ID - 4 University of Idaho Students Murdered - Moscow # 16

[Fascinated1]

It's possible, but are we sure that the "digital evidence" was a camera rather than being, for example, a cell phone ping? (They may have clarified this and I missed it.)

Second, "through the same door..." Sure it would have. People haven't seen evidence of a there being Ring doorbell -- if the evidence comes from a camera, it could have been on a nearby building. Or there could have been a Ring doorbell that on the front door that was removed by investigators. (I don't see one in Google street view, but the resolution isn't good.)

If there was a camera at or with a view of the front door, it's definitely useful to know who went in that door. But others, including the killer, may have gotten in some other way, for instance, through the sliding door in the back.

JMO

I had a question about this too as kaylees sister said she had secured ring doorbell footage of them being dropped off but then I have read there were no cameras to be seen-it’s another confusing point in this case. Also if true that her sister did have ring video proof-would have ruled out a means of entry (if no one else showed up on the video)

 

[JaimeInLA]

I personally suspect the killer(s) wore gloves, so touch DNA wouldn't exist. As for sweat, that's possible. But it's a college party house, there would be "foreign" DNA all over the place. It's gotta be a forensic nightmare.

It was also 12° and the patio door was open, so it’s not like it was a warm summer night

 

[Louise369]

What about DNA from victims bodies? Is is actually possible to stab 4 people and their bodies have none of your dna on it?

 

[JosephineRobert]

If the killer‘s DNA isn’t on the system then it’s useless until they get a suspect.

 

[BobbieM]

Question- Could the comments from LE that this was a Targeted attack be based on how the attacker entered the home as well? My theory is that the attacker could have entered from that 3rd balcony- or 2nd level and made their way up to the 3rd floor where K and M were. Simply just watching the back of the house you are more so watching the area and people you want to “target” first. Assuming this is how it went down. My theory is that this is someone who wanted to hurt K or M. They didn’t exit out the way they entered bc of all the blood. So they go down to the second floor were X and E are and maybe like others have stated E was already checking things out so then those two were murdered and the attacker left through the second floor never even making their way to the first floor. MOO

 

[Cindizzi]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1597682998203527170

 

[Bliss_Perth]

Agreed. Some DNA on the clothing of the killer could shed as well.

Like fibres from wool gloves?

 

[layer]

IMO, that female was X, as her Father said she had "bruises, torn by the knife."

Good catch!

"the 911 call came in for an unresponsive female”

Never heard that before.

 

[Emerald1328]

Any perpetrator would certainly be able to hear whether the occupants of the third floor had gone all quiet from that location.

In respect of that option, did anybody notice any of the forensics pay particular attention to that balcony in the days that the media have been there at the house?

OTOH re the floor 2 sliding doors as an entry ( or exit point)
- although you've probably all discussed this to death by now - it's thread 16 - what do people make of the stacked stools in the kitchen sliding door. ( Do posters think that those stools were placed there because the sliding doors wouldn't lock)

Now that you say that, I don’t think I’ve seen any picture of investigators on the 3rd floor balcony outside. I’ve seen them by the front door, rear sliding door and basically all the windows on the first floor. I could have missed a picture obviously and they could have been there but no one got photos of it. It is interesting though.

 

[citizen_sleuth]

At first I was skeptical that the perpetrator would be another student, but after thinking more about it, I think a disgruntled frat member (specifically Sigma Chi) fits the facts pretty well. The following is just a theory, but I think it makes sense.

One of the possibilities discussed on this thread has been whether or not the perpetrator knew the victims personally and/or was familiar with the house (as opposed to a complete stranger). I tend to agree with those who have been saying that the perpetrator wasn't a complete stranger as it would be extremely risky to break into a house without knowing who could be inside, so I believe the perpetrator was at least familiar with one or more of the victims.

The Sigma Chi house has a direct view of the entire front of the victim's house, with many of the frat house bedrooms having a direct view of the house on King Road (see this Daily Mail video - screenshot from the video included below). If a member living in the house wanted to monitor the activities in the victim's house, they could easily surveil them from the comfort of his own bedroom––no need to sneak around in the bushes behind the house and risk getting caught. In the dark, it would be extremely easy to see when the victims went to sleep based on when the lights in each room were switched off.



We know that Ethan (a member of Sigma Chi) and Xana were at a party at the Sigma Chi house on the night of the murders (ABC News). If there was a fight or some sort of altercation at the party that night, that could be a possible motive. Additionally, compared to Kaylee and Maddie, we know very little about Ethan and Xana's activities that night beyond their attendance at the Sigma Chi party.

Numerous people Kaylee and Maddie interacted with that night (the guy in the hoodie at the food truck, the person they were calling late at night, and the 'private party' driver who took them home) have been ruled out by LE as suspects, but no one Ethan and Xana interacted with that night have ever been publicly identified or cleared (City of Moscow Police Department press release).

Due to the close proximity of the Sigma Chi house to the victim's home, it would be very easy to walk to the house, commit the murders, and then walk back to the frat house without being detected (no vehicle needed). Additionally, because the frat house is effectively next door to the victims' home, the perpetrator would likely be aware of the habits of neighbors (i.e., whether they frequently have parties) as well as which houses in the neighborhood have security cameras. It also seems that the Sigma Chi house has exterior stairwells (see the photo above), so the perpetrator may have been able to return to his room without coming into contact with fellow members/visitors.

