(NewsNation) — A judge has barred attorneys for the families of victims in the Moscow, Idaho, quadruple homicide from speaking about the case to media.
The prohibition came in an order Thursday, which makes stricter a previous ruling that placed a gag order on police, prosecutors and defense attorneys. Police have remained tight-lipped about the investigation since it began, which prompted scrutiny from the public and victims’ families.
Police allege Bryan Kohberger is responsible for killing Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in the early morning hours of Nov. 13. All were University of Idaho students and found stabbed to death inside their off-campus rental home around noon Nov. 13.
Goncalves’ family has been one of the most outspoken and gave multiple interviews to NewsNation. The family hired an attorney, Shanon Gray, who has been present for most of those interviews.
The order issued by Magistrate Judge Megan Marshall reads, in part: “The attorneys for any interested party in this case, including the prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, and any attorney representing witness. victim, or victim‘s family … are prohibited from making extrajudicial statements (written or oral) concerning this case, except, without additional comment, quotation from or reference to the official public record of the case.”
It goes on to specifically prohibit discussion of six items, including “any information lawyer knows or reasonably should know is likely to be inadmissible as evidence in trial and that would, if disclosed, create substantial risk of prejudicing an impartial trial.”
The gag order will remain in effect for the entirety of the case “unless otherwise ordered by this court.”
Kohberger was arrested last month in Pennsylvania and extradited to Idaho, where he remains in jail awaiting trial. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for late June.
Police searched his apartment in Pullman, Washington, and found strands of hair, a glove, computer and stained bedding.