ID - 4 University of Idaho Students Died in Apparent Homicide - Moscow #2

[Red_herring_528]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1593341723551223809

This must have been a rough crime scene, so incredibly sad.

 

[isabella88]

 

[Diddian]

Do we know if there were any sexual assaults before the murders? I don’t remember hearing that in the press conference

I don't recall them addressing any other violent crimes in the area EXCEPT in explaining why there were preliminary reports (from the Mayor, I believe) that this was targeted and isolated and part of the reasoning behind that conclusion was that no other attacks had happened nearby that night or in the hours or days since.

 

[RetiredEE]

Has anyone considered a very badly botched robbery. What screams out at me is a high value brand new Range Rover sitting on the drive. Could intruder/s have entered through the second floor sliding doors to look for keys and disturbed those sleeping on that floor and the one above.

Her Range Rover was a 2016, used models in that area go for $25K to $40K. Not cheap, but not that pricey these days. Doesn't matter anyway as LE said robbery was not a motive.

Dealer from which RR was purchased, based on dealer plate on rear of the range Rover parked in front of house (many pictures)

%VEHICLE_SEARCH_PAGE_KEYWORDS_CAP_FIRST_LETTER% Vehicles for Sale in %CITY% & %DEALER_GEO_ONE% | %DEALER_NAME%

%DEALER_NAME% has a great selection of %VEHICLE_SEARCH_PAGE_KEYWORDS_CAP_FIRST_LETTER% vehicles in %CITY% for you to view & test drive. Visit our dealership near %DEALER_GEO_TWO% and %DEALER_GEO_ONE% today!

www.autonationchevroletspokanevalley.com

 

[marloweclover]

Sunrise on Sunday in Moscow was not until 5:01 am. That's astronomical twilight, not even full sunrise (6:45 am). JME, in something like black sweats and a black hoodie, I think a person could walk through my similar, college campus-adjacent neighborhood drenched in blood at that hour and the most anyone would think was that it's really freaking cold to be walking around in wet clothes, unless they passed close enough to smell it. There are a few isolated groups still walking around after 3, but they're generally very drunk and very loud and focused on their own plans. You could hear them approaching and turn away or cross the street pretty easily.

 

[Coldheat]

Back up: An email tip line may be designed to capture sender IP addresses and device information, which can then be compared against information obtained from routers at the crime scene, cell phone pings, etc.

Agreed. Given the BAU's involvement, and them advising local law enforcement agencies on the case (including an initial profile of the offender), they may have suggested the tip line thinking that the perp may be likely to insert themselves into the case. IMO.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

No, she’s with the Idaho Press newspaper. It’s MSM.

She isn’t saying that the autopsy reports are going to be released publicly.

Sorry I wasn’t very clear; I thought perhaps the authorities were leaning towards a random/stranger perpetrator since the BAU folks do profiling, but they do lots of other things, too.

<modsnip

 

[Diddian]

Those two other women must be experiencing incredible survivor's guilt. Hugs to them.

Survivor's guilt, but also shock, horror, and terror at what came so close to them and also ended the lives of their friends. I'd expect they could very likely experience PTSD and will need time and care to heal. I hope LE finds their perpetrator soon, so at least the two young women can put any fear that that person is still on the loose behind them.

 

[citizen_sleuth]

The fact that the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit is assisting the investigation is interesting. While their involvement doesn't mean that they are looking for a random perpetrator, it does seem that they are at least investigating that possibility. The police have said this was a "targeted" attack but did not suggest whether or not the perpetrator was known to the victims (and if so, in what capacity).

IMO this crime was committed by someone who knew at least one of the victims but who did not have any real relationship with them (i.e., saw them at work, walking around campus, etc.). I would think that if the murders were committed by someone with a close relationship with the victim(s), LE would have arrested them by now based off of the fact that they have eliminated an ex-boyfriend as a suspect. JMO.

 

[diggndeeperstill]

An email tip line doesn't give me much confidence in what LE has been able to learn so far.

It could be just to help with the volume of tips. Maybe they need ways to be available all the time and manpower is an issue. Just my thoughts.

