10 Days Later, the Idaho Student Killings Have No Suspects and No Weapon

By Jaslin On Nov 26, 2022

Police reported Wednesday that ten days after four University of Idaho students were fatally stabbed in their dorms, they still have not identified a suspect or located a murder weapon. They are still looking for information and camera footage.

At a press conference, Moscow Police Capt. Roger Lanier stated that his agency is devoting every available resource to cracking the case and that detectives are prepared to work through the Thanksgiving holiday. Authorities stressed that they are still examining forensic evidence recovered from the residence where the students were killed, but they provided no indication that they were any closer to making an arrest.

According to Police Chief James Fry, additional security footage may be just as useful for what it doesn’t show as for what it does. We’re still trying to figure out why this happened in our neighborhood, Fry added. Moscow, a college town and agricultural hub that opened its first Target store last year, was taken aback by the killings. The city, which has a population of 26,000 and is bordered by sloping fields of wheat and beans, hasn’t experienced a homicide since 2015.

Forget the first 48 hours. What the Idaho State Police needs is the first two years to solve a quadruple murder. ‘The longer we can’t solve this crime the better…’

Great question by @NatashaChenCNN at the Moscow press conference. https://t.co/kJWsc1thMZ @ISPHeadquarters

— Peter Doran (@PeterBDoran) November 24, 2022

Housemates Xana Kernodle, 20, of Post Falls, Idaho, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, of Rathdrum, Idaho, and Kernodle’s boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20, of Mount Vernon, Washington, were the casualties. Putin denounces “lies” in the media during a meeting with military mothers.

4 are killed in a shooting in a Russian city, including the perpetrator. Ukrainian military prepares for action following Russian retreat. Police claimed on Tuesday that despite investigating stalker reports for Goncalves, they had not been successful in finding one. They have also dispelled claims that the case may be connected to other incidents, such as a car break-in and a dog killing, as well as a notion that the victims had been restrained or muzzled.

Before going back home at around 1:45 a.m. on that Sunday, Mogen and Goncalves, according to the investigators, had been out at a pub and a food truck. At roughly the same time, Kernodle and Chapin arrived home from a fraternity house. Two additional roommates, whose identities have not been revealed, returned a little over an hour earlier.

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Just before noon, one of the housemates called 911 from the residence to report that someone was unresponsive. The four students were discovered dead by the police, two on the second floor and two on the third. Police added that at least a few of the victims showed defensive wounds and looked to have been attacked while they were sleeping. No indications of sexual assault were present.

Police then withdrew their original claims that the deaths were “targeted” and that there was no overall threat to the public, admitting they could not definitively rule out a threat. Prior to Thanksgiving break, many of the university’s 11,000 students left the campus.

University of Idaho President Scott Green stated that faculty have been urged to create options for remote learning for those students who may not choose to return to in-person classes following the break. Students can ask for security escorts around campus, and the school has increased security in the dorms.

The Moscow Police Department has received assistance from dozens of FBI agents, investigators, and patrol officers as well as members of the Idaho State Patrol. Green said in a video message on Wednesday that “it is unclear how long this investigation will take, even with these additional resources.” We are all quite frustrated by that. On campus, a candlelight ceremony in memory of the deaths is scheduled for Nov. 30.