 

[Corn123123]

IMO, that female was X, as her Father said she had "bruises, torn by the knife."

well this debunks the theory that ethan was found by the roommates in the hall when they came upstairs in the morning.

 

[Emerald1328]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1597710582958157824

 

[crax.t]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1597696556089896960

for some reason, this just made my whole stomach lurch.
1. why did they take so long to process the vehicles?
2. it feels final almost. JMO but it feels like they're closing a metaphorical door
3. i wonder if it could also be to protect from the vehicles being broken into?

 

[Emerald1328]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1597710838521270272

 

[Lalalacasbah]

So spontaneous do you mean like a stranger that follows K M back to the house? If there's 4 vehicles parked out front, it's kind of a leap to think that one of them doesn't belong to a male roommate or a boyfriend. We're talking saturday night near college campus. If the killer just sees two females go into the house and just assumes that it's only females that are in there....I don't know about that.

Excellent point about all the cars parked at the house, I never thought about this part...

Either killer was brazen enough to tackle all the people in the house or came from the back and didn't think to check (which is doubtful). Very brazen a killer would walk into a house with 3-4 cars parked in front knowing all occupants are probably home!

Edited: Wait, not 3-4 cars BUT 5!! How did he know there wasn't 5+ people there (friends/BFs)? He knew because he was watching or had intimate knowledge or intel to know.

 

[EncyclopediaBrownJr]

IMO, that female was X, as her Father said she had "bruises, torn by the knife."

If she wasn't responding, why wouldn't they go upstairs to check or wake up k or m?

Shouldn't the call have been, "unresponsive roommates?"

Kind of odd to me.

 

[crax.t]

If she wasn't responding, why wouldn't they go upstairs to check or wake up k or m?

Shouldn't the call have been, "unresponsive roommates?"

Kind of odd to me.

the way the house is set up. IMO they would've been too freaked by finding someone to then bypass that scene and go to the third floor.

 

[Janitor101]

"If" is a biggie... but if they do, like many have said, it means nothing because it probably wont get a match. sure they could run it any see if it matches up, but I'm guessing any DNA sample wont be isolated as "killer" vs whoever else was in and out of there before police showed up. The problem is there is so much DNA around anyway, there is also the chance that the killer didnt leave DNA, jut like they cant find any blood trails from him either.
DNA may help this case ultimately, but there is no way they can run however many DNA samples they find and they try to rule out from there.

Can you imagine the amount of DNA and fingerprints from friends, family and party goers in that house?! I would imagine all of this forensic evidence has to be matched to individuals or a defense attorney will have an absolute field day in a future trial. A nightmare for LE.

 

[Miss Jennifer]

Good catch!

"the 911 call came in for an unresponsive female”

Never heard that before.

Thanks but that's all @Cindizzi and Chanley Shá Painter's good reporting.

We all assumed it was E, but IMO it's X.

 

[Dysfunkshun]

At first I was skeptical that the perpetrator would be another student, but after thinking more about it, I think a disgruntled frat member (specifically Sigma Chi) fits the facts pretty well. The following is just a theory, but I think it makes sense.

One of the possibilities discussed on this thread has been whether or not the perpetrator knew the victims personally and/or was familiar with the house (as opposed to a complete stranger). I tend to agree with those who have been saying that the perpetrator wasn't a complete stranger as it would be extremely risky to break into a house without knowing who could be inside, so I believe the perpetrator was at least familiar with one or more of the victims.

The Sigma Chi house has a direct view of the entire front of the victim's house, with many of the frat house bedrooms having a direct view of the house on King Road (see this Daily Mail video - screenshot from the video included below). If a member living in the house wanted to monitor the activities in the victim's house, they could easily surveil them from the comfort of his own bedroom––no need to sneak around in the bushes behind the house and risk getting caught. In the dark, it would be extremely easy to see when the victims went to sleep based on when the lights in each room were switched off.

View attachment 383565

We know that Ethan (a member of Sigma Chi) and Xana were at a party at the Sigma Chi house on the night of the murders (ABC News). If there was a fight or some sort of altercation at the party that night, that could be a possible motive. Additionally, compared to Kaylee and Maddie, we know very little about Ethan and Xana's activities that night beyond their attendance at the Sigma Chi party.

Numerous people Kaylee and Maddie interacted with that night (the guy in the hoodie at the food truck, the person they were calling late at night, and the 'private party' driver who took them home) have been ruled out by LE as suspects, but no one Ethan and Xana interacted with that night have ever been publicly identified or cleared (City of Moscow Police Department press release).

Due to the close proximity of the Sigma Chi house to the victim's home, it would be very easy to walk to the house, commit the murders, and then walk back to the frat house without being undetected (no vehicle needed). Additionally, because the frat house is effectively next door to the victims' home, the perpetrator would likely be aware of the habits of neighbors (i.e., whether they frequently have parties) as well as which houses in the neighborhood have security cameras. It also seems that the Sigma Chi house has exterior stairwells (see the photo above), so the perpetrator may have been able to return to his room without coming into contact with fellow members/visitors.

Yep, I told my son I didn’t think it was someone their own age & he said “Why not? What about most of the mass shooters? They’re young.”
Not the same thing but I see his point. And yours.