The friends and families of the Idaho murder victims have expressed their frustration over the latest development in the Bryan Kohberger trial, which could disrupt the case.

A recent episode of Dateline unveiled new information about the murders, such as the alleged killer’s phone records, pornographic preferences, and internet searches about Ted Bundy.

It also aired never-before-seen surveillance footage of a suspect vehicle fleeing the horrific crime scene on November 13, 2022.

Shortly after, Judge Steven Hippler announced that the episode indicated a leak from someone involved in the investigation, prompting a search for the responsible party.

He warned this could make it more difficult to seat an impartial jury when Kohberger goes on trial this August.

But for those close to the victims – Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, and Madison Mogen – the ruling is just another ‘distraction’.

‘If they’re going to talk about a fair trial, what about the victims’ families, and what about the victims involved?’ Angela Navejas said.

Navejas’ daughter Ashlin Couch was Mogen’s best friend and former roommate at 1122 King Road in Moscow.

She was still on the lease and had planned to stay with her friends at the three-story house on the weekend of the murders – if it weren’t for a last-ditch change in plans.

Couch was also good friends with Goncalves and Kernodle and the four young women would often come to stay with Navejas at their family home in Coeur D’Alene.

In a new interview, Navejas has slammed the uproar over the information leak and the claims Kohberger may struggle to get an impartial jury.

She said no one is thinking about the victims and the victims’ families, or whether the way the legal proceedings have played out have been fair on them.

By the time Kohberger’s trial begins on August 11, almost three years will have passed since that fateful night.

Navejas said: ‘People lose memory, things happen in two years… So I think if anybody is going to say, ‘oh, well, he needs to have a fair trial,’ what about the victims having a fair trial?

‘It’ll be almost three years when they start the trial. And nobody talks about that… what about the other side?’

After such a long lapse in time, it is also perhaps unsurprising that information is ‘going to start coming out,’ she added.

Goncalves’ family has also appeared to respond to the judge’s investigation.

‘One step forward, two steps back. Are we ever going to get there???’ the cryptic post on their Facebook page read.

When a social media user commented ‘If P DIDDY can get an ‘unbiased jury’, so can the Idaho 4,’ the family replied: ‘that’s exactly what I have said.’

Judge Hippler said in light of the revelations he will seat eight alternate jurors rather than six during the selection process.

Both the defense and the prosecution have been ordered to hand over a list of names of everyone who might have had access to the information revealed on Dateline.

A gag order of some sorts – known as a non-dissemination order – has been in place since early on in the case.

It bans attorneys, victims or witnesses from speaking in a way that could have a ‘substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing or otherwise influencing the outcome of the case.’

Navejas believes the focus on the information leak is only the latest effort from Kohberger’s defense to distract from the victims and the horrific attack.

‘The defense has tried to distract in so many different ways,’ raising doubts about finding an impartial jury ‘because of this, or because of this,’ she said.

The defense previously argued Kohberger’s autism diagnosis meant the death penalty should be struck from the case. The judge denied the request, leaving capital punishment on the table.

Last week, his defense also made the explosive move to identify an alternate suspect they allege to be the real killer.

Who this suspect is and what evidence the defense may have that could tie them to the murders remains a mystery as the court filing remains under seal.

The judge ordered the defense to hand over evidence to support their allegations before he determines whether it will be admissible at trial. 

The criminology PhD student’s defense team has previously said he was framed and that two killers must have committed the brutal crime. 

‘I think they’re just trying to distract away from what actually matters. And the defense is just going to keep doing what they’re doing until we get to trial…

‘I’m sure next week it’s going to be something new from the defense team. They’ve been doing this for two years,’ Navejas said.

She added: ‘They’re not thinking of the families and the people that were actually involved in this situation which makes me sad, and then it makes me angry at the same time.

‘You feel like you take two steps forward and then one step back… is kind of how we feel, how it’s been going lately.’

The trial is expected to last three months, followed by the sentencing phase where, if he is convicted, jurors will decide whether or not to send him to death row. Due to changes in state law, Kohberger could face the firing squad.

‘I don’t think there’ll ever be any kind of closure in anybody’s eyes, but at least this will be a part that will help them start grieving, maybe the way that we all should be grieving,’ Navejas said. 

In memory of Goncalves, Kernodle and Mogen, Navejas and her daughter Couch launched the Made With Kindness Foundation.

The non-profit honors the three female victims and focuses on protecting young women and promoting safety for women on college campuses.