Bryan Kohberger, who pleaded guilty to murdering four University of Idaho students, is attempting to withdraw that guilty plea through a post-conviction petition alleging ineffective assistance of counsel, coercion, disinformation and false promises. He is seeking a new trial, a move a defence attorney who represented DC sniper John Allen Muhammad has described as facing a "monumental uphill battle" given the legal hurdles involved in reversing an entered guilty plea.

The petition comes after Kohberger had previously pleaded guilty in the quadruple murder case, which shocked the University of Idaho community. Victims' families, including the mother of victim Kaylee Goncalves, said they were disappointed but not surprised by this latest legal manoeuvre, suggesting they had anticipated further challenges from Kohberger's legal team even after the guilty plea was entered.