Bryan Kohberger 'Silent' When Asked For Plea In Idaho Killings: Report

IDAHO — Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students in an off-campus house in November, stood silent in court when asked for his plea before a judge entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf Monday afternoon, NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin, who was in the courtroom for the arraignment, wrote in a tweet.

The prosecution now has 60 days to seek the death penalty, and Kohberger's trial—which his attorney said will likely take at least four weeks—has been set for the morning of Oct. 2, according to Entin.

Kohberger, 28, was indicted by an Idaho grand jury on murder charges Wednesday. As a result of his indictment, there will not be a preliminary hearing that would have required the state to present evidence before a judge and permit the defense to cross-examine witnesses before the charges were able to move forward, according to NBC News.

Kohberger was arrested on Dec. 30 on a fugitive from justice warrant at his parents' home in Stroudsburg nearly seven weeks after the students — Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee GonCalves, 21 — were found slain.

He is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and burglary in connection with the stabbing deaths in Moscow, Idaho. Autopsies showed all four students were likely asleep when they were attacked on Nov. 13. Some had defensive wounds and each was stabbed multiple times.

A motive for the killings is still unclear, but a slew of details, including descriptions of events on the night of the murders from surviving roommates of the victims, were revealed after Kohberger arrived in Idaho on Jan. 4, prompting the probable cause affidavit to be unsealed.

In their search of Kohberger's apartment in Washington State—where he was a doctoral student at Washington State University—investigators seized stained bedding, strands of what looked like hair, and a single glove, but no weapon, according to documents released in January.

According to a search warrant that allowed Pennsylvania law enforcement officers to search Kohberger's parents' Pennsylvania home—where he was arrested—officials swabbed Kohberger's DNA and seized a silver flashlight, four "medical-style gloves," a white Arizona Jean Co. T-shirt, a black Champion sweatshirt, a pair of black-and-white size 13 Nike shoes, black Under Armour socks, black Under Armour shorts and black Under Armour boxers. The search warrant was posted in full by WNEP.