Idaho murders – update: Moscow police rule out homicide link to Hyundai Elantra found in Oregon

Moscow police have ruled out any connection between a damaged car found in Oregon and the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students 500 miles away in Moscow.

For two weeks, police have been searching for a white Hyundai Elantra which was spotted in the “immediate area” of the student home at the time of the murders on 13 November.

On Tuesday, police confirmed that a vehicle matching the description of the mystery car had been reported to police in Eugene, Oregon, on 17 December.

Moscow Police confirmed on Tuesday that it was “working on” determining whether or not the car was the vehicle they had been searching for.

But, hopes of a final break in the case came to an end hours later when police confirmed that the vehicle is not connected to the unsolved killings.

“The vehicle is registered out of Colorado and the female owner is not believed to have any relation to any property in Moscow, Idaho or the ongoing murder investigations.”

The search continues for the mystery vehicle more than five weeks on from the killings of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

Key points

• New video shows Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen on night of murders

• Kaylee Goncalves’ father insists he supports Moscow Police

• Police comb through 22,000 vehicles matching mystery car

• White car linked to murders was spotted on video supplied by homeowner

• Xana Kernodle’s family launch scholarship fund in her honour

Individual mentioned by victims in surveillance video is cooperating with investigators

11:00 , Andrea Blanco

Over the weekend, surveillance footage came to light purportedly showing two of the slain University of Idaho students walking through downtown Moscow discussing a mystery individual named “Adam” just hours before they were brutally murdered.

The video captures Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen walking together with a man in the early hours of 13 November.

In the video, a voice believed to belong to Goncalves asks: “Maddie, what did you say to Adam?”

“Like, I told Adam everything,” a second female voice responds.

In a statement on Tuesday, Moscow police said: “[A] video, believed to be taken on the night of the murders at a local downtown business, is known to investigators. Investigators have identified an individual called “Adam” in the video and he is cooperating with detectives.”

The rumours and speculation fueled by web sleuths

10:40 , Andrea Blanco

Sleuths following the University of Idaho murders investigation suggested one person’s photo of a successful hunting trip was evidence of nefarious leanings, the Associated Press reports.

They may have been unaware that hunting is a common pastime for many Idaho families and that fixed-blade knives are a basic tool for anyone who field-dresses wild game.

Others chased rumours posted to a wholly anonymous online message forum best known as a source of hoaxes, scandals and misinformation. Those rumours criticized and published personal information about various people in the Moscow area, suggesting they should be suspects.

Some even examined obituaries of other University of Idaho students who have died in the past few years in an attempt to tie them to the homicide victims, though none of the other deaths were the result of foul play.

At least one grieving family member went online to ask people to stop trying to link his child’s death to the case and to respect the family’s privacy.

Police are welcoming tips but urging people to stay focused on the information released by the police department, not guesses and rumours.

Idaho police ‘working on’ tip about damaged car in connection to college murders

10:00 , Andrea Blanco

For almost two weeks, police have been trying to track down the occupant or occupants of a white Hyundai Elantra seen in the “immediate area” of the King Road home at the time of the brutal murders.

A white Hyundai Elantra matching the description of the mystery vehicle seen in Moscow, Idaho, at the time of the murders was reported to police in Eugene, Oregon, on 17 December.

A spokesperson for Moscow Police confirmed to The Independent that investigators are now “working on” the tip.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:

Idaho police ‘working on’ tip about damaged car

Moscow police chief slams critics saying agency not experienced enough

09:20 , Andrea Blanco

Six weeks on from the brutal stabbings of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin at an off-campus rental home in Moscow on 13 November, the killer remains at large.

Amid growing tension between the victims’ loved ones about the lack of information being released and doubts raised on whether the local department has the resources and experience to handle the probe, the chief of police said he will keep lead oversight of the investigation.

“There have been numerous questions about leadership in this investigation. Let me be clear, this is the Moscow Police Department’s investigation, and I am the Chief of Police,” Moscow Police Department Chief James Fry said in a video statement on Tuesday.

The Independent has the story:

Local police department supported by FBI and Idaho State Police, chief reiterates

08:40 , Andrea Blanco

Responding to criticism that his department does not have the resources to handle the investigation, Moscow Police Department Chief James Fry said on Tuesday that his officers have a total of 94 years of combined experience.

