I agree. I can certainly understand the frustration of friends and family of the victims. We are starting to see more and more criticism of law enforcement on this case. People want answers.
A few things to consider when we discuss the early days of the investigation; what was said, what was done, was the crime scene compromised, etc.:
When LE are dispatched to a scene, they basically arrive with a blank slate. They are responding to the information given by the 911 caller. This is why the call is so important. There would certainly be a different approach to, “My roommate is unconscious.” as opposed to “My roommate is locked in the bedroom and there is blood everywhere.” The number 1 priority for LE is always preservation of life. Did an officer approach one of the victims to see if he could get a pulse? It’s very possible. In doing so did he step in some blood or other evidence? Maybe. Does that make him useless or stupid? I don’t think so. If your loved one was laying on the bed unconscious wouldn’t you want them to be checked, just in case?
Now we have LE’s earliest statements. When you arrive on scene, you use your training and experience to make a preliminary assessment of what happened. A patrol officer in this situation would immediately call a supervisor and detectives to the scene. Within a short time the word has gotten out, you have 4 dead students, people are alarmed. You have to say something so you make a statement releasing basic facts and present your earliest theory of what you think happened. After a vicious quadruple homicide you can’t go out and say “No comment.” so you tell them your best theory based on what you know at the time.
An investigation is a fluid journey taking twists and turns as evidence is gathered, suspects are ruled out, and new information comes to light.
What is taking so long? These cops must be incompetent.
Sure, if you go to a scene in a pristine environment with a single victim and find dna and fingerprints and know there has been a recent bad divorce and the ex’s cellphone was at the home at the time of the homicide and he has no alibi, you might get a quick solve. Or what if you arrive at the scene and a suspect is standing over a dead body with the proverbial smoking gun?
But what if you go into a fairly large home, that is known to be a gathering spot and it is filled with red cups and party remnants and you have four victims spread out over two floors, and there’s dna but it doesn’t match anyone and you have to wait for all that digital data to come back and you start the labor intensive task of identifying friends, acquaintance, stalkers, exes and most of these people have left the area due to the Thanksgiving holiday or just because they are scared it could happen to them? Will that take some time? You betcha.
And you can also believe that these LE officers are working their butts off to identify this killer because they never ever want to have to respond to a scene like this one ever again.
