Bryan Kohberger pleaded not guilty to the murders of four University of Idaho students on Monday.

Kohberger, 28, a criminology graduate student from Washington State University, was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary in the Nov. 13 deaths of Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21.

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Kohberger and his defense counsel opted to "stand silent," which is protected under the Fifth Amendment to not self-incriminate. Judge John Judge filed his plea as "not guilty" on all counts.

Prosecutors have 60 days to announce they are seeking the death penalty. In late March, the Idaho legislature passed a bill reinstating the firing squad as an alternative option for the death penalty instead of lethal injection. Gov. Brad Little (R-ID) signed the bill on March 24, and the law goes into effect on July 1.

Kohberger acknowledged that he understood the death penalty could be on the table.

The trial date has been set for October 2 beginning at 8:30 a.m. PCT. Kohberger's attorney said the trial may take four to six weeks to prepare, according to reports from within the courtroom.

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Kohberger was set to have a preliminary hearing in late June, seven months after the murders of the four students. He was arrested in late December following the monthslong investigation by state and federal law enforcement agencies that used evidence found in his car and home to connect him to the murders, such as a knife sheath.

Other alleged pieces of information not specified in court documents are an ID card connected to a victim and photos of a female victim on Kohberger's phone.