He also highlighted the department is being supported by the FBI and ISP.

“We are supported by highly trained and experienced personnel from the Idaho State Police and the FBI. Their continued resources and knowledge are vital to our success,” Mr Fry also said on Tuesday.

“Our investigative units work under a unified structure and have the autonomy to move forward and solve this case. Despite statements about my team, we remain focused on solving the murder of four students to seek justice for them, their families and to help our community heal.”

Victim’s family announce tribute scholarship fund

08:10 , Andrea Blanco

In a statement to The Independent on Friday, Xana Kernodle’s family said they’ve decided to start a memorial endowment in partnership with the University of Idaho to keep her legacy alive.

Kernodle, her roommates Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin were killed inside the young women’s off-campus rental home in Moscow on 13 November. A month on from the brutal stabbings, the killer remains at large.

“We are asking anyone who is willing and able to donate any amount they are comfortable with. Please know that no donation is too small,” the family said. “We sincerely thank you in advance from the bottom of our hearts.

“At the very least, we hope to create some good out of such a terrible and heartbreaking situation.”

Parents of murdered Idaho student beg for answers

07:40 , Andrea Blanco

The parents of murdered Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves have desperately begged for answers about their daughter’s killer as the police continue to hunt for suspects.

The 21-year-old was one of four University of Idaho students knifed to death at their off-campus home in the city of Moscow in the early hours of 13 November.

“We just want this person found so bad,” Kaylee’s mother, Kristi Goncalves, told ABC News last week. “Where are you? Who are you?”

Kaylee, her best friend Madison Mogen, roommate Xana Kernodle and Kernodle’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin were all stabbed to death inside the home.

“This person went in very methodical,” added Ms Goncalves said. “I think he really thought it out. I think he was quick, I think it was quiet. And he got in and he got out.”

These 12 questions could hold the key to solving the Idaho murders

07:10 , Andrea Blanco

With each piece of information revealed or theory debunked, dozens more questions emerge.

The Independent’s Sheila Flynn, Rachel Sharp and Andrea Blanco report on the murders that have rocked the small town of Moscow.

These 12 questions could hold the key to solving the Idaho murders

Kaylee Goncalves’ mother reveals agonising fear about Idaho murders

06:40 , Andrea Blanco

Kristi Goncalves, whose 21-year-old daughter Kaylee Goncalves was stabbed to death in her off-campus rental home in Moscow on 13 November, appeared on the Today Show on Thursday and spoke of her family being “left in the dark” as her daughter’s killer remains at large.

Nearly five weeks after Kaylee was killed along with friends Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, authorities have not named a suspect or motive, found the murder weapon, or produced a criminal profile of the potential killer.

Asked if she thinks the case could go unsolved, Ms Goncalves said: “I mean, in all honesty, that is a possibility. There’s a lot of unsolved murders.

“It’s sleepless nights. It’s feeling sick to your stomach. It’s being left in the dark.”

Her comments came as tensions over a lack of developments continue to rise between investigators and the families and the public.

JonBenét Ramsey’s half-brother weighs in on Idaho college murders

06:00 , Andrea Blanco

Andrew Ramsey, whose six-year-old sister’s 1996 killing made national headlines and remains unsolved to this day, theorised in an interview with Fox News that Moscow Police, the lead agency handling the quadruple stabbings, is “dealing with a violent psychopath who has no known relationship with the victim.”

Investigators have not divulged whether they believe the perpetrator in the 13 November slayings of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin knew the victims or not. Nearly five weeks after the stabbings, no suspects have been identified.

“Moscow PD are in a near impossible position,” Mr Ramsey told Fox. “They simply don’t have the experience to run a complex homicide investigation.”

Mr Ramsey commended the small police department, which wasn’t faced with any murders for seven years before the November stabbings, for having requested immediate help from the FBI and Idaho State Police.

Coroner in Idaho murders 'told Kaylee Goncalves’ teen sister horrifying details about her death’

05:10 , Andrea Blanco

Kaylee’s mother Kristi Goncalves shared her anguish over the case in an interview with the Today Show on Thursday, more than a month after her daughter was stabbed to death alongside friends Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin at an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, on 13 November.

