Mon Jun 30 22:00:00 UTC 2025: **News Article Summary:**
A Pennsylvania judge has ordered three witnesses to travel to Idaho to testify in the trial of Bryan Kohberger, accused of the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students. The witnesses include a boxing trainer who knew Kohberger as a teen, a childhood acquaintance, and another man. Arguments to quash the subpoenas by two of the witnesses, citing potential job loss and family health issues, were unsuccessful. A hearing regarding subpoenas for a car dealership owner and prison official has been continued. Kohberger’s trial is set to begin August 11th, with opening arguments expected around August 18th. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Kohberger, who has pleaded not guilty, claims he was on a long drive alone at the time of the murders. A gag order remains in place, limiting public commentary.
**News Article:**
**Pennsylvania Judge Orders Witnesses to Testify in Idaho Student Murders Trial**
**MOSCOW, Idaho (CBS/AP) -** A Pennsylvania judge on Monday ruled that three witnesses will be compelled to travel to Idaho to testify in the trial of Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of the brutal 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students. Kohberger, 30, is charged with the deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves, who were found stabbed to death in a rental home near the University of Idaho campus on November 13, 2022.
The witnesses ordered to appear are Jesse Harris, a boxing trainer who knew Kohberger as a teenager; Brandon Andreola, a childhood acquaintance; and Anthony Somma, whose connection to the case remains unspecified. Kohberger’s defense team requested their testimonies. Andreola’s plea to avoid testifying, citing potential job loss due to publicity, and Harris’ concerns over a relative’s health, were both denied by Common Pleas Judge Arthur Zulick.
The court also heard arguments regarding a subpoena for Ralph Vecchio, owner of a car dealership where Kohberger’s parents purchased a Hyundai Elantra in 2019, but the hearing was continued to clarify who the subpoena was for. Additionally, a hearing regarding a subpoena for a prison official who has records of Kohberger’s stay in the Monroe County Correctional Facility was also continued until the prison official attests to the authenticity of the records.
Kohberger, a former criminology graduate student at Washington State University, was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania weeks after the killings. He faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. His defense team maintains that Kohberger was on a long drive alone at the time of the murders.
The trial is scheduled to begin on August 11th in Boise, Idaho. A previous request from the defense to delay the trial and present alternative perpetrator theories was rejected by Fourth District Judge Steven Hippler. Opening arguments are expected around August 18th. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in this case that has gripped the nation.
A gag order remains in effect, restricting attorneys, investigators, and others involved in the case from publicly commenting. Abigail Parnell, the defense team’s lawyer, declined to comment.
First Piper 