West
New Idaho judge in Bryan Kohberger trial no stranger to brutal murder cases
Bryan Kohberger, the 29-year-old criminologist accused of a quadruple home invasion murder, will soon get a change of scenery after more than 18 months behind bars in the Latah County Jail in Moscow, Idaho.
In a one-page order signed by Idaho’s Chief Justice Richard Bevan, the state’s high court chose Ada County for Kohberger’s trial, assigned District Judge Steven Hippler to the case and ordered Kohberger’s transfer to a jail closer to the Boise courthouse.
Ada County has a larger courthouse to accommodate more members of the public and what is expected to be a large gallery of reporters for Kohberger’s trial, which was scheduled to begin next year. And Hippler is no stranger to high-profile murder cases.
“Judge Hippler appears to be an experienced trial judge who handles serious cases,” said David Gelman, a New Jersey-based defense attorney who has been following the saga. “This case, of course, will be an entirely different animal given the national interest it has generated.”
BRYAN KOHBERGER GETS NEW JUDGE IN CHANGE OF VENUE FOR STUDENT STABBINGS TRIAL
Bryan Kohberger is now in the custody of the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, according to online jail records. (Ada County Sheriff’s Office)
Last month, he oversaw the trial of a brutal prison beating that was so severe the victim died from his injuries while in the hospital. In March, Hippler handed down a life sentence to a drunken driver who intentionally struck two pedestrians, one fatally, noting at sentencing that “[the defendant] has shown that the community is not safe with him in it at this time – and for a long time.”
Last year, Hippler oversaw the conclusion of the murder case against David Randall, who tortured and beat his ex-girlfriend before stabbing her to death when she stopped by to pick up some belongings.
Bryan Kohberger is led to an awaiting Ada County Sheriff vehicle at Boise Airport in Boise, ID on Sunday, September 15, 2024. Kohberger, who is accused in the murder of four University of Idaho Students in 2022 has had his trial moved from Latah County to Ada County. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
The killer initially pleaded guilty in a plea deal to avoid the death penalty, but then he tried to take it back. Hippler rejected his arguments and ultimately sentenced him to life in prison with a change for parole after 25 years.
The victim in that case, Darla Fletcher, was stabbed more than 50 times with a screwdriver and a drumstick, the Idaho Statesman reported at the time.
Madison Mogen, top left, smiles on the shoulders of her best friend, Kaylee Goncalves, as they pose with Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and two other housemates in Goncalves’ final Instagram post, shared the day before the four students were stabbed to death. (@kayleegoncalves/Instagram)
And back in 2022, Hippler sentenced both parents of 9-year-old Emrik Osuna to life without parole for killing their son. He was tortured, beaten and starved to death, and police were able to recover evidence from a “nanny cam” running in their apartment. He also imposed a 100-year no-contact order barring the parents from speaking with their other children.
While Hippler has often agreed to prosecutors’ sentencing requests, he hasn’t imposed a death penalty. Records show he took the bench in 2013, and Idaho’s last execution was carried out a year earlier.
Bryan Christopher Kohberger arrives at the Monroe County Courthouse in Stroudsburg, Pa., Jan. 3, 2023, before waiving extradition to Idaho to face murder charges in the stabbing deaths of four university students. (The Image Direct for Fox News Digital)
Prosecutors in Kohberger’s case have already said they plan to seek the death penalty if he is convicted. The defense is trying to have it taken off the table.
BRYAN KOHBERGER’S DEFENSE CITES IDAHO TOWN’S ‘MOB MENTALITY’ IN BID FOR VENUE CHANGE
Ada County is Idaho’s most populous and includes the city of Boise, which is both the county seat and state capital. There are nearly 500,000 residents, compared to less than 40,000 in Latah County.
Investigators set up outside the home where four University of Idaho students were slain in November 2022 in Moscow, Idaho, Oct. 31, 2023. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
Latah County District Judge John Judge agreed to the defense’s request for a change of venue last week. In his order, he wrote that the state’s Supreme Court would make a final determination about where the trial would be moved.
Some Boise legal experts had anticipated Hippler’s selection, according to Edwina Elcox, a defense attorney based in the city who once represented “cult mom” killer Lori Vallow, whose trial also took place in Ada County after a change of venue.
She said she expects the trial to be held as scheduled in June 2025, but the judge will likely make his presence known right away.
Bryan Kohberger appears in court in Moscow, Idaho, Oct. 26, 2023. (Kai Eiselein/Pool)
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“I think they will want to get things moving and established,” she told Fox News Digital. “Judge Hippler will want his own timelines and deadlines set and strictly adhered to.”