Ms Goncalves revealed that some of the most gruesome details the family knows about the case came from a conversation between her younger daughter, who is 17, and Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt.

Earlier this week, Kaylee’s father Steve Goncalves described how the coroner had told the family that the victims suffered “big open gouges”.

Ms Mabbutt had given that description to Kaylee’s little sister over the phone, Ms Goncalves said.

“[Ms Mabbutt] asked her: ‘Are you sure you want to know this?’ And my daughter, thinking that she did, for whatever reason, said ‘Yes,’” Ms Goncalves said. “And she proceeded to tell her.”

Moscow police scoured 24-mile radius for video in relation to university stabbings

04:30 , Andrea Blanco

Police investigating the murder of four University of Idaho students scoured a 24-mile radius for surveillance footage from the night of the stabbings.

Moscow investigators travelled to the nearby towns of Troy and Kendrick for the footage that could help in the investigation into the slayings of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, according to a Fox News Digital report.

Store owners in those towns said that authorities showed up at their doors asking for surveillance video from 12 November and 13 November. Several other stores in that area including a liquor store, a coffee shop, a gym and a gas station were visited by police, per Fox.

Two weeks ago, police asked for the public’s help in tracking down the occupant or occupants of a white Hyundai Elantra in connection to the case.

Unsolved deaths prompt ‘rumors and harassment'

03:50 , Andrea Blanco

Investigators have yet to name a suspect in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students who were found dead in a home near campus last month.

The killings have drawn worldwide attention, especially among true crime aficionados. That’s likely because so few facts are known about the case, said Julie Wiest, a sociology professor at West Chester University of Pennsylvania and an expert on extreme violence in media.

“Usually by now, there’s more facts that have been released by law enforcement, so I could see that ramping up the sort of digging and almost grasping at straws by people,” Wiest told the Associated Press.

“It’s not that typical, except in high-profile cold cases, where you might see people digging in that way.”

Retracing the victims’ final hours

03:10 , Andrea Blanco

Despite more details becoming available in the two weeks since the murders took place, key pieces of what happened in the early morning hours of 13 November remain missing.

Police have revealed the victims’ last steps, yet the timeline becomes blurry as the second part of the night of the murders progresses.

On the night of 12 November, Goncalves and Mogen spent around three hours at Corner Club at the northern edge of Main Street.

The pair walked straight down Main Street to a red brick building that used to host the now-defunct Garden Lounge; a favourite food truck, Grub Wandering Kitchen - fondly called Grub Truck by its many local fans – often parks outside on Main Street.

Goncalves and Mogen ordered, laughed and chatted with friends as they got their pasta carbonara; according to police, they got a lift home from a “private party” and returned to King Road around 1.56am.

Kernodle and Chapin returned to King Road at around 1.45am. The young couple had gone to a party across the road at Sigma Chi.

The other two roommates at King Road – who have still not been named by authorities – had gotten home first, around 1am, and fallen asleep, according to police.

Mogen and Goncalves both made multiple calls to the same number around an hour after they got home.

Goncalves’ sister said the unanswered calls were placed to her ex-boyfriend, who’d dated her sister for years before they amicably split, still sharing a dog named Murphy. He has been ruled out as a suspect.

Authorities believe a killer or killers fatally stabbed Chapin, Kernodle, Goncalves and Mogen between 3am and 4am.

Their bodies weren’t found until nearly nine hours later, around noon on 13 November.

Will the Idaho college murders become America’s next cold case?

02:30 , Andrea Blanco

It’s been one month since four Idaho students were brutally murdered, and fears are growing that the case is going cold.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp and Josh Marcus explore a troubling trend in America’s homicide clearance rates - and what happens to the families and communities left without answers

Will the Idaho college murders become America’s next cold case?

ICYMI: Everything we know about the 911 call

01:50 , Andrea Blanco

The 911 call was made at 11.58am on 13 November and originated from the phone of one of the two roommates who survived the attack.

A dispatcher was told there was “an unconscious individual.”

Authorities have since revealed that other “friends” were present in the house when the 911 call was made after they were “summoned by the roommates”.

