Bryan Kohberger will be tried in Boise for the murder of four University of Idaho students after a judge agreed change venues.
The accused killer, 29, was first expected to face a jury in Moscow, where the murders took place.
But a judge approved his team’s request to move the trial, which will now take place at the Ada County Courthouse in the state’s capital.
Kohberger will now be transferred from Moscow to the the Ada County Jail.
Idaho’s Supreme Court revealed the new location on Thursday and also assigned a new judge to the case.
Bryan Kohberger will be tried in Boise for the murder of four University of Idaho students after a judge agreed to move venues
A judge approved his team’s request to move the trial , which will now take place at the Ada County Courthouse in the state’s capital
District Judge Steven Hippler will oversee the trial, which is scheduled for June 2.
The quadruple murder trial is expected to last until August 29, 2025.
Kohberger, a former criminal justice student at Washington State University faces four counts of murder in the deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves.
In his decision agreeing to move the trial’s venue Judge John C. Judge said ‘The Latah County courthouse itself poses significant issues for a trial of this length and magnitude.’
He also cited ‘extensive negative publicity surrounding Kohberger.’
Idaho police said the four University of Idaho students were murdered in their sleep between 3am and 4am (Pictured: Victims Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Maddie Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and 20-year-old Ethan Chapin)
Kohberger’s defense team sought the change of venue, saying strong emotions in the close-knit community and constant news coverage will make it impossible to find an impartial jury in the small university town where the killings occurred.
Prosecutors argued that any problems with potential bias could be resolved by simply calling a larger pool of potential jurors and questioning them carefully.
The Goncalves family had expressed their wish that the trial remained in Moscow.
Reacting to the decision on Monday, they told NewsNation’s Brian Entin they are ‘incredibly disappointed’ by the change of venue – and slammed Judge Judge in their statement.
‘The only good thing about this decision is it will be Judge Judge’s last decision in this case. The family has always felt that judge Judge favors the defense and it was a common theme that whatever the defense wanted or needed they got,’ the family said.