MOSCOW — As Moscow Mayor Art Bettge looks forward to the closing of a chapter in the Bryan Kohberger case, he hopes his city can return to being a “safe and happy college town” in the future.

Childhood friends of Bryan Kohberger, who pleaded guilty Wednesday to stabbing four University of Idaho students to death in November 2022, have tracked his murder case from afar and said they felt shocked the former Pennsylvania resident suddenly agreed to a plea deal to spare his life.

BOISE, Idaho — Lawyers are scheduled to appear before a judge Thursday to discuss the gag order in place for the Bryan Kohberger case. The order, also called a non-dissemination order, has been in place since the case began in late 2022. It prevents people involved in the investigation from talking publicly about the details of the case.