ID - 4 University of Idaho Students Murdered - Moscow # 31

[Sundog]

I wish Dad would realize that families could be suspects too...and that's why they don't give information to them. It's not that complicated.

Agree. The more people that LE informed of the search of the white Hyundai before it went out to the public, the more opportunity for word to get out to the perp or accomplice, or even a witness who doesn't want to come forward. And family members might go to the media with their own version of the car search, which could really hurt the investigation.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

As more people have submitted their DNA, that process has become much less time consuming than it used to be. I recently listened to a Cold Case podcast in which the DNA tree was built and the perpetrator identified in 2 days. I was really surprised.

I should add that the episode was from Dateline, iirc, not the actual "Cold Case" podcast. Sorry for the lack of clarity.

 

[isabella88]

 

[Pennysmom1]

Not sure if this has been suggested before (probably has), but if there was some oddball on campus with stalking tendencies, their security should/would be aware of anyone with potential for this type of crime. Kind of like a "type" of kid who does school shootings...gun obsessed, loner, etc.

 

[EJB123456]

“Goncalves also criticized Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt..
She said Mabbutt asked her daughter: "Are you sure you want to know this? And my daughter, thinking that she did for whatever reason, said yes."
“[she] gave details to the families about the investigation and about the crime scene and things like that" he said.
Such details shouldn't have been given to the teenager, he said, adding that they probably shouldn't have been given to her parents, either.”

This family is clearly devastated & lashing out in their pain. Nothing the coroner could have done in this situation would be acceptable for them.

Agreed. Additionally, maybe she's a teenager, I don't know, but she's also an adult and a married woman.

ETA: Maybe she's talking about another daughter? I don't know. I assume she's talking about the one who is front and center when the family speaks.

 

[Bhodie]

Skipping some pages here so I don't forget my thoughts (all MOO):

1. I keep reading in various MSM this was a "crime of passion", yet it seems much more planned and calculated (I do believe general thought is currently swinging this way as well). Are there any resources/reports describing the actual crime scene(s) at all? I do recall they were all in bed (but I've read a couple of times about a body - E? - on the floor in some pictures)? My thought: the killer definitely knew the house, knew the layout, knew the people, knew they were all in bed, knew a LOT and felt comfortable doing this (I know this isn't a completely original thought).

2. Are there any reports of any type of sexual assault? If one of the girls was the potential intended victim and this was part of a fantasy, I would think simply killing her wouldn't satisfy that urge (although the method, stabbing with a knife, may be some sort of sick metaphor/replacement for a sexual assault).

3. Tacking on to #1 above - IF the killer did, in fact, know the house and the layout and all the specifics, it strikes me as odd that the lower level was untouched. So, there's just as much possibility this was more random than we may originally think (and I know this contradicts my other point/question!). But also...based on the activity that night outside, and the lack of a lot of evidence (that we know of) on this person(s) traveling to/from the house, etc., they may be familiar with the surrounding area as well.

4. Someone mentioned it earlier - but I don't recall reading anything about the potential order in which the roommates were killed. Were two killed earlier and then the killer laid in wait? Was this a "raid" type of attack where 2-4 people came into the house at once, split up, and went to where the targets were? I know this might be tough due to timing of when the bodies were found and I can't imagine they could figure that out, but maybe something from the scene and/or a reconstruction would aid in that.

/randomthoughtsmyopinions

Killers do not have to preform a sex act to get an arousal. Some killers are aroused by the act of killing itself, strangulation for example, others are aroused by the power they hold over taking a human life and yet others are aroused by the corpse itself. Just because there was no sex act preformed does not make this a non-sexual crime the perpetrator could have got sexual satisfaction out of this.

 

[Trouble1321075]

Something I am curious about is why they have so much interest in this vehicle.

Do they have strong indications that the occupants of the car know something crucial to making their case or are they so stuck that they are looking for the car out of desperation to find something that could give them a clue of where to look next?

We really don't have any context to know what stage the investigation is in or if the killer got in and out like a phantom or not.

Speaking for myself it's very stressful waiting for that context to come and I'm just a dude who is far away as imaginable from that crime. I'm nothing like the targets and I'm geographically as far away as possible in the continental United States.

I can't imagine the kind of stress people who are close to the crime are under.

 

[Charlot123]

Decades?

I think it will be faster as too many people are interested in the same. Unless he is totally unknown SK.

 

[MaisieBella]

This is a needless travesty. No one can deny the fact. As far as LE, they are always in a no win situation. The public is always demanding answers, almost immediately. If they don't provide nuggets then the public (media) are ready to criticize. Sometimes the immediate rela3se of information may not be correct. It happens. It doesn't mean Barney is conducting the investigation.

If LE waits until they have corroborated information then the public (media) criticize because they are too slow or don't know what they are doing.

Take a deep breath. We don't know what they know. We don't know much at all compared to the investigators. LE are some of the most skilled and underappreciated people in our society. JMO

Hear, hear.

 

[isabella88]

Do any locals know if there are red light cameras around Moscow? Apologies if this was already answered. Just thinking that a car involved in something like this may be driving over the speed limit. Many killers (think Bundy) were caught in routine traffic stops. Just thinking, JMO.

 

[samanthadaniels1995]

Concerning the car observed on the Mobile/Exon gas station on Hwy 8 and White, I still believe the driver was headed eastwardly as fast as possible and perhaps North east of the Mobile/Exon station. May there be a methodical way to search for the available Hyundai Elantra's via Google Street View ? or A state registration ? any other public record of Hyundai the public may search. It seem that this forum would be ideal for someone to provide a data set we can choose to divide up for review. A list of streets to scroll down can be provided. A person may provide they used Google street view to travel down a particular road. That road is cleared, propose another road adjacent to and report on that road being cleared. As the roads are cleared indicating the White Elantra was not observed on them we may slowly narrow down the area until there are a few options to inquire about .

