University of Idaho murder suspect Brian Koberger looks scruffy in a new mugshot after flying hundreds of miles to prepare for his trial.
Koberger, 29, had been scheduled to stand trial in Latah County, where he is accused of stabbing to death four students at a rental home in Moscow, but a change of venue was granted and he was flown to Boise, the Idaho capital, on Sunday.
Koberger is believed to have arrived in Boise on a small plane and then been transported to a black SUV wearing an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs.
A new mugshot taken upon his arrival at the Ada County Sheriff's Office shows the murder suspect with scruffy stubble and unkempt hair, staring intently ahead.
District Judge John Judge ordered the transfer last Monday, citing several reasons why the defendants should be moved to a larger courtroom and away from the scene of the crime, including fears that people would “burn down the courthouse” if they were acquitted.
Koberger's defense argued that pretrial publicity would create unfair prejudice if the trial took place in “close-knit” Latah County, where jurors are more likely to have emotional reactions to murder cases, according to court records.
According to court documents, Ada County, home to the city of Boise, was seen as an advantage for the defense because it is more populous and would be more likely to “dilute” media coverage of Koberger and the murders than Latah County.
Koberger is accused of brutally killing students Ethan Chapin, Zana Kernodle, Kaylee Gonsalves and Madison Morgen in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022, at their off-campus home.
Authorities said cellphone data showing Koberger was near the off-campus home where the students were stabbed to death was one of the main pieces of evidence that led to Koberger being charged with murder.
Koberger, a doctoral student in criminology at Washington State University, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of theft.
Judge John Judge did not say where the trial, tentatively scheduled for June 2025, would take place, leaving it to the state's high court to decide.
