Judge enters not guilty plea on behalf of suspected Idaho university killings

Bryan Kohberger is accused of stabbing three women and one man in university town

Bryan Kohberger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November last year. Reuters

A judge on Monday entered a not guilty plea on behalf of the graduate student charged with the murder of four University of Idaho students, local media reported.

Bryan Kohberger, 28, remained silent and opted not to enter a plea during an arraignment hearing in Latah County, CBS2 News in Boise reported, prompting District Judge John Judge to enter the plea for him.

Mr Kohberger is accused of stabbing three women and one man to death in the early hours of November 13 in the home of one of the women.

The crime stunned the small university town of Moscow, Idaho, home to the University of Idaho, and drew national attention.

Mr Kohberger was arrested in Pennsylvania six weeks after the stabbings while he was visiting his family. He was subsequently taken to Idaho to face charges.

Two other roommates who were in the house at the time of the murders were unharmed.

One of the women told investigators that at 4am, she heard someone crying in one of the victims' bedrooms. She saw a masked man, clad in black, walk past her and out of the house, according to a court document.

The victims – Ethan Chapin, 20, of Conway, Washington; Xana Kernodle, 20, of Avondale, Arizona; Madison Mogen, 21, of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, of Rathdrum, Idaho – all suffered several stab wounds. Mr Chapin was Ms Kernodle's boyfriend.

Mr Kohberger was working on a doctoral degree in criminal justice at Washington State University, about 16 kilometres from the University of Idaho campus.

Authorities have not publicly disclosed a motive but have said they were confident Mr Kohberger was responsible for all four killings.