Prosecutors sought to have the trial held at the courthouse in Moscow, next to the jail where the 29-year-old Kohberger had been held without bail since shortly after his arrest in Pennsylvania at his parents’ house, roughly seven weeks after the Nov. 13, 2022, slayings. He was transferred to Ada County over the weekend.
The Ada County Sheriff’s office in Boise, Idaho, Sept. 13, 2024. (Fox News Digital)
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The defense complained the local community and media coverage were too biased for him to get a fair trial in Latah County, claiming he could face a lynch mob if acquitted. Ada County was on a list of three larger counties the defense said it would “gladly agree to” for a change of venue.
Defense attorney Elisa Massoth talks to fellow counsel Anne Taylor during Bryan Kohberger’s hearing Aug. 18, 2023, at the Latah County Courthouse in Moscow. (August Frank/Lewiston Tribune/Pool)
Kohberger is accused of entering a six-bedroom rental home at 4 a.m. Nov. 13, 2022, and killing four students inside with a large knife.
They were Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20 and Ethan Chapin, also 20.
All four were attending the University of Idaho, and the house, which has since been torn down, was just steps off campus.
The Ada County Jail in Boise, Idaho, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Fox News Digital)
Kohberger was studying for a Ph.D. in criminology at neighboring Washington State University, about 10 miles away across the state line.
Judge entered not guilty pleas on Kohberger’s behalf at his arraignment in May 2023. Kohberger faces four charges of first-degree murder and another of felony burglary.
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MISSOULA, Mont. — Montana organizations are getting a financial boost to help communities mark America’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
The Montana 250th Commission announced the recipients of its Event Sponsorship Program, awarding $100,000 to 40 organizations across the state.
The funding is intended to support community celebrations recognizing the Semiquincentennial.
The commission said the sponsorships will fund events, activities and programs that honor the anniversary while engaging communities throughout Montana.
“From parades and fairs to concerts and historical reenactments, these events will bring Montanans together to celebrate our shared heritage and the freedoms we cherish,” said Commission Chair Chris Averill. “We’re thrilled to support community organizations across the state as they create memorable experiences that connect Montana’s story to America’s 250-year journey, on July 4th and beyond.”
“The Commission is grateful to the Legislature for the funding, and to Governor Gianforte for signing HB 2 into law,” said Averill. “We continue to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely on activities that recognize the tremendous history of America, Montana, and our Tribal Nations; that bring Montanans together in celebration of America’s founding; and that educate Montana students and the general public on U.S., Montana, and Tribal history and government and our shared civic responsibility.”
Event Sponsorship Recipients:
- Cascade County Historical Society (Great Falls) – Cottonwood Festival – $5,000
- Belt Performing Arts Center (Belt) – The Belt Performing Arts Center Presents Oh, That Dreadful Tea! A Musical about the Boston Tea Party: A Community Celebration for the 250th Anniversary of the United States – $5,000
- Livingston Area Chamber (Livingston) – Historic Livingston Roundup Parade – $5,000
- Blaine County (Chinook) – Blaine County Fair – Veterans and Elders Tribute Exhibit – $5,000
- Helena Symphony (Helena) – Helena Symphony Season 72 Opening Night ~ America 250 – $5,000
- Flathead County Fairgrounds (Kalispell) – Honoring Veterans at Rodeo – $5,000
- Town of Denton (Denton) – Pies, Parades & Pyrotechnics – $5,000
- American Legion Auxiliary Border Unit 73 (Kevin) – North Toole County 250 Celebration Mural Project – $5,000
- Town of Plentywood (Plentywood) – Various July 4 community programs and activities for America 250 — $5,000
- Friends of the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula (Missoula) – 1776 Speaker Series AND 4th at the Fort on 4th of July – $4,000
- Special Olympics Montana (Great Falls) – Special Olympics Montana’s Celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary! – $4,375
- Department of Montana Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4042 (Bigfork) – Celebration of Independence 1776-2026 – 250 Years of Military Service and Freedom – $3,608.93
- The Judith Mountain Players (Lewistown) – The History of the Declaration of Independence – $3,500
- Southeast Montana Area Revitalization Team (Baker) – Fallon County’s Fourth of July Celebrations – $3,500
- Townsend American Legion Post 42 (Townsend) – American Legion Semiquincentennial Flag/Banner and Independence Day Event – $3,000
- Fergus County Fairgrounds (Lewistown) – Central Montana Fair – $3,109.07
- Miracle of America Museum (Polson) – From Minutemen to Desert Sands, 250 Years of Heroes – $2,950
- Montana Veterans Memorial Association (Great Falls) – Memorial Day Ceremony – $2,500
- Powder River Historical Society (Broadus) – Battle of Powder River Commemoration – $2,500
