STROUDSBURG, Pa. (Court TV) — A Pennsylvania judge has ordered three witnesses to travel to Idaho to testify this summer in Bryan Kohberger‘s upcoming murder trial.
Bryan Kohberger, who is accused of killing four University of Idaho students, is escorted to an extradition hearing at the Monroe County Courthouse in Stroudsburg, Pa., Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, Pool)
Kohberger is charged with the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students found stabbed to death in their off-campus home on Nov. 13, 2022. He faces a potential death sentence if convicted of killing Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin and Kaylee Goncalves.
On Monday, three witnesses appeared before Judge Arthur Zulick, without attorneys, to voice their objections to being called to testify across the country. Representing themselves, the witnesses were asked both whether they objected to the subpoena and whether appearing as a witness could cause them undue hardship.
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Brandon Andreola, who attended high school with Kohberger, now works in finance in a customer service role. “Reputation is everything,” Andreola told Judge Zulick, saying he is concerned about the implications of testifying on his career and potentially costing him his job. Andreola also has a young child, and told Judge Zulick that being away from his family would be a hardship. Andreola said his last contact with Kohberger was in 2020. “My relationship with Bryan Kohberger has been minimal and distant since high school.”
Jesse Harris, who owns a gym where Kohberger would visit as a teenager, also objected to being called to testify in Idaho. Harris explained that Kohberger’s father brought him to the gym when Kohberger was 15-16, but said that he never trained to be a boxer. Harris said kids who don’t make sports teams come to his gym to help lose weight and gain confidence. “I don’t see how my testimony would help the case,” he said. Despite arguing that he can’t be away from his business and doesn’t want to advocate for any side, Judge Zulick overruled his objection.
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Ralph Vecchio III denied ever having seen or spoken to Kohberger despite being subpoenaed. “I’ve never seen him. Never talked to him ever,” he said. Kohberger’s defense stated that they wish to call Vecchio because his business sold a white Hyundai Elantra to his parents; however, Vecchio informed the judge that his father owned the business at the time the car was sold. Vecchio was told to return on July 7, after the defense determines whether, as the current owner of the business, he can testify about the sale of the vehicle to the Kohbergers.
Correctional officer William Searfoss will also be in court on July 7 to determine whether he needs to appear in person to admit his records for Kohberger’s time at the Monroe County Correctional Facility, where he was taken after his initial arrest in Pennsylvania. Anthony Somma was also summoned to testify as a witness in Kohberger’s defense; the judge ordered him to appear after he had no objection to the subpoena.