“The surviving roommates summoned friends to the residence because they believed one of the second-floor victims had passed out and was not waking up,” a statement by Moscow PD read.

“Multiple people talked with the 911 dispatcher before a Moscow Police officer arrived at the location. Officers entered the residence and found the four victims on the second and third floors.”

Police have refused to reveal who made the 911 call and will not release the audio.

When pressed by The Independent on why the call could not be released, the department said: “The contents are exempt from public disclosure because the records are active investigatory records which, if released, would interfere with enforcement proceedings...”

It is unclear what the roommates and “other friends” discussed in the call and what led them to describe a victim as merely “unconscious”.

It is also unclear what the roommates and friends saw inside the home before placing the 911 call.

Moscow store manager says Idaho murder victim shared fears about potential stalker

01:10 , Andrea Blanco

A store manager in Moscow, Idaho has said that Kaylee Goncalves voiced fears about a potential stalker before she and three other students were killed.

The man told NewsNation that Goncalves and Madison Mogen had visited his business about three weeks before they were killed along with fellow University of Idaho students Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin inside the young women’s off-campus rental home on 13 November.

He said that Goncalves and Mogen would always come together with two other girls. The last time the group was at the store, he said, he had asked them if they were travelling together in an attempt to stay safe.

“One of them more or less openly says, ‘Oh yeah, we’ve had one of our friends be stalked before so that is why we travel in a group like this,” the man said, adding that Mogen was who voiced the concerns while she motioned to Goncalves.

“You could tell they were all obviously trying to keep Kaylee safe and be there for her as good friends.”

Moscow Police said weeks ago that they had looked extensively at reports that Goncalves had a stalker, but were unable to link that line of investigation to the murders. The criminal probe entered its second month this week with the killer still at large.

Idaho victim’s family doubts police are ‘capable of handling a quadruple murder,’ says attorney

00:30 , Andrea Blanco

More than six weeks after the quadruple murder of Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin inside an off-campus rental home in Moscow on 13 November, the killer remains at large. No murder weapon has been found and no suspects have been named by police.

The Goncalves family previously shared their frustration at what they have described as a lack of communication between Moscow police and the families of the victims, claiming they have learned about developments in the probe through press releases as opposed to directly from the force.

“We want to let them know that we were holding them accountable for their decisions,” attorney Shannon Gray, who was retained by the Goncalves to act as a liaison between the family and the police department, told the Today show this week.

“I’m not sure they are capable of handling a quadruple murder ... And if they are in over their heads, then acknowledge that and turn the investigation over to someone who is more versed in handling these types of matters.”

Bodycam shows Moscow police responding to unrelated noise complaint at victims’ home months before murders

Tuesday 20 December 2022 23:50 , Andrea Blanco

Bodycam footage has now emerged of Moscow police officers responding to a noise complaint on 1 September at the victims’ residence.

In the bodycam, obtained by NewsNation, officers repeatedly ask to talk to people who lived in the house, while several young adults are seen leaving the home.

In a statement to The Independent, Idaho State Police said on Tuesday: “Investigators are aware of prior contacts at the residence and throughout the neighborhood. At this time, we are not counting anything out and continue to investigate anything that might have relevance to the case.”

The Independent has the story:

Moscow police responded to noise complaint at victims’ home months before murders

The rumours and conspiracy theories ruled out by investigators

Tuesday 20 December 2022 23:10 , Andrea Blanco

Despite multiple law enforcement agencies being drafted in to work on the case, police appear to be no closer to catching the killer, leaving students and residents of the notoriously safe town racked by fear and social media awash with speculation.

While officials are remaining tightlipped about key parts of the investigation including why they believe the murders were targeted, they have debunked several online rumours and ruled out potential ties to the killings.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:

Idaho college murders: The rumours and conspiracy theories ruled out

Other murders that have rocked the safe college town:

Tuesday 20 December 2022 22:30 , Andrea Blanco

Before the murders on 13 November, Moscow had a reputation for being a safe college town where many left their doors unlocked and there hadn’t been a murder in seven years.

But there have been other high-profile killings in the town of 25,000 people.

