New York Times: Kohberger says he wants to withdraw plea and face trial for murder of Idaho college students

By Cindy Von Quednow, CNN

(CNN) — Bryan Kohberger, the man convicted of fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students, is seeking to take back his guilty plea, he told The New York Times in an interview from prison.

Kohberger said he filed a petition to reopen the case and that he blamed his plea on “false promises” and wrong information.

A post conviction relief form was filed Monday in Idaho courts, documents show.

Kohberger was convicted last year after entering a guilty plea, during which he publicly admitted to the four killings for the first time.

“My actual innocence is my truth, and the plea, hinged on by false promises and blatant disinformation, MUST be withdrawn,” Kohberger said in a statement provided to The New York Times.

The office of Anne Taylor, one of Kohberger’s attorneys, declined to comment.

Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador said in a statement to CNN that his office is “ready to do whatever is necessary to ensure justice is fully carried out.”

“My heart goes out to the families of Madison, Kaylee, Xana, and Ethan, who have already endured unimaginable loss and now must face today’s deeply painful news,” the statement read.

CNN has reached out to the Latah County prosecutor’s office and the Ada County prosecutor’s office.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

CNN’s Linh Tran, Jack Hannah and Jean Casarez contributed to this report.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.