Mr Kohberger’s Pennsylvania home and lab testing results.

The 29-year-old criminology PhD student is currently awaiting trial for the murders of University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, who were killed on November 13, 2022, at their off-campus house in Moscow, Idaho.

Police linked Mr Kohberger to the murders that rocked the town of Moscow through DNA evidence, cellphone data, an eyewitness account and his white Hyundai Elantra.

However, his attorneys have tried to argue that the DNA may have been planted and that the state has not handed all the evidence for the defense to review.

Earlier this year, his attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the murder charges against him, citing a biased grand jury, inadmissible evidence and prosecutorial misconduct. But Judge John Judge denied the motion.

A trial date has not been set.