The last murder took place in 2015 when local man John Lee shot and killed his adoptive mother, his landlord and a local restaurateur. Lee, who also goes by the name Kane Grzebielski, also shot another man who survived. He pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated battery and was sentenced to life in prison.

Before this, in August 2011, a University of Idaho professor shot and killed a student before turning the gun on himself in a shocking murder suicide

Professor Ernesto Bustamante and psychology student Katy Benoit had been in a romantic relationship which had recently come to an end.

Months later, Benoit was shot and killed outside her off-campus apartment in Moscow.

The day after her murder, police found the professor’s body in a hotel room. Police said Bustamante shot and killed Benoit and then shot himself in the head.

Four years earlier in 2007, local man James Leonard fatally shot another man in a driveway in Genesee. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

On Wednesday, Leonard was arrested just a mile from the home on King Road where Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were butchered in their beds.

The 39-year-old convicted killer is not connected to the brutal stabbing murders of the four University of Idaho students, police said.

‘Army of analysts’ actively sorting through tips in University of Idaho murder probe

Tuesday 20 December 2022 21:50 , Andrea Blanco

In a press release last week, the Moscow Police Department said it continues to investigate the brutal stabbings of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin inside their off-campus rental home on 13 November.

“We have literally an army of analysts sorting through videos that have been submitted to the FBI tip website,” Moscow Police Department Captain Roger Lanier said. “We’ve been trying to use those videos to garner new information. There is hours and hours of video.”

“We do have a lot of information. We are specifically keeping that information safe,” Mr Lanier added. “We are not releasing details because we do not want to compromise the investigation. We owe that to the families and we owe that to the victims.”

“We want more than just an arrest. We want a conviction.”

Family of University of Idaho murder victim announce tribute scholarship fund

Tuesday 20 December 2022 21:10 , Andrea Blanco

In a statement to The Independent on Friday, Xana Kernodle’s family said they’ve decided to start a memorial endowment in partnership with the University of Idaho to keep her legacy alive.

Kernodle, her roommates Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin were killed inside the young women’s off-campus rental home in Moscow on 13 November. A month on from the brutal stabbings, the killer remains at large.

“We are asking anyone who is willing and able to donate any amount they are comfortable with. Please know that no donation is too small,” the family said. “We sincerely thank you in advance from the bottom of our hearts.

“At the very least, we hope to create some good out of such a terrible and heartbreaking situation.”

Mystery driver ‘might not own white car,’ grieving father says

Tuesday 20 December 2022 20:45 , Andrea Blanco

Kaylee Goncalves’ father Steve Goncalves said that investigators have done “due diligence” on the car and have not been able to track down the occupants.

“They’ve kind of informed us through communications that they’ve checked all the easiest paths,” he told Fox News on Saturday.

“If this individual had this car registered to his name and it was just something very quick that they could just look up in the area and go right to his house — they’ve done all the due diligence there. They’ve done all that.

“So now they’re reaching out and they’re going to look to the community to see if this individual borrowed this car.”

He added: “It doesn’t appear that it’s something that they have real easy access to, so he may have ran and they really pushed the narrative saying, ‘Hey, if we can get these guys to focus on something that’s really helpful, which is this car,’ and find out if somebody says, ‘Hey, you know, that car that looks a lot like mine, I’m going to come forward and just volunteer my information,’ and then they can figure out if somebody else had borrowed it or if — heck, who knows.”

Steve Goncalves denies having called Moscow PD ‘cowards'

Tuesday 20 December 2022 20:35 , Andrea Blanco

Kaylee Goncalves’ father Steve Goncalves, one of the most vocal family voices in the media, told Fox News on Saturday that he understands that investigators “have their hands full” with the case.

It marked a change of tune for the father, who has repeatedly criticised police in the five weeks since Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were found brutally stabbed to death in an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, on 13 November.

“I want kids to understand that this is such a big case that these guys have their hands full,” he said.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story:

Idaho murders victim Kaylee Goncalves’ father denies calling Moscow police ‘cowards’

Slain student’s family members harassed by the public, attorney says

Tuesday 20 December 2022 20:15 , Andrea Blanco

The family of one of the four Idaho students butchered in their beds are now being harassed by members of the public, according to the family’s lawyer.

