Judge Signs Off on Moving Bryan Kohberger Trial Out of Idaho College Town

Bryan Kohberger's murder trial will officially be moved out of the college town where 4 students were notoriously slain ... a judge recently ruled.

Judge John C. Judge issued the order after a hearing last month, when Kohberger's defense team argued their client would not get a fair trial in the small Idaho town of Moscow.

Kohberger's lawyers claimed the amount of media scrutiny surrounding the case from press, internet sleuths and more created a risk that BK would not get an impartial, fair jury ... since jurors would be made up of people who've likely consumed the constant coverage.

While certain measures were previously taken -- including removing cameras from the courtroom -- to lessen the impact of the coverage on the jury pool, Kohberger's camp argued more definitive action needed to be taken ... and suggested moving the trial out of Latah County to a location farther away from the highly publicized homicides ... and where there would be a larger population to choose from.

Judge John C. Judge agreed ... giving the formal "OK" for a change in venue -- though the judge did not specify the new location, leaving that to the administrative director of the courts. He also indicated the town does not have enough court clerks, courthouse space or law enforcement personnel to hold such a high-profile trial.

Kohberger was arrested 6 weeks after 4 University of Idaho students -- Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves -- were fatally stabbed in their off-campus housing in November 2022.

Kohberger, a former criminal justice student at Washington State University, became the main suspect after his DNA was reportedly linked to evidence found at the crime scene. He has denied involvement in the killings, and has entered a "not guilty" plea.