By Lauren del Valle, CNN

(CNN) — A state district judge in Idaho lifted the gag order that largely obscured the case of Bryan Kohberger, who recently pleaded guilty to murdering four University of Idaho students in an off-campus house in November 2022.

“At this point, I just don’t think that I can justify the continuation of the nondissemination order. I think the rights of the public to information in this case is paramount, given the fact that a plea has been entered in this case, and so I’m going to lift the nondissemination order,” Judge Steven Hippler ruled from the bench in Boise Thursday.

Kohberger accepted a plea deal to avoid the death penalty by admitting guilt to charges of burglary and first-degree murder in the killings of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen.

Sentencing is scheduled for next Wednesday.

With the highly anticipated trial no longer moving forward, the people closest to the investigation can now publicly discuss the case that’s been cloaked in secrecy by the longstanding gag order.

Hippler said he plans to methodically release sealed documents related to the case – starting with the newest documents to the oldest – but the process will likely take months.

“I’m unlikely to unseal much until after sentencing and after the appeals period has run,” the judge said.

Kohberger waived his right to appeal by agreeing to the plea deal, but Hippler said Kohberger could still file an appeal after his sentencing.

The judge said he was initially prepared to lift the gag order when Kohberger entered his guilty plea earlier this month but heeded the prosecution and defense attorneys’ request to keep it in place while they evaluated the situation.

“And at this point, I do not believe the purpose of the nondissemination order – the primary purpose which is to ensure that we can seat an impartial jury – is any longer at play.”

The prosecution said in a filing prior to the hearing that it didn’t oppose the motion but would wait to make any public statements until after Kohberger’s sentencing next week.

Kohberger’s defense team fought the motion, arguing that it should remain in effect until after the sentencing proceedings over safety concerns for Kohberger and his family.

The judge acknowledged the defense’s concerns as significant but said the public’s right to information outweighs those concerns.

“And frankly, I don’t think that lifting the nondissemination order will meaningfully impact those concerns. I mean, the media frenzy, as it has been described, will continue regardless,” Hippler said.

Security measures will be in place to allow Kohberger’s family and others to get in and out of the Ada County Courthouse for the sentencing next week without interacting with the media if they want, Hippler said.

The gag order was first issued by a magistrate judge in Latah County, Idaho, in January 2023, with the prosecution and defense’s support and later expanded. Kohberger’s murder case was later moved to Ada County due to concerns that the local community would be prejudiced against him during a trial.

The nondissemination order prevented the prosecution and defense and “any attorney representing a witness, victim, or victim’s family” from publicly releasing substantive details about the case. Further, the order prohibited any statements on the character or criminal record of “a party, victim, or witness, or the identity of a witness, or the expected testimony of a party, victim, or witness.”

A gag order sets restrictions on what information can be released to the public and what certain people involved in the case can say. Gag orders are a strategy judges can take to minimize jury bias.

The gruesome case has riveted the public and has already been featured in multiple true crime documentaries. The public’s desire for inside knowledge on the case was addressed in an order filed by Hippler in May, which reprimanded all parties involved for potentially leaked information that was featured in a “Dateline NBC” special.

The special featured extensive records from Kohberger’s phone, including internet and Amazon searches, Instagram photos and cell phone tower data, according to the order. “Dateline” also obtained security footage showing a car driving near the off-campus home around the same time investigators think the murders occurred.

CNN’s Jean Casarez and Eric Levenson contributed to this report.

This story has been updated with additional information.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.