Kaylee Goncalves’ family has been the most vocal throughout the five-week investigation into the brutal murders and her father has spoken often to some news outlets.

At points, he has aired his frustration with the investigation and with law enforcement’s handling of it.

The family’s attorney Shanon Gray told NewsNation that some of the family members have now fallen victim to harassment by the public – something he slammed as “completely inappropriate”.

Kaylee Goncalves’ family says they can’t celebrate Christmas without her

Tuesday 20 December 2022 19:40 , Andrea Blanco

Kaylee Goncalves’ father has said that the family won’t be able to celebrate Christmas this year – as he is about to face the first holiday season without his 21-year-old daughter.

“To be honest we’re not even really going to have a Christmas because you just can’t get yourself there to where it would make sense,” he told Fox News on Saturday.

“One of my children – the youngest one – is going to go stay with a family as they’re going to have the normal type of Christmas. She deserves that.

“But for us we can’t do that. It’s too close to our heart and how do you have a celebration like this when you’ve lost two of your favorite people in the world?”

As well as losing his 21-year-old daughter in the quadruple homicide, Mr Goncalves also lost Madison Mogen – his daughter’s best friend who the family saw as one of their own.

Everything we know about the yet-to-be-found murder weapon

Tuesday 20 December 2022 19:00 , Andrea Blanco

Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt revealed that each victim was stabbed multiple times with a “large knife”, describing their wounds as “pretty extensive” and revealing that they bled out inside their student home.

“I’ve been a coroner for 16 years... we have had multiple [victim] murders in the past, but nothing, nothing like this,” she said.

Police have now revealed that they believe the murder weapon was a fixed-blade knife and confirmed that they had visited local stores to inquire about any recent purchases.

A local store owner previously said that officials had been especially interested in sales of a military-style Ka-Bar or “Rambo” knife.

No murder weapon has been found.

Video shows Idaho students discussing man named ‘Adam’ before murders

Tuesday 20 December 2022 18:40 , Andrea Blanco

The video captures Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen walking together with a man in the early hours of 13 November.

The man appears to be the same individual – known in social media circles as “hoodie guy” – who the two best friends were with when they stopped by late-night food spot the Grub Truck.

Police have already ruled him out as a suspect in the murders.

In the video, a voice believed to belong to Goncalves asks: “Maddie, what did you say to Adam?”

“Like, I told Adam everything,” a second female voice responds.

Goncalves’ father, Steve Goncalves, has since said that ‘Adam’ is not suspect in the crime.

A lawyer for the family of Kaylee Goncalves questions whether local police are capable of solving the crime

Tuesday 20 December 2022 18:20 , Andrea Blanco

More than six weeks after the quadruple murder of Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin inside an off-campus rental home in Moscow on 13 November, the killer remains at large. No murder weapon has been found and no suspects have been named by police.

The Goncalves family previously shared their frustration at what they have described as a lack of communication between Moscow police and the families of the victims, claiming they have learned about developments in the probe through press releases as opposed to directly from the force.

“We want to let them know that we were holding them accountable for their decisions,” attorney Shannon Gray, who was retained by the Goncalves to act as a liaison between the family and the police department, told the Today show this week.

“I’m not sure they are capable of handling a quadruple murder ... And if they are in over their heads, then acknowledge that and turn the investigation over to someone who is more versed in handling these types of matters.”

Information about Hyudnai Elantra should have been released immediately, expert says

Tuesday 20 December 2022 17:50 , Andrea Blanco

An expert told Fox News Digital that police in Moscow, Idaho, should have released information about a Hyundai Elantra sought in the investigation into the quadruple murder of four University of Idaho students.

“I’m not being critical of law enforcement. What I’m saying is: you must bring the public along to assist you in an investigation of this nature,” homicide detective Ted Williams told Fox.

“And when you have knowledge of a white car that you can’t identify, you don’t wait two to three weeks to put that information out to the public. You get the public engaged right away.”

On Monday, Moscow Police said that “progress continues to be made in finding information” about the vehicle with more than 10,000 tips so far received from the public throughout the murder investigation.

