Bryan Kohberger's guilty plea to the Idaho student killings and his bid to take it back

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

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Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

15% left · 71% center · 14% right of 142 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 31 stories.

Every storyoldest first

1. January 2025

   Jan 22– 23Judge to rule on DNA evidence in Idaho college murders case against suspect Bryan Kohberger23 articles · 7 independent sources

   0 left, 4 center, 2 right

2. February 2025

   Feb 20Judge denies Bryan Kohberger motions to exclude key DNA evidence from trial15 articles · 10 independent sources

   0 left, 5 center, 2 right
3. Feb 25New details emerge in the case against Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four UI students6 articles · 6 independent sources

   0 left, 4 center, 0 right
4. Feb 26Defense for Idaho quadruple murder suspect Bryan Kohberger may cite autism to try to strike death penalty option5 articles · 4 independent sources

   0 left, 4 center, 0 right

5. March 2025

   Mar 10– 13Prosecutors say Kohberger's defense will argue evidence was planted in Idaho student murders case17 articles · 12 independent sources

   1 left, 4 center, 2 right
6. Mar 20Bryan Kohberger selfie allegedly taken hours after Idaho college murders released11 articles · 7 independent sources

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7. April 2025

   Apr 9– 10Lawyers argue over rules for evidence in Idaho college murders trial29 articles · 18 independent sources

   1 left, 8 center, 0 right
8. Apr 25Judge maintains death penalty as possible punishment for Bryan Kohberger despite autism diagnosis20 articles · 15 independent sources

   1 left, 7 center, 3 right

9. May 2025

   May 7– 8Judge says Bryan Kohberger's family can attend upcoming trial in University of Idaho killings15 articles · 10 independent sources

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10. May 15Bryan Kohberger back in court for likely final pretrial hearing in Idaho college murders case8 articles · 5 independent sources

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11. May 21– 22Attorneys for Bryan Kohberger ask for trial delay, citing in part publicity around the case8 articles · 7 independent sources

    1 left, 3 center, 1 right

12. June 2025

    Jun 26– 27Idaho judge rejects Bryan Kohberger’s request to delay murder trial, present theories of ‘alternate perpetrators’6 articles · 6 independent sources

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13. Jun 30– Jul 3Bryan Kohberger admits to killing 4 Idaho students but motive remains unclear216 articles · 66 independent sources

    9 left, 48 center, 10 right

14. July 2025

    Jul 1A plea deal is set to keep Bryan Kohberger locked up for life. Families of the Idaho victims have a range of emotions9 articles · 4 independent sources

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15. Jul 3– 4Guilty plea by Kohberger doesn't end quest for more details in Idaho college student slayings6 articles · 6 independent sources

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16. Jul 17Idaho judge lifts gag order in Bryan Kohberger case ahead of sentencing in student killings19 articles · 18 independent sources

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17. Jul 21– 23From ‘you’re a joke’ to ‘I’ve forgiven you’: Families of Idaho murder victims address Bryan Kohberger at sentencing9 articles · 6 independent sources

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18. Jul 21– 26Newly released documents reveal Bryan Kohberger's disturbing behavior before Idaho murders93 articles · 32 independent sources

    6 left, 22 center, 5 right
19. Jul 22– 23Judge sentences Bryan Kohberger to life in prison for murdering four University of Idaho students60 articles · 30 independent sources

    5 left, 20 center, 1 right

20. August 2025

    Aug 2Convicted Idaho murderer Bryan Kohberger moved to solitary confinement, KTVB reports11 articles · 10 independent sources

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21. Aug 14– 15Idaho prison responds after Bryan Kohberger complains of taunting11 articles · 6 independent sources

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22. Aug 18– 19Kohberger’s sexist, creepy behavior alarmed university faculty and students before Idaho murders16 articles · 15 independent sources

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23. October 2025

    Oct 2Idaho judge bars the release of graphic photos from crime scene where Bryan Kohberger killed 416 articles · 10 independent sources

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24. July 2026

    Jul 27– 28New York Times: Kohberger says he wants to withdraw plea and face trial for murder of Idaho college students17 articles · 13 independent sources

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25. Jul 27– 29Bryan Kohberger seeks to withdraw guilty plea in deaths of Idaho students: report91 articles · 34 independent sources

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26. Jul 27Bryan Kohberger trying to challenge conviction in University of Idaho murders: Court documents20 articles · 10 independent sources

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27. Jul 27– 30Bryan Kohberger Now Says He’s Innocent—Can He Legally Take Back Guilty Plea? Attorney Weighs In20 articles · 16 independent sources

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28. Jul 27Kohberger petitions to withdraw guilty plea in Idaho student killings, NYT reports12 articles · 3 independent sources

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29. August 2026

    Aug 26– 29Judge schedules two court hearings next June in Bryan Kohberger’s petition to take back guilty plea47 articles · 26 independent sources

    1 left, 6 center, 3 right

30. September 2026

    Sep 17– 20Family of Kohberger wants to see him earn murder trial in new legal push3 articles · 3 independent sources

    0 left, 2 center, 1 right
31. Sep 22– 23Bryan Kohberger didn’t understand what he was doing when he pleaded guilty: unsealed memo2 articles · 2 independent sources

    0 left, 0 center, 1 right