ID - 4 University of Idaho Students Murdered - Moscow # 5

[GrilledCheezy]

My phone needs to be unlocked by punching in 4 numbers. I think my wife knows it...maybe. Point is I assume most people have their phones set up like this so how did the friend know the "roommates" phone code or was it just wide open or perhaps the phone allows 911 call? Was it Ethan's phone they used? If so I don't like the implications of that...very sad if so.

Pretty sure all smartphones have emergency functionality that enables 911 calls without unlocking.

 

[spitzer]

My phone needs to be unlocked by punching in 4 numbers. I think my wife knows it...maybe. Point is I assume most people have their phones set up like this so how did the friend know the "roommates" phone code or was it just wide open or perhaps the phone allows 911 call? Was it Ethan's phone they used? If so I don't like the implications of that...very sad if so.

I think it might have been a surviving roommate's phone. If you found a dead body in someone's house upon arrival, the first thing you'd do is alert the other people who live there.

 

[tara83]

I was trying to find that quote from Ethan's mom.I know she said the call was made from a friend.She might have said Ethan's friend.I'm trying to find it.

 

[spitzer]

[I double-posted by accident]

I just want to say when you realise these kids were born in 2002 and 2001 it makes it seem so much sadder. Xana and Ethan weren't even old enough to join the other two at the bar if they wanted to.

 

[technicallymissing]

When it comes to the 911 call for me it's less the "unconscious person" part and more just... everything else. I wrote it off originally but the more time passes without the identity of the caller being released and the odd (and at times conflicting) details that are continuing to drip out I'm starting to wonder. (LE's responses & demeanor regarding the call have also seemed a little odd, but of course that is more subjective.)

 

[William Goat]

My phone needs to be unlocked by punching in 4 numbers. I think my wife knows it...maybe. Point is I assume most people have their phones set up like this so how did the friend know the "roommates" phone code or was it just wide open or perhaps the phone allows 911 call? Was it Ethan's phone they used? If so I don't like the implications of that...very sad if so.

Lots of questions surrounding this 911 call. Hopefully we'll get them tommorow. Great name btw

 

[mrsdue]

No, I never said that the suspect stayed in the house for 8 hours. It is possible that the suspect came back to the scene of the crime and made the 911 call. Likely? Maybe not, but not unheard of. There are many instances of a perp showing back up at the crime scene and even interjecting himself into the investigation.

Especially if they didn't know anyone else was there and wanted their "work" found.

 

[Ed Teach]

I think it might have been a surviving roommate's phone. If you found a dead body in someone's house upon arrival, the first thing you'd do is alert the other people who live there.

Not me. I'd get out and call 911

 

[whitelilac]

I really don't see any particular mystery around the 911 call.

A friend came over near noon, let himself in, or rang the bell and was let in by the surviving roommates.
He/she/they went upstairs to make a coffee or whatever, saw the "unconscious" person lying on the floor, and immediately called 911.
The visitor didn't have his phone handy (maybe still downstairs, in a jacket pocket downstairs, maybe in his car), a roommate did have it with her, so the visitor called 911 from her phone.

Not feeling at all this caller is the killer personally.

eta, and not named for privacy....didn't the daily Mail out the two roommates names? Not LE I believe

 

[YankeeJAD]

Someone mentioned earlier about there being greater crowds in Moscow the weekend of November 12 & 13 because of restrictions in nearby Pullman, due to observing the anniversary of a hazing death at a college of Washington Sate University on November 12, 2019. Could the timing be conspicuous given these were also sorority/fraternity kids?

This is one of many reports:

15 fraternity members charged in Washington State University student's 2019 death

Samuel Martinez, 19, of Bellevue, Washington, died of acute alcohol intoxication on Nov. 12, 2019, after attending an Alpha Tau Omega fraternity event, officials said.

www.nbcnews.com

That might have been my post. I have kids at WSU and Nov 11-13 was parents weekend. Moscow hotels were likely full and I’m sure restaurants were busier than usual. On Saturday Pullman was a crazy party scene but I think most people were staying around the campus for tailgate and off campus parties.

There were no official events on Greek row because the parents weekend this year coincided with the anniversary of the death of a WSU freshman who died of alcohol poising due to hazing at his fraternity. I can’t imagine there is any relation between the two events.

I have a kid in Greek life at WSU and from what they say there isn’t a whole lot of interaction between the frats and sororities from the two schools. I don’t think my kid has ever been to U of I in the 2 1/2 years they’ve been in Pullman. I did hear that Xana has a sister that goes to WSU. I’m sure there are plenty of Idaho kids who have friends at WSU and vice versa, but from the time that my kids have been out there they pretty much go to Moscow for Target and Buffalo Wild Wings and do their partying in Pullman.