Investigators gather footage from towns 24 miles away from crime scene

Tuesday 20 December 2022 17:30 , Rachel Sharp

Investigators have gathered surveillance footage from as far as 24 miles away from the student rental home where four University of Idaho students were murdered as the hunt for the killer continues.

Security footage has been collected from the Food City store in Kendrick, Fox News reported.

A manager at the store – which is about 24 miles east of Moscow – said that Idaho State Police had reached out on 30 November asking for footage from 12 November to 14 November.

The manager said they were able to provide video covering those timeframes.

In the town of Troy – around 12 miles east of Moscow – a gas station employee revealed that law enforcement officials had also come knocking for footage but that the business was unable to help as it does not have cameras outside.

It is not clear whether investigators are honing in on those Idaho towns for any particular reason but the revelation comes amid a search for the occupant or occupants of a white Hyundai Elentra which was spotted “in the immediate area” around King Road at the time of the murders.

Moscow Police Chief James Fry gives update on case

Tuesday 20 December 2022 17:10 , Rachel Sharp

Moscow Police Chief James Fry gave an update on the murder investigation on Monday, where he revealed that “many” tips had come in about the mystery white car and that a team of video specialists were working on the case.

“We have a special team of individuals who are skilled at watching videos, collecting evidence and information out of those videos and linking it together so that we can tie every piece together for this investigation,” he said in a video interview shared online by the department.

The police chief went on to say that “many tips have come in” about the white Hyundai Elantra seen at the crime scene at the time of the murders.

But he continued to urged people to submit information about vehicles matching the mystery car’s description.

“Anybody else who still hasn’t sent in tips if you own one or if you know someone who was driving one the day before or the day after to please send that tip in,” he said.

Police insist murder investigation will not slow down over the holidays

Tuesday 20 December 2022 16:50 , Rachel Sharp

Moscow Police Chief James Fry has insisted that the investigation into the brutal murders of the four University of Idaho students will not slow down over the holidays.

In a video interview, published on the Moscow PD Facebook page on Friday, the police chief vowed to “keep up with the pace” over the winter break.

“We will continue to keep up with the pace,” he said.

“We’re giving individuals time off when they need it. We’re augmenting other people into those spots… We’re not going to stop investigating the case.”

His comments come as law enforcement officials are coming under increasing pressure to track down the killer as – more than a month on from the murders – no suspect has been identified.

Moscow Police Department’s past success with solving crimes

Tuesday 20 December 2022 16:30 , Rachel Sharp

The families of the four victims and residents of the small college town are living in hope that the murders will be solved soon.

But there may be one detail about the Moscow Police Department that gives those searching for justice in the Idaho murders concern. Police there tend to do far worse than their counterparts across the state in solving crimes.

Up until the student killings, there hadn’t been a murder in Moscow since 2015, so it’s difficult to compare the department’s homicide record to other agencies around the state and country.

However, generally speaking, Moscow police only cleared about a quarter of “Group A” crimes between 2016 and 2021, according to The Independent’s analysis of state data, a broad category which includes everything from murder to theft. The state average during this same period was a clearance rate over 50 per cent.

Families are receiving daily updates from police

Tuesday 20 December 2022 16:10 , Rachel Sharp

The families of the four victims are receiving daily updates from law enforcement about the investigation into the quadruple murders.

It is now more than five weeks since Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were brutally stabbed to death inside an off-campus rental home in Moscow on 13 November.

No arrests have been made and no suspects identified.

During the investigation, tensions have boiled over between some families and law enforcement officials, with Goncalves’ grieving parents previously hitting out over a lack of communication.

Now, the Goncalves’ attorney Shanon Gray has revealed that the family is now receiving daily updates, though he added that “the information is that we don’t have any information”.

Clearing someone as suspect doesn’t mean anything, says family attorney

Tuesday 20 December 2022 15:50 , Rachel Sharp

An individual being cleared as a suspect means nothing as investigators can revert back to that same person down the line, the attorney for Kaylee Goncalves’ family explained.

Shanon Gray, an attorney representing the Goncalves’ family, spoke to NewsNation about the decision by law enforcement to clear the man dubbed “hoodie guy” quickly in the investigation.

The man was spotted with Goncalves and Madison Mogen at a late-night food truck in downtown Moscow before the two women got a ride to their student rental home.