- Augusta Area Historical Society (Augusta) – South Fork Roundup of Cowboy Poetry and Music – $2,400
- Museums Association of Montana (Great Falls) – Montana’s Museums: Revolutionary New Beginnings Conference – $2,300
- Quality of Life Corporation (Colstrip) – Colstrip Days – $2,000
- Mission Valley Choral Society (Polson) – Mission Valley Choral Society’s Spring Concert Weekend – Theme: “Let Freedom Sing” – $1,500
- Mineral County Fair (Superior) – Mineral County Fair – $1,500
- Virginia City Preservation Alliance (Virginia City) – Forgotten Heroes – $1,500
- Town of Plains (Plains) – Fire Hydrant Painting – $1,300
- Old Glory Landmark Committee (Helena) – Children’s Activities – $1,000
- City of Boulder (Boulder) – Fourth of July Celebration in Veterans’ Park – $1,000
- Crazy Peak Cattle Women Inc. (Big Timber) – Big Timber 250 Celebration – $1,000
- Shields Valley Schools (Wilsall) – Red, White, & BBQ: Celebrate the 250th Independence Day in Shields Valley – $1,000
- Western Legacy Center, Incorporated (Whitehall) – 250 Year Birthday Celebration – $1,000
- City of Three Forks (Three Forks) – Community Cookout and Flag Giveaway – $1,000
- The Extreme History Project (Bozeman) – A Commonplace for Independence: Making Meaning at America’s 250th – $800
- Lewis & Clark Lodge Post No 3831 Veterans of Foreign Wars (Pony) – VFW Community Picnic – $750
- Kalispell Lions Club (Kalispell) – Distribute Miniature US Flags to Kalispell Area First Graders “Flags for First Graders” – $700
- Butte Silver Bow Quilt Guild (Butte) – Butte Silver Bow Quilt Guild Biennial Quilt Show “Quilting through Time 1776-2026” – $700
- Wheatland County (Harlowton) – “Happy Birthday, America!” 4th of July Parade – $507
A Las Vegas casino abruptly pulled the plug on a prediction market conference over fears the event could draw scrutiny from Nevada gambling regulators, according to a report.
Predict 2026 had been slated for the Aria on the Strip before the MGM-operated resort canceled the booking just days after signing the agreement.
‘The [Aria] is issuing this notice in light of Nevada’s current regulatory and enforcement position regarding prediction markets,’ a lawyer for the resort wrote in a termination letter cited by Barron’s.
The dispute highlights escalating tensions between state gambling regulators and prediction market firms such as Kalshi and Polymarket, which let people bet on the outcomes of all kinds of events.
Nevada regulators have taken an especially aggressive stance toward the fast-growing sector, arguing that some sports-event contracts resemble unlicensed wagering that bypasses state gaming rules and taxes.
Last October, the Nevada Gaming Control Board warned casino license holders that maintaining ties to prediction market operators could factor into whether they remain eligible for gaming licenses.
“If a Nevada licensee chooses to offer Sports and Other Event Contracts in Nevada or decides to partner with other entities offering Sports and Other Event Contracts in the state, the Board will consider these developments as it evaluates the suitability of the entity to maintain a Nevada gaming license,” regulators said in the guidance cited by Barron’s.
While Predict 2026 was not sponsored by any prediction market company, Aria’s legal notice indicated that regulators had become increasingly sensitive even to indirect promotion of the industry.
The Aria, which opened in 2009 and is operated by MGM Resorts after being sold to Blackstone in 2021, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The showdown highlights the widening divide between traditional casino operators and the new entrants into the prediction market space.
Legacy gaming giants such as MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment have largely stayed away from prediction markets even as companies including DraftKings have launched competing platforms to challenge businesses like Kalshi.
Prediction market operators insist that their event contracts are federally regulated financial instruments overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, allowing them to operate nationwide for users over 18.
Some state gaming regulators, however, have argued that sports-related contracts closely resemble sports betting and should fall under state gambling laws.
Nevada officials have already taken direct legal action against Kalshi.
The Nevada Gaming Commission sued the company over its sports event contracts, and the platform was briefly barred from operating in the state earlier this year, according to Barron’s.
The Post has sought comment from Polymarket, Aria and the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Police arrested two young men on murder charges after a deadly shooting outside the Frontier Restaurant near the University of New Mexico.
Police said 19-year-old Junior Lewis and 20-year-old Evan Rogers are in custody and both face murder charges.
Police said both men are set to face a judge Saturday.
Investigators said they found both suspects inside Rogers’ dorm room at UNM.
The shooting happened in the early morning hours Thursday just south of Central between Cornell and Stanford.
Police said the man who was shot died at the scene.
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