Police investigating the grisly and baffling murders of four university students in the US have revealed what is being described as the most specific and biggest lead released to the public so far.
The case has intrigued the world, with still no suspect almost a month after University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, were found stabbed to death in a sharehouse in Moscow, Idaho.
Two other housemates were asleep inside the house at the time of the killings and have been ruled out as suspects.
Idaho police have been notably quiet on the details of their investigation – which has seen many curious social media users try to become citizen detectives.
But on Wednesday (US time), police revealed they are now searching for the occupant or occupants of a white Hyundai Elantra, who may have “critical information” about the quadruple homicide.
The car is believed to be a 2011 to 2013 model and was spotted near the home of the slain students on November 13 before the victims were discovered dead.
Investigators said they do not know the car’s number plate but “tips and leads have led” authorities to seek out the driver and any possible occupants.
Police revealed the information on social media, requesting the community’s help.
“Investigators believe the occupant(s) of this vehicle may have critical information to share regarding this case,” the post read.
It’s unclear if detectives believe anyone inside the car could have played a role in the killings of the University of Idaho students or if they may have witnessed something that could help police identify a suspect.
“At this time, no suspect has been identified and only vetted information that does not hinder the investigation will be released to the public,” the post said.
‘The biggest lead’
Forensic death investigator Joseph Scott Morgan said it was “the biggest lead” released so far.
“When this dropped, I automatically tweeted and retweeted this out and you know said, ‘This is breaking news, this is something,’ because we haven’t heard very much relative to specific information,” he said during a live Q&A on the Law & Crime Network.
“This was in fact the most specific thing they have offered up, so was it passing by the location at that particular time? Did they get a description on the individuals that were in the vehicle? Is there some connection to that vehicle and the location of these homicides?”
Mr Morgan said the police could either be seeking information from the people in the car or physical evidence.
He said if it was the latter, “every moment” investigators and scientists don’t have their hands on the vehicle, the evidence is diminishing.
“There is in fact a diminishment of biological evidence over a period of time and so you want to get in there and capture as soon as you possibly can. That’s why the urgency about getting their hands on this vehicle,” he said.
Criminal defence lawyer Imran Ansari, also on the Q&A, said finding the car could be like looking for “a needle in a haystack” as police don’t have a number plate and by now it could be miles away.
Mr Morgan said he thinks the police will start by checking the university security records and see if someone has a parking pass that matches the description of the car.
“One of the really unique characteristics of this crime is it’s in a university town,” he said. “So you’ve got this interesting environment where things tie back to the population that’s associated with the university.”
The month-long investigation
The FBI and Idaho State Police are aiding the local police department with the investigation.
On Wednesday, state police officers were seen by New York Post removing the belongings of the slain students – a possible sign that the forensic teams have concluded evidence gathering from inside the home.
Police Chief James Fry had said belongings would be returned to the victims’ families to “help with some of their healing”.
Days earlier, investigators promised they would not stop until they found the students’ killer or killers as the victims’ parents grow more and more anxious.
Chief Fry grew teary-eyed during an interview Monday local time while he stressed that law enforcement is still combing through evidence.
“This case is not going cold,” he told Fox News. “We have tips coming in. We have investigators out every day interviewing people. We’re still reviewing evidence. We’re still looking at all aspects of this.”
However, the parents of at least one of the victims have run out of patience as they await answers on who killed their daughter.
Steven, the father of Kaylee Goncalves, is hiring a lawyer to pressure investigators to provide answers and has said he also plans to enlist the help of a private investigator.
The baffling case
Due to huge interest in the case and lack of information available to the public, there has been much speculation and misinformation online, and authorities have stressed official releases should be used for accurate information.
This is the Moscow Police Department’s summary of what happened.
On the evening of November 12, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen were at a local bar called Corner Club in downtown Moscow, between 10pm and 1.30am.
At approximately 1.40am, Kaylee and Madison were seen on video at a local food vendor called the “Grub Truck” and used a “private party” for a ride home from downtown to arrive at their residence around 1.56am.
No further details on who that driver was have been shared.
Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle were seen at the Sigma Chi house on the University of Idaho Campus. At approximately 1.45am, Ethan and Xana are believed to have returned to the residence.
It was previously reported that Ethan resided at the home, however, it has since been determined that he was only visiting.
Detectives believe that on November 12, the two surviving roommates had also been out in the Moscow community, separately, but returned home by 1am on November 13. The two did not wake up until later that morning.
On November 13, the surviving roommates summoned friends to the residence because they believed one of the second-floor victims had passed out and was not waking up.
At 11.58am, a call to emergency services requested aid for an unconscious person. The call was made from one of the surviving roommates’ mobile phones inside the residence.
Multiple people talked with the 911 dispatcher before Moscow Police arrived at the location. Officers entered the residence and found two victims on the second floor and two victims on the third floor.
Autopsies were conducted on November 17. The coroner confirmed the identity of the four murdered individuals and their cause and manner of death as homicide by stabbing.
The coroner stated the four victims were likely asleep, some had defensive wounds, and each was stabbed multiple times. There was no sign of sexual assault.
– with New York Post
