<p>The admitted murderer <a href="https://foxnews.com/category/us/bryan-kohberger" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bryan Kohberger</a> plans to file for post-conviction relief after pleading guilty to killing four University of Idaho students in a 4 a.m. home invasion attack, according to two sources familiar with the matter.</p><p>Kohberger plans to argue that he had bad counsel.</p><p>The New York Times was first to report this story after Kohberger <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/27/us/bryan-kohberger-idaho-college-deaths.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">called a reporter directly</a> and claimed that he has an "absolute claim of innocence" in his first public remarks outside the courtroom.</p><p><a href="https://foxnews.com/us/idaho-murders-evidence-leak-triggers-criminal-investigation-insider-spilled-secrets-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>IDAHO MURDERS EVIDENCE LEAK TRIGGERS CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION FOR INSIDER WHO SPILLED SECRETS: REPORT</strong></a></p><p>"My actual innocence is my truth, and the plea, hinged on by false promises and blatant disinformation, MUST be withdrawn," he told the outlet.</p><p>In a writing message, he claimed that "justice was not served" and claiming that it was "circumnavigated by a broken plea."</p><p>"Broken Plea" is the title of a recent book about the case that shed new light on what the defense may have looked like at trial — and his use of the term surprised author Chris Whitcomb, who says he had never spoken to Kohberger.</p><p>"He would have to show ‘manifest injustice,’" said Joshua Ritter, a California-based defense attorney and Fox News contributor. "Essentially his lawyers lied to him."</p><p>One hypothesis floated in Whitcomb's book is that Kohberger may not have fully understood or meaningfully participated in the decision to plead guilty.</p><p><a href="https://x.com/FoxTrueCrime" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://link.podtrac.com/cjdr_fnd_article" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST</strong></a></p><p>Kohberger is serving four consecutive life sentences with no possibility of parole plus another 10 years for the Nov. 13, 2022 <a href="https://foxnews.com/category/us/crime/homicide" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">murders</a> of Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves after pleading guilty in July 2025.</p><p>As part of the plea deal, he waived his right to an appeal.</p><p><i>This is a breaking news story. Stick with Fox News Digital for updates.</i></p>
