Judge Keeps DNA in Idaho Murder Case

An Idaho judge delivered a big ruling this week that has folks talking. He decided to keep genetic evidence in the University of Idaho murder case. This came down Wednesday in Boise. Bryan Kohberger faces charges for killing four students in 2022. His defense tried to toss the DNA claiming it came from an illegal search. Judge Steven Hippler said no way. The decision keeps the prosecution on track for an August trial. Families of the victims are holding their breath as justice inches closer now.

Kohberger’s legal team argued hard in January. They said cops used a shady trick called Investigative Genetic Genealogy to nab him. That is where they match crime scene DNA to family trees online. Defense claimed it broke his rights with no warrant. Hippler disagreed flat out. He ruled the method was legit and fair. Prosecutors cheered this call. Posts on X lit up with relief from folks tired of delays. The judge said this evidence ties Kohberger to a knife sheath found at the bloody scene back then.

Rewind to November 13 2022. Four students got stabbed to death in a rental house near campus. Ethan Chapin Xana Kernodle Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves were the victims. It shook Moscow Idaho to its core. Cops hunted for months with no leads. Then DNA from that sheath pointed to Kohberger. He was a grad student nearby at Washington State. Arrest came fast in December 2022 at his folks’ place in Pennsylvania. Prosecutors say they have more like his car on camera. This DNA ruling locks in a key piece now.

The defense is not done fighting though. They wanted this genetic stuff gone to gut the case. Without it they say there is no link to Kohberger. Hippler’s 40-page order shot that down. He said cops followed the law digging through public DNA sites. It is a win for victims’ families who want answers. Posts on X show some cheering justice over fancy legal tricks. Others worry if this sets a precedent for snooping on folks’ genes. Either way the trial is set for August 11. That is when the real showdown starts soon.

This case has layers beyond the courtroom. Kohberger stayed quiet at his plea last year. The judge entered not guilty for him. Prosecutors want the death penalty if he loses. That ups the stakes big time. The genetic genealogy angle is newish too. It helped crack cold cases like the Golden State Killer. Critics say it could snag innocent folks by mistake. Here it pinned Kohberger after standard DNA checks flopped. Idaho law lets it fly. Families just want closure after over two years of pain today.

Conservatives see this as a law-and-order win. They argue crooks should not dodge justice on technicalities. Posts on X praise the judge for keeping evidence that nails a killer. Some fret about government overreach though. Illegal aliens clogging borders already stretch cops thin they say. If this DNA trick works it could catch more bad guys. Liberals push back hard. They call it a privacy grab that might hit regular folks next. Either side agrees the trial will test this tech’s limits real soon now.

What is next is clear. Defense can appeal but time is tight. Trial prep is rolling with jury picks in July. Prosecutors have tons of evidence beyond DNA like cell records and witnesses. Kohberger’s team needs a new angle fast. Victims’ loved ones plan to pack the courtroom come August. They have waited long enough. Posts on X demand no more stalling. Hippler’s call Wednesday keeps the heat on. By February 20 2025 this ruling stands firm. It is a step toward truth or a fight that is just warming up today.

This ruling shifts the game big time. Kohberger faces a tougher road now with DNA locked in. Families might finally see justice for their kids. Idaho stays in the spotlight as this plays out. The judge balanced rights and results here. Posts on X bet the trial will grip the nation. If guilty Kohberger could face execution. If not questions linger on who did it. Either way this DNA call holds for now. By summer we will know more. For today it is a win for the case that shook a small town to its bones back in 2022 alright.