 

[KonaHonu]

There’s nothing unusual about the call going out as an unconscious party and nothing should be read into it. Very likely the caller saw someone down, freaked out, didn’t approach, and called 911 in a panic saying the person “wouldn’t wake up” or somesuch.

No, there is nothing unusual about it at all. It would have been unusual to report it as a deceased person. I don't know what Idaho law says but states vary on who and when death can be pronounced. I posted earlier that there are specific "prehospital signs of obvious death" defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which governs emergency medical responders at the federal level. Some states allow EMTs and paramedics to pronounce based on those while other states require a physician. Rigor mortis is one sign so they would have qualified. Police officers are NOT authorized tio pronounce or declare death in their role as a police officer but many, all in some states, are also emergency medical responders and can do so in that capacity in some areas.

I say all this because it would be improper to declare someone dead before EMS arrived so the person would be described as unconcious.

I have no indication or suspicion that the 911/EMS/police response was anything but proper and professional. It's just frustrating that they are not telling us important details that you usually hear. I don't think they are intentionally withholding that information. I just think the person writing the press releases is not ready for prime time.

 

[otto]

I'm always curious about the location of murders. I pulled up a topography map. Each blue line represents a 10 feet increase in elevation. The red line is the property boundary. Queen Street is at the top of the map. There are measurement tools available too. That looks like a steep, treed back yard.

Latah County

 

[Blue_Painting]

I do think it's unusual that no one moved toward the victim to see if they could help??? Who does that? A young man down on the ground and you do nothing to help?

 

[bigredkangaroo]

My phone needs to be unlocked by punching in 4 numbers. I think my wife knows it...maybe. Point is I assume most people have their phones set up like this so how did the friend know the "roommates" phone code or was it just wide open or perhaps the phone allows 911 call? Was it Ethan's phone they used? If so I don't like the implications of that...very sad if so.

I have to help clients with an app on their phones sometimes. Often I haven't known these people for longer than ten minutes before they tell me passwords to log into email accounts, how to unlock their phones, birthdays, and mom's maiden names. Sometimes I think im the weird one for not sharing my same information with my immediate family. It seems like it might not be that unusual from my limited and specific experience.

 

[tokyorose]

I really don't see any particular mystery around the 911 call.

A friend came over near noon, let himself in, or rang the bell and was let in by the surviving roommates.
He/she/they went upstairs to make a coffee or whatever, saw the "unconscious" person lying on the floor, and immediately called 911.
The visitor didn't have his phone handy (maybe still downstairs, in a jacket pocket downstairs, maybe in his car), a roommate did have it with her, so the visitor called 911 from her phone.

Not feeling at all this caller is the killer personally.

eta, and not named for privacy....didn't the daily Mail out the two roommates names? Not LE I believe

So why didn't LE just say that?

 

[YankeeJAD]

On the subject of being seen...

The moon rose at 7:06 pm last Saturday night and set about noon on Sunday. It was directly overhead about 3:36 AM on Sunday and was about 80% full. Based on that I would say it would have been fairly bright out, assuming no cloud cover. Can anyone local comment on the weather conditions that night?

I was in Pullman, which is only 8 miles west. Saturday had been cool, but very nice and sunny until the early afternoon when it became overcast and the temp dropped. In the evening it was still overcast and pretty foggy. I have no idea how much weather can change going a few miles east to Moscow.

 

[GMG1999]

anyone else in the house that night would immediately be a suspect... how convenient it would be if the killer is the boyfriend of one of the surviving roommates...

who made the call? why didn't they use their own phone? and why are the police so vague about it?

Good question, but why? Why would they want to kill 4?

 

[mickey2942]

CDA, ID is very close to Spokane, WA. Large metro area. If LEO suspects the perpetrator went back on I-95, going to intersect on I-90...I bet they are checking the camera feed.

 

[whitelilac]

So why didn't LE just say that?

Why should they? They stated a call was made from inside the house from one of the roommates' phone is enough for the public to know.
They are not obliged to give the details , and I expect they know a lot more they are not disclosing.

 

[KrisCo16]

I do think it's unusual that no one moved toward the victim to see if they could help??? Who does that? A young man down on the ground and you do nothing to help?

How do we know they didn’t try to help? But once I found out I couldn’t do anything other than call 911, I’d get the heck out of there to safety where I could safely do something to help - call the authorities.