Bill Thompson, the Latah County prosecutor who charged the murderer of the four University of Idaho students in 2022, is retiring.
Thompson first took office in 1992 and has served 34 years as Latah County’s prosecuting attorney from his office in Moscow, Idaho.
In November 2022, students Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were killed in their off-campus home. A six-week manhunt by the FBI, state and local police led to the arrest of Bryan Kohberger.
Despite maintaining his innocence for years, Kohberger pleaded guilty last summer before his scheduled trial to avoid the death penalty.
Kohberger was charged for the murder of all four students and is serving four consecutive life sentences at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution in Kuna.
In a letter to residents of Latah County sent Tuesday, Thompson says he had planned to retire in January of 2025 – but extraordinary circumstances required him to continue, likely a reference to finishing out the high-profile, quadruple murder case.
“I am deeply appreciative of you re-electing me to fulfill those obligations,” Thompson wrote. “You, the people of Latah County, have blessed me with the absolutely best job I could ever dream of - literally a dream come true. I will be forever grateful.”
Thompson is the longest serving prosecutor in Latah County history, and the longest serving elected prosecutor in Idaho.
Thompson’s replacement will be selected from a list of names submitted by the Latah County Democratic Central Committee to the Latah County Board of Commissioners to serve through the end of Bill's current term, which ends in January 2029, according to a county press release.
Kohberger filed a post-conviction petition in July to withdraw his guilty plea, claiming coercion and ineffective legal counsel. He has a hearing next week as his defense lawyer seeks to remove Judge Steven Hippler – the judge who sentenced him – from Kohberger’s future legal proceedings.
Thompson retires on Dec. 1.
