Idaho university stops demolition of house where student murders occurred.
The University of Idaho Pauses Demolition of House Where Students Were Murdered
The University of Idaho has made the decision to temporarily halt the demolition of the house where four students tragically lost their lives last fall. This pause is seen as the “right course to take” according to university officials.
The victims, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin, and Xana Kernodle, all in their early twenties, resided in a house on King Road, located off campus. The university had reached an agreement with the owner of the house to demolish it in February.
A Difficult Decision
In a memo sent to staff and faculty on Wednesday, the university’s president, Scott Green, acknowledged the difficulty in determining the fate of the King Road house. Some have advocated for its demolition, while others have expressed concerns about the impact on the ongoing court case.
“Because of this, upon completion of the remediation of the house… we will pause demolition. We will revisit this decision in October,” Green stated. This decision coincides with the approaching one-year anniversary of the tragic murders.
Green emphasized that there is no legal obligation to keep the house standing, as both the prosecution and defense have relinquished any interest in it for the case. However, the university believes that leaving the house intact, at least for now, is the appropriate course of action.
The university’s announcement comes shortly after Judge John Judge granted a 37-day stay in the state’s case against Bryan Kohberger, a graduate student from Washington State University. Kohberger faces charges of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary.
It is important to note that the stay does not affect Kohberger’s requirement to provide his alibi to the state by July 24. His trial is scheduled for October 2, but the judge has indicated that it could be rescheduled if the additional 37 days are deemed crucial for trial preparation by either the prosecution or defense.
Prosecutors have already decided to seek the death penalty, which could result in an additional cost of $1 million to taxpayers compared to a life sentence.
Kohberger’s next court appearance is set for August 18.
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