Moscow Police have ruled him out as a suspect.

NewsNation host Chris Cuomo asked Mr Gray if the family was “okay with that”.

“Well the reality of the situation is you have to try to trust the investigation,” Mr Gray responded.

“They’ve made a lot of decisions about potential people that they might be interested in and clearing them.

“As of right now, it sounds like they’ve cleared that individual. And that’s really the only information that we have.”

Mr Cuomo chimed in agreeing that clearing someone “means nothing” and that it can sometimes be a tactic of law enforcement.

Students leaving Moscow for holidays creates challenge

Tuesday 20 December 2022 15:30 , Rachel Sharp

Moscow Police Chief James Fry has admitted that the uptick in students leaving the college town for the holidays may create additional challenges to the murder investigation.

Classes at the University of Idaho are now over until after the Christmas holidays and so many students have left campus and headed back to their family homes for the winter break.

It’s a similar situation to that which unfolded in the immediate aftermath of the gruesome murders when many students packed up early to go off on the Thanksgiving break.

Naturally, this lowered the pool of potential witnesses and tipsters still left in town.

The police chief acknowledged in a video interview on Friday afternoon that it does pose “a little bit of a challenge”.

“It’s always a little bit of a challenge,” he said.

“We went through this right after Thanksgiving and all that but we have investigators all across the nation. We have investigators all across the state with the state police and the FBI.

“We’ll adapt to that and we’ll continue to do our investigation.”

Victim’s family questions why ‘rookie’ officer is leading case

Tuesday 20 December 2022 15:10 , Rachel Sharp

The family of slain student Kaylee Goncalves has questioned why a “rookie” officer is leading the investigation to finding her killer.

Shanon Gray, an attorney representing the Goncalves’ family, told NewsNation that the lead investigator on the case from the Moscow Police Department only has two years of experience as an officer.

Mr Gray said that the family met last week with law enforcement officers who are working on the case, including the two lead investigators.

One, he said, has only worked for Moscow PD for two years.

The attorney said he had followed up with an email to the department asking for the investigator’s credentials and questioning “why they put him as a lead investigator on a quadruple homicide” case.

“I sent an email over to the police department asking for them to send some credentials over, and their response was that it’s personal records,” he said.

Who has been ruled out as a suspect?

Tuesday 20 December 2022 14:50 , Rachel Sharp

More than five weeks on from the killings, no suspects have been identified.

However, investigators have ruled out several people as suspects in the murders.

They are:

• The two surviving housemates who were left unharmed and appear to have slept through the murders

• Other friends who were in the home when the 911 call was made alerting police to the murders

• Kaylee Goncalves’ former long-term boyfriend

• A man dubbed “hoodie guy” who was caught on footage with Madison Mogen and Goncalves at a food truck on the night of 12 November

• The person who gave them a ride from the food truck back to the home on King Road

• A sixth person listed on the lease of the student home

Other murders that have rocked the safe college town:

Tuesday 20 December 2022 14:30 , Rachel Sharp

Before the murders on 13 November, Moscow had a reputation for being a safe college town where many left their doors unlocked and there hadn’t been a murder in seven years.

But there have been other high-profile killings in the town of 25,000 people.

The last murder took place in 2015 when local man John Lee shot and killed his adoptive mother, his landlord and a local restaurateur. Lee, who also goes by the name Kane Grzebielski, also shot another man who survived. He pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated battery and was sentenced to life in prison.

Before this, in August 2011, a University of Idaho professor shot and killed a student before turning the gun on himself in a shocking murder suicide

Professor Ernesto Bustamante and psychology student Katy Benoit had been in a romantic relationship which had recently come to an end.

Months later, Benoit was shot and killed outside her off-campus apartment in Moscow.

The day after her murder, police found the professor’s body in a hotel room. Police said Bustamante shot and killed Benoit and then shot himself in the head.

Four years earlier in 2007, local man James Leonard fatally shot another man in a driveway in Genesee. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

On Wednesday, Leonard was arrested just a mile from the home on King Road where Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were butchered in their beds.

The 39-year-old convicted killer is not connected to the brutal stabbing murders of the four University of Idaho students, police said.