Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - University of Idaho Murderer Bryan Kohberger Hears Victim Impact Statements | Crime Alert 6AM 07.23.25

Episode Date: July 23, 2025

Bryan Kohberger is set for a sentencing hearing today for the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, and the hearing could stretch into a second day as families prepare emotional statements. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche plans to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell, as the calls to release the Jeffrey Epstein case files are bringing Congress to a halt. Drew Nelson reports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crime Alert, Hourly Update, Breaking Crime News Now. I'm Drew Nelson. Brian Koberger is set for a sentencing hearing today for the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, and the hearing could stretch into a second day as the families prepare emotional statements. The hearing begins at 9 a.m. Pacific Time in Ada County District Court in Boise. Judge Stephen Hippler will preside as victim impact statements from the families of Madison Mogan, Kaylee Gonzalez, Zana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin are expected

to take hours. Court officials have said the sentencing could last two full days. Coburger, age 30, pleaded guilty earlier this month as part of a deal to avoid the death penalty. He admitted to breaking into the students' rental home in the early hours of November 13, 2022 and stabbing them to death. He will receive four consecutive life sentences with no chance of parole, plus 10 years for burglary. He waived his right to a trial and appeal. He is not required to speak during sentencing, but Judge Hippler will give him the chance. President Donald Trump says he hopes the judge presses Coburger for answers. In a Truth Social post, Mr. Trump wrote,

Before sentencing, I hope the judge makes Coburger at a minimum explain why he did these horrible murders. There are no exceptions. There is no nothing. The Gonzalves family has been the most outspoken. Steve Gonzalves told CBS he doesn't know how his daughter died. How many times was my daughter stabbed? Was she choked? What happened? And that should be part of our victim impact statement.

A gag order on the case was lifted earlier this month and more details may come soon. For more on the case of Brian Coburger, catch Nancy tonight at her new time, 7 p.m. Eastern on Merritt Street Media. Check your local listings for channel number or follow Crime Stories with Nancy Grace wherever you get your podcasts. More crime and justice news after this. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche plans to meet with Glenn Maxwell as the calls to release the Jeffrey Epstein case files are bringing Congress to a halt. On Tuesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that Blanche reached out to Maxwell's lawyer. Blanche said, in a statement posted on X, quote, justice demands courage.

For the first time, the Department of Justice is reaching out to Gelen Maxwell to ask, what do you know? Maxwell's attorney, David Oscar Marcus, said the talks are underway, quote, I can confirm that we are in discussions with the government and that Galen will always testify truthfully. We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison term for grooming and recruiting teenage girls for

Epstein. She was convicted in 2021. Epstein's death in 2019 was ruled a suicide. He had been indicted on child sex trafficking charges during Mr. Trump's first term. The planned meeting with Maxwell follows rising pressure from Mr. Trump's political base, several Republican lawmakers involved. They want full transparency from the Department of Justice about Epstein's contacts and activities.

The movement has only further fueled conspiracy theories. It has divided Republicans and disrupted House business. On the same day the meeting was announced, the House Oversight Committee approved a motion to subpoena Maxwell. Tennessee Representative Tim Burchett introduced the motion. Chairman James Comer of Kentucky said Maxwell will be subpoenaed, quote, as expeditiously as possible. But, Speaker Mike Johnson cut the House's workweek short starting August recess a day

early. The move came after Democrats promised to force votes on Epstein-related amendments. Johnson said, quote, there's no purpose for Congress to push an administration to do something that they're already doing. He blamed Kentucky Representative Thomas Massey for stirring division. Massey and California Democrat Ro Khanna are pushing a discharge petition to force a House vote on releasing all Epstein records. Massey carried a binder titled, The Epstein Files Phase 2 Declassified Around the Capitol as a Gag. In a statement July

6, the DOJ and FBI said they found no quote-unquote client list and no evidence of blackmail. They said they uncovered no grounds to charge other individuals. That statement has only deepened the mistrust among Trump supporters. On social media Mr. Trump ordered the DOJ to release all Epstein grand jury records, quote, subject only to court approval. Blanche and Bondi have asked a judge to unseal those transcripts. Judge Paul Engelmeier, who oversees the Maxwell case, says the DOJ must file a legal memo by the 29th explaining why disclosure is necessary and what they are seeking to disclose. Speaker Johnson says he supports transparency, but warned against rushing the process, quote,

"...we can both call for full transparency and also protect victims. If you run roughshod or you do it too quickly, that's not what happens. Some Republicans are worried that this could hurt their chances in the 2026 midterms. Representative Massey speaking of Mr. Trump, quote, you don't lose your base over one single thing, but he's eroding his base. Why should they vote in the midterms if the transparency they were promised doesn't happen? Meanwhile, Democrats say Mr. Trump is trying to avoid scrutiny.

Minority leader Joaquin Jeffries of New York said, quote, what are they hiding from the American people? Release the files so that the American people can make a decision on their own. Maxwell remains imprisoned in Florida. Her appeal is before the Supreme Court. Blanche said the DOJ will hear anything she has to say about others involved. Speaker Johnson said the DOJ will hear anything she has to say about others involved.

Speaker Johnson said no vote will be held before recess and that House Republicans stand behind the Trump administration's plan to handle the matter. For the latest crime and justice news, follow Crime Alert Hourly Update on your favorite podcast app. With this Crime Alert, I'm Drew Nelson. This is an iHeart Podcast. Nelson.