Idaho student murders suspect Bryan Kohberger returns to court for hearing on scheduling, trial date

Bryan Kohberger, the 29-year-old former criminology Ph.D. student accused of killing four University of Idaho students, is one step closer to trial after a scheduling hearing Thursday, more than a year after the 2022 massacre and 13 months after Kohberger's arraignment.

Attorneys were instructed to prepare to address several other scheduling issues, including setting a time for the defense to challenge the death penalty and pre-trial deadlines. Kohberger appeared wearing a suit and tie and did not speak in the hearing, which wrapped up in under 20 minutes.

Judge John Judge appeared ready to move things forward.

"We’re getting to a point of diminishing returns," he said.

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Both sides were amicable to a trial date next summer, when the high school across the street is out of session. 

Kohberger was studying at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, at the time of the murders. The school is just a 10-mile drive across the state line from the crime scene.

A 4 a.m. home invasion stabbing left four undergrads dead on Nov. 13, 2022 – Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20.

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Police found a Ka-Bar knife sheath under Mogen's body that allegedly had Kohberger's DNA on the snap. 

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According to court documents, investigators also tracked Kohberger's Hyundai Elantra on a meandering route around the area to and from the crime scene.

The trial has already been postponed for more than a year as defense attorneys accuse the prosecution of slow-walking the disclosure of evidence through discovery.

Investigators said cellphone pings placed Kohberger near the house the day of the murders, but defense lawyers have argued that he was nowhere near the house where the killings happened and was instead driving around the steep mountain roads in the dark, as he often liked to "see the moon and stars."

Kohberger faces four charges of first-degree murder and a felony urglary count.

If he is convicted, he could face the death penalty.

He's due back in court in August for a hearing on his defense team's motion to change venue.

Fox News' Louis Casiano contributed to this report.