Your thoughts ?

 

[Celt1997]

Do they have strong indications that the occupants of the car know something crucial to making their case or are they so stuck that they are looking for the car out of desperation to find something that could give them a clue of where to look next?

They have been very vocal that the occupant(s) of this vehicle have important information. I does not seem to be any sort of "hail mary" claim.

Today's video they released from Captain Lanier he makes note of "patterns" they noticed, and that led them to believe the people in that vehicle know something critical.

 

[girlrx]

Agreed. Additionally, maybe she's a teenager, I don't know, but she's also an adult and a married woman.

ETA: Maybe she's talking about another daughter? I don't know. I assume she's talking about the one who is front and center when the family speaks.

I believe he has 2 more daughters if I remember correctly.. 1 teenage daughter and 1 adult daughter in addition to K

 

[lucidium]

What strikes me is their removal of the word isolated. And then there is this:

"We remain consistent in our belief that this was indeed a targeted attack but have not concluded if the target was the residence or its occupants."

A reasonable person could easily conclude that if the residence was the target, and it is no longer considered an isolated attack, it was a target of opportunity. Are there more residences that can be targets?

Likewise, if the occupants were targeted, and it is no longer considered an isolated attack, are there occupants of other residences that can be targets?

I do agree that portion is problematic. Keep in mind this statement was released as cleanup after the prosecutor's disastrous interview, so it's important to use the full context:

We have clarified comments made by Latah County Prosecutor Thompson, who said the suspect(s) specifically looked at this residence, and that one or more of the occupants were undoubtedly targeted. We remain consistent in our belief that this was indeed a targeted attack but have not concluded if the target was the residence or its occupants.

Without additional info, I can only guess...

This reads to me like a clumsy attempt to correct the prosecutor's statements without giving away further details. Perhaps a more accurate statement was something like 'will not state publicly' instead of 'have not concluded'? If so, that would lead people to read more into the original prosecutor's statement, the exact problem MPD was attempting to resolve.

That explanation is not entirely satisfying, but it's the best I have.

 

[ktm44]

Title of the Page

Page Description

ktbb.com

"This person went in very methodical," Kristi 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."

Kristi Goncalves said her family has not heard from the surviving roommates since the murders.

"They're victims, as well. And I'm sure they're terrified," she said.

Police urge anyone with information to upload digital media to fbi.gov/moscowidaho or contact the tip line at tipline@ci.moscow.id.us or 208-883-7180.

Meanwhile, Kaylee and Madison Mogen's families are planning a joint celebration of life for the two best friends on Dec. 30, where they will share "happy memories," Kristi Goncalves said.

Steve Goncalves is looking forward to hearing stories he's never heard from their friends.

"They had really positive, good lives, and that's the message we want," he said.

The surviving roommates have given statements to the police and would have been very sternly warned against speaking with each other and anybody else associated with the investigation.

As cold as it sounds, it's absolutely neccessary and given SG's frame of mind, the last thing LE needs is him relaying information from the surviving roommates to the public. It will affect the investigation and possibly endanger their lives.

Catching a bad guy is only the first step. LE needs sufficient evidence and statements from witnesses to convict them too.

 

[diggndeeperstill]

Do you think that the conversation the Goncalves family had with LE - the Chief, Coroner, and Prosector has contributed to the reason we are not seeing the Chief speak now? We are seeing Captain speak.

 

[Falcon500]

Question for anyone who has experience with/is familiar with the intricacies of LE - victim's family communication / sharing of details in an ongoing investigation ("OldCop" maybe?):

Would LE typically tell the victim's family members (in this case 4 families) what someone's alibi was "early on" in an investigation during the process of vetting multiple potential suspects?

Just curious, really, what would be a reasonable level of detail for LE to divulge to the families, and if it might depend on the family's preference?

TIA

The police are under no obligation to tell faMiley members anything. With four victims and scores of relatives who would soon learn through the family grapevine nothing good would come out of sharing anything with the families. <modsnip>

I will say that when there is one victim and that I’ve gotten to know a family member pretty well I have shared things in confidenice.

One thing that hasn’t been said and never goes over well is that this crime is not a crime against the families. It’s a crime against the State of Idaho.

 

[isabella88]

One thing that hasn’t been said and never goes over well is that this crime is not a crime against the families. It’s a crime against the State of Idaho.

I understand it's a crime against the state but it's a crime against the state because four people were murdered. With all due respect, of course. They are not mutually exclusive. JMO

 

[laust23]

“Goncalves also criticized Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt..
She said Mabbutt asked her daughter: "Are you sure you want to know this? And my daughter, thinking that she did for whatever reason, said yes."
“[she] gave details to the families about the investigation and about the crime scene and things like that" he said.
Such details shouldn't have been given to the teenager, he said, adding that they probably shouldn't have been given to her parents, either.”

This family is clearly devastated & lashing out in their pain. Nothing the coroner could have done in this situation would be acceptable for them.

Damned if you do... damned if you dont.

 

[DizzyB]

It was just pointed out to me that Operations Captain Lanier and Police Chief Fry are two different people.

Moscow, Idaho, police chief breaks down in tears over university murders investigation: 'It affects us'

Idaho police chief responds to criticism over the pace of the investigation surrounding the murders of four University of Idaho students in a Fox News cable exclusive.

www.foxnews.com