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Moscow residents have called 911 numerous times to report “suspicious” men and other disturbing incidents in the small, college town in the two weeks since four University of Idaho students were brutally stabbed at an off-campus home. The Independent’s analysis of police call logs revealed chilling complaints including a man carrying a knife, a person “wearing a black ski mask”, a “man outside taking pictures from the upper floors” of a house and reports from people who thought someone had tried to break into their home. In one particularly chilling call, a caller said a man had given their daughter a note on the back of a receipt at her workplace warning: “Better watch out.” In another, the caller said a man was “walking around taking down the posters with the tip line information” – believed to be the tip line for the murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kerndole and Ethan Chapin. While several of the reports appear to be disturbing, they also reveal how the community is gripped with fear as no arrests have been made and no suspects have been named in the case.
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The victim’s family fears the killer will attend their daughter’s funeral
The devastated father of victim Kaylee Goncalves has revealed the family’s fears that their daughter’s killer will turn up at her funeral. Steve Goncalves told ABC News that the family has so far refused to hold a funeral for the 21-year-old as the identity of the killer or killers remains unknown. “My wife’s biggest fear, part of the reason we didn’t have a funeral, is because she couldn’t be guaranteed that this monster wouldn’t be there,” he said. Now, 16 days into the murder investigation, no suspects have been identified, no arrests have been made and the murder weapon has not been found. The Independent’s Graeme Massie has more: Megan Sheets30 November 2022 04:30 1669780800
‘You can’t imagine sending your daughter off to college and they come back in an urn’: Victim’s father speaks out
The grieving father of victim Kaylee Goncalves has spoken of her horror at proudly sending her daughter off to college only to be asked to “return to an urn”. Steve Goncalves told ABC News: “You can’t imagine sending your girl off to college and them coming back … to an urn. “You’re numb… you can’t absorb so much pain and agony.” She paid tribute to Goncalves, 21, as the “bonus kid” who was always there for people and also paid tribute to her best friend Madison Mogen who was part of the family. “When you’re sick and you’re down and you’re out, you want to have that one great friend who’s always there for you – and that’s what they had,” she said. “There is no Kaylee without Maddie.” His daughter was planning to move to Texas when she was killed, he said, adding that he had considered moving to Chicago, but he and his wife worried it wasn’t safe enough. “Go places. He was highly motivated,” she said. “I hope people understand how all these kids … did everything right and would be the type of people you want to be your neighbor.” Rachel Sharp30 November 2022 04:00 1669779000
Campus security increased as students returned
Campus security has been increased across the University of Idaho as students returned to Moscow on Monday after Thanksgiving break. Those who have returned are changing their habits and strengthening security around their homes. The Independent revealed how locksmiths are facing increased demand after the murders and a former student has raised money for around 1,900 personal alarms for students. The small college town had been emptied in the wake of the murders – and with no suspects identified, no arrests made and the murder weapon still undiscovered, many students are not returning. Students only have two weeks of classes left before the university term ends for the winter break. College officials prepared for the fact that some students would continue to be remote at least into the new year, pledging to take a flexible approach to learning. “Faculty have been asked to prepare in-person and distance learning options so that each student can choose their method of commitment for the last two weeks of the semester,” Scott Green, the university’s president, said in a statement last week. . Rachel Sharp30 November 2022 03:30 1669777200
University of Idaho graduate raises $20,000 for personal alarms for students
A University of Idaho graduate raised nearly $20,000 in donations to buy 1,900 personal alarms for terrified students living in Moscow with a killer on the loose. Kerry Ulhorn, a 37-year-old former Delta Gamma sorority member, told the Independent she wanted to help students feel safe in the college town after four sorority and sorority members were stabbed to death in a brutal knife attack on the 13th. November. “The hope is that these will give students on campus a little sense of security and just let them know that their alumni and others care deeply about keeping them and the university we love a safe place for them,” he said. . It’s been two weeks since Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, were brutally murdered in the off-campus home the three students shared. No suspects have been identified, no arrests have been made and the murder weapon has been nowhere to be found, leaving residents in the notoriously safe area on edge. Rachel Sharp30 November 2022 03:00 1669775400
The victim was having a “normal night” before the murder, a fellow student says
A University of Idaho student revealed she saw one of the victims enjoying a “normal night out” just hours before he was brutally murdered in her rental home. Madison Moye told Fox News Digital that Madison Mogen spent much of the night of November 12 at The Corner Club bar in downtown Moscow. Ms. Moye, a 21-year-old sophomore and fellow Pi Beta Phi sorority, said she saw nothing out of the ordinary, with Mogen “laughing with all her friends” at the sports bar. “It was just a normal night in Moscow,” he said. “Moscow is a safe place. Nothing like that ever happens… I didn’t think anything of it.” Ms Moye lives in a house behind the murder house and said she knew the victims and had visited their home to “hang out” with them. Mogen and Xana Kernodle were both members of Pi Beta Phi The close proximity of her home to the crime scene left her wondering if the killer might have passed through her yard, she admitted. “It’s definitely something that crossed my mind and it’s really scary,” he said. Rachel Sharp30 November 2022 02:30 1669773600
Investigators still can’t decide if Kaylee Goncalves had a stalker
Investigators have not yet been able to rule out the possibility that one of the victims – Kaylee Goncalves – was stalked. Goncalves, 21, reportedly confided in friends before her death that she believed someone was stalking her. The identity of the alleged stalker is not known. Last week, police said they were looking into the theory but could neither confirm nor deny it. In a briefing on Sunday, Moscow Police revealed that – despite “hundreds” of tips about the stalking suspect – they are still somewhat at a loss. “Investigators extensively reviewed the information received about Kaylee being stalked. “They have pursued hundreds of pieces of information related to this matter, but have not verified or identified a stalker,” police said in a news release. “Anyone with information about a possible stalker or unusual cases is asked to contact the tipline.” Rachel Sharp30 November 2022 02:00 1669771800
The touching floral tribute from friends of Ethan Chapin:
Friends of Ethan Chapin have planted tulips in memory of the slain student working in the fields in the Skagit Valley. Chapin’s former boss Andrew Miller and former partner Reese Gardner told King5 they are planting thousands of tulip bulbs in Conway and Mount Vernon where the 20-year-old grew up, as well as at the University of Idaho. The couple said the gardens would be named ‘Ethan’s Smile’ in his honour. Mr Gardner said he met the 20-year-old when they were workmates on a local farm and said he was struggling to come to terms with his sudden death. “He was one of the few people who had nothing bad about him. He was 100% pure. He was honest, just a great person,” she said. “It’s still hard to believe, especially that something like this could happen. It’s unbelievable that someone can do this. “He made everyone’s lives a little bit better no matter what, and I just think something like that shouldn’t be forgotten,” he said, adding that his friend will now “always be here through the tulips.” Mr Miller said planting flowers in his memory was a way to ‘honour’ and ‘remember’ him each spring. “Knowing that I can help and do something that will help in his memory definitely helps me get through this,” she said, adding that she hopes it can help make “all of our lives a little bit better.” Rachel Sharp30 November 2022 01:30 1669770000
A Moscow resident reported a man with a knife days after the killings
A 911 call reporting a man with a knife was made days after four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death in their home while they slept. The Independent’s analysis of police call logs revealed many chilling complaints had been made in the two weeks since the November 13 murders. On November 20 – exactly a week after the murders – a caller reported “a man on the side of the road carrying a…
