A judge has approved Bryan Kohberger's request for a new attorney as he attempts to secure a new trial by filing for post-conviction relief, despite his previous guilty plea for the murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022.

Kohberger, 30, who admitted to stabbing Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin to death in November 2022 at an off-campus house in Moscow, Idaho, has now been appointed a new lawyer, Greg Rauch of Moscow, Idaho, to represent him in this petition.

Rauch told Fox News Digital that he has not yet read the petition or case file, nor spoken to Kohberger, who is incarcerated at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution. Rauch was appointed on Monday morning and plans to establish phone contact with Kohberger soon, followed by an in-person visit at the prison.

Legal analyst Mehek Cooke noted the high legal threshold for overturning a guilty plea, while the victims' families continue to grapple with the pain of the tragedy.

Kohberger's previous defense team included Anne Taylor, Elisa Massoth, and Bicka Barlow. Kohberger has alleged that his former attorneys did not inform him about certain details related to his case.

The murders of the four University of Idaho students shocked the community and led to a high-profile investigation, including forensic evidence tracking Kohberger's vehicle movements despite his phone being turned off during the crime.

Bryan Kohberger appeared at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, for his sentencing hearing on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.

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