 

[diggndeeperstill]

The fact that the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit is assisting the investigation is interesting. While their involvement doesn't mean that they are looking for a random perpetrator, it does seem that they are at least investigating that possibility. The police have said this was a "targeted" attack but did not suggest whether or not the perpetrator was known to the victims (and if so, in what capacity).

IMO this crime was committed by someone who knew at least one of the victims but who did not have any real relationship with them (i.e., saw them at work, walking around campus, etc.). I would think that if the murders were committed by someone with a close relationship with the victim(s), LE would have arrested them by now based off of the fact that they have eliminated an ex-boyfriend as a suspect. JMO.

I would add that it’s possible it was an online only persona that they must now identify. We all know that can be difficult if one knows how to hide well.

 

[isabella88]

It could be just to help with the volume of tips. Maybe they need ways to be available all the time and manpower is an issue. Just my thoughts.

True, a computer program could probably make quick work of a bunch of BS leads to weed through to the good ones. Provided LE feeds the techn the right keywords. At least they can track the IP addresses from the emails.

 

[Karin1974]

I’m leaning more toward not personal, just someone wanting a thrill kill. Especially with the news saying combat type knife was possibly used.

People have mentioned Ted Bundy and his Chi Omega sorority killings and the similarities are chilling; even the time of the attack. I wonder if it’s a copy cat?

Also reminds me of the Schmidt family shooting/stabbings, a family attacked early while sleeping.

Autopsies: 3 family members killed at Iowa state park campground were shot, stabbed and strangled

Three family members killed during a shooting last month at an eastern Iowa state park were shot, stabbed and/or strangled, according to autopsy results released Thursday.

www.live5news.com

It gives me Manson murder vibes to be honest. I’m leaning towards targeted but not personal - Absolute tragedy for the families.

 

[Wallendo]

I suspect college age kids would feel more comfortable sending a tip by e-mail than phone call, hence the e-mail tip line.

 

[Russian Blue]

Ethan’s gf Xana was one of the victims. Police said it was not a murder/ suicide all 4 were brutally murdered

The coroner also confirmed this was 4 homicides and not a murder suicide.

 

[wnk]

<snip> based off of the fact that they have eliminated an ex-boyfriend as a suspect. JMO.

Source for this?


MY OPINION/SPECULATION:

I do think it's very possible that LE thought they had some idea of the culprit early on (thus the comments about it being targeted, "crime of passion," no danger to the public, etc), but that that lead did not pan out (maybe that person had a solid alibi?), which has now forced LE to walk back their assumptions and consider broader possibilities. If this is the case, that hypothetical, unnamed early POI could have been an ex-boyfriend, a known stalker, someone one of the victims had a restraining order against, someone who had previously threatened one of the victims, etc. If there was something like that in their history which LE already knew about, it would have been very easy for LE to jump to the assumption early on that that person was involved.

 

[Diddian]

Sunrise on Sunday in Moscow was not until 5:01 am. That's astronomical twilight, not even full sunrise (6:45 am). JME, in something like black sweats and a black hoodie, I think a person could walk through my similar, college campus-adjacent neighborhood drenched in blood at that hour and the most anyone would think was that it's really freaking cold to be walking around in wet clothes, unless they passed close enough to smell it. There are a few isolated groups still walking around after 3, but they're generally very drunk and very loud and focused on their own plans. You could hear them approaching and turn away or cross the street pretty easily.

Makes a person wish LE had brought in tracking dogs in case there WAS a blood trail.

 

[diggndeeperstill]

Makes a person wish LE had brought in tracking dogs.

They did.

 

[wnk]

Makes a person wish LE had brought in tracking dogs.

They did.

From the TIMELINE in the media thread:

M NOV 14 1:31 PM - search dogs at scene [29 - @estherbower_TV (KXLY) tweet - Nov 14]

 

[GMS]

I know there has been a lot of discussion about the weapon believed to be a specific type of knife.
I'm curious from fellow sleuthers, do you think the suspect/s bought the knife specifically for this attack? or previously owned or had access to it?
Does owning this type of knife and/or purchasing it reflect something about the inidivdual/s? Not trying to stereotype here, just trying to "profile" or get a better sense of the suspect/s.
I would assume (imo) that the suspect was more comfortable with a knife, but also would not generate the noise / disturbance that a gun or other weapon might create.