Idaho Judge Blocks Release of Graphic Crime Scene Photos in Kohberger Case

Fri Oct 10 2025 14:01:04 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

An Idaho court has ruled to protect the privacy of the families affected by the tragic murders of four University of Idaho students, restricting the release of graphic photographs from the case while allowing some investigation records to remain accessible.

A ruling by Second District Judge Megan Marshall prevents the release of graphic images related to the murder case of four University of Idaho students by Bryan Kohberger. The judge highlighted the emotional distress these images could cause families while balancing the public's interest in transparency. The city of Moscow is required to redact certain disturbing images but may still release other investigation materials.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A recent ruling by an Idaho judge has blocked the release of graphic photographs taken by investigators in the high-profile case of Bryan Kohberger, who was charged with the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022.

Judge Megan Marshall, presiding over the Second District Court, deemed the images to be incredibly disturbing and noted that their circulation online could lead to an unwarranted invasion of privacy for the victims' families. She issued the ruling on Wednesday, emphasizing the sensitivity of the situation for those grieving their loved ones.

The judge mandated that the city of Moscow must redact portions of any images depicting the victims' bodies or the blood surrounding them. However, she acknowledged the public's interest in the case. Therefore, other investigation-related materials, such as videos showing the victims' friends reacting to the crime scene, may still be released to the public.

In July, Kohberger was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the stabbings of Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Ethan Chapin in a rental home just off campus in Moscow, Idaho.

Family members of two victims, Mogen and Chapin, had petitioned the court to restrict access to the more graphic imagery, stating that viewing those images would be invasive and traumatic.

The criminal case surrounding the murders has drawn international attention, prompting Moscow Police to receive numerous requests for the release of investigatory documents. Although Idaho law permits the sealing of investigation records to be lifted once a criminal case concludes, the recent ruling aims to protect sensitive content that could exacerbate the families' emotional distress.

In the ruling, Judge Marshall expressed her concerns about the potential impact of releasing graphic content: There is little to be gained by the public in seeing the decedents’ bodies, the blood-soaked sheets, blood spatter, or other death-scene depictions. She noted that the release of such records could continue to profoundly affect the decedents’ loved ones while having minimal relevance for those fixated on conspiracy theories surrounding the case.