The house where 4 University of Idaho students were stabbed to death will be demolished this month

By Andi Babineau and Cheri Mossburg, CNN

(CNN) — For over a year, a three-story house near the University of Idaho campus has served as “the grim reminder” of the gruesome stabbing deaths of four beloved students there in November 2022.

Now, the house on King Road is set to be torn down on December 28, the university said Thursday. The demolition date was chosen to coincide with winter break to reduce the impact on those typically in the area, the university said.

“Demolition will begin at 7 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 28, and it may take several days to completely clear the site,” the university said in a news release. The school had previously announced plans to raze the home before the school year began but delayed those plans.

The owner of the off-campus rental home gave the property to the university after the deaths of Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen.

Suspect Bryan Kohberger has been charged with four counts of murder and felony burglary, and a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf.

While his trial date has not been set, attorneys on both sides of the case have given their consent for the home’s demolition, the university previously said.

The suspect’s defense team has since said it wants to take photographs, measurements and possibly drone footage before the demolition. The team is expected to wrap up its visit to the site Friday, the university said in its statement.

The family of Goncalves, who was a senior majoring in general studies, does not want the home to be destroyed until after Kohberger’s trial has ended, attorney Shannon Gray previously told CNN.

But the house “is the grim reminder of the heinous act that took place there,” university president Scott Green said. “While we appreciate the emotional connection some family members of the victims may have to this house, it is time for its removal and to allow the collective healing of our community to continue.”

CNN’s Holly Yan contributed to this report.

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