Idaho police spark confusion over claim murders were ‘targeted’ – live

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Idaho student murders: Police believe four killed in ‘targeted attack’

Police investigating the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students have sparked confusion over whether or not the killings were “targeted”, as they accused the local prosecutor of “miscommunication”.

Ever since Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kerndole and Ethan Chapin were stabbed to death on 13 November, investigators have claimed the attacks were “targeted”.

On Wednesday, Latah County prosecutor Bill Thompson said in interviews that it was “perhaps not the best word to use” before saying that the “attack was intended for a specific person”.

Hours later, Moscow Police clarified that officials “do not currently know if the residence or any occupants were specifically targeted” and that Mr Thompson’s comments were the result of “miscommunication”.

The walkback comes as the first lab results from the crime scene came back and as the victims’ families gave emotional speeches at a vigil at the university campus on Wednesday evening.

Goncalves’ father Steve Goncalves vowed to “get our justice” and revealed that his daughter died in the same bed as her best friend Mogen.

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Last known movements: Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves

On the night of 12 November, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen spent the night together at The Corner Club on Main Street in downtown Moscow.

The best friends arrived there around 10pm and stayed until around 1.30am on the morning of 13 November.

The pair then walked straight down Main Street to a red brick building that used to host the now-defunct Garden Lounge; a favourite food truck, Grub Wandering Kitchen – fondly called Grub Truck by its many local fans – often parks outside on Main Street.

Goncalves and Mogen were captured on Twitch footage at the food truck. There, they ordered pasta carbonara, laughed and chatted with other students.

After getting their food, they got a lift home from a “private party” – identified as a sorority car service – and returned to the home on King Road around 1.56am.

Back at the house, Mogen and Goncalves both made multiple calls to Goncalves’ long-term ex-boyfriend with whom she shared a dog called Murphy.

Ten calls were made between 2.26 am and 2.52 am but none of them were answered.

The victims are believed to have died around 3am or 4am.

Rachel Sharp1 December 2022 13:20

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Xana Kernodle’s cousin posts tribute

The grieving cousin of murdered student Xana Kernodle posted a tribute on Wednesday night in memory of the 20-year-old.

“We love you Xana #vandalstrong,” tweeted Sheldon Kernodle, along with a photo of a candle and a University of Idaho flag in the snow.

The message came as the four students were remembered in vigils held on the university campus on Wednesday night.

Rachel Sharp1 December 2022 13:00

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Confusion over Idaho murders as police walk back ‘targeted’ claim and accuse prosecutor of ‘miscommunication’

Confusion continues to mount around the unsolved University of Idaho murders as investigators appeared to walk back their claim that one or more of the victims was “targeted” in the brutal attack and accused the local prosecutor of “miscommunication”.

On Wednesday, Moscow Police Department released a statement saying that they actually “do not currently know” if the killer specifically targeted the victims or the off-campus home on King Road that became the site of the bloodbath.

“Detectives do not currently know if the residence or any occupants were specifically targeted but continue to investigate,” the statement said.

The statement came after Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson gave conflicting statements about the nature of the crime this week.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:

Rachel Sharp1 December 2022 12:40

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Families mourn victims at vigil

The families of the slain students gave emotional speeches at a vigil for the victims on Wednesday evening.

Madison Mogen’s father Ben Mogen shared his happiest memory with his daughter when they went to a Mac Miller concert together.

“That was the happiest memory I could think of that we shared together,” he said, describing his daughter as “smart and funny and beautiful” and “just nice to everybody”.

Ethan Chapin’s mother Stacy Chapin urged attendees to savour the precious time they have with their loved ones as she vowed to continue “Ethan’s legacy”.

“We are eternally grateful that we spent so much time with him. And I want to remind you, that that’s the most important message that we have for you and your families, is to make sure that you spend as much time as possible with those people because time is precious, and it’s something you can’t get back,” she said.

Kaylee Goncalves’ father Steve Goncalves described her and her best friend Mogen as “absolutely beautiful” young women who first met in sixth grade and became inseparable.

He said it gave him comfort to learn that the best friends were together until the very end.

“They just found each other, and every day they did homework together, they came to our house together, they shared everything,” he said.

“Then they started looking at colleges, they came here together. They eventually get into the same apartment together.

“And in the end, they died together, in the same room, in the same bed.”

The vigil was attended by a huge crowd of students and Moscow residents grieving the first murder the small, college town has seen in seven years.

Rachel Sharp1 December 2022 12:20

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Grieving father reveals that murdered Idaho student died in same bed as her best friend

The grieving father of one of the four slain University of Idahostudents has revealed that his daughter died in the same bed as her life-long best friend.

Steve Goncalves, whose 21-year-old daughter Kaylee Goncalves was stabbed to death back on 13 November, gave a heartbreaking speech at a vigil for the victims on Wednesday evening where he said it gave him comfort to learn that she was with best friend Madison Mogen until the very end.

Mr Goncalves told how the “absolutely beautiful” young women first met in sixth grade and became inseparable.

“They just found each other, and every day they did homework together, they came to our house together, they shared everything,” he said.

“Then they started looking at colleges, they came here together. They eventually get into the same apartment together.

“And in the end, they died together, in the same room, in the same bed.”

Authorities previously revealed that two of the victims were found on the third floor and the other two on the second floor of the third-storey home. Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt said the victims were attacked in their beds and were “likely” sleeping when the killer struck – with Mr Goncalves’ comments revealing for the first time that the two best friends were found together.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:

Rachel Sharp1 December 2022 12:00

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Moscow officials spark further confusion about ‘targeted’ murders

Investigators have continued to spark further confusion about whether or not the murders of four University of Idaho students were “targeted” or not, as Moscow police accused the local prosecutor of “miscommunication”.

Ever since Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kerndole and Ethan Chapin were stabbed to death in an off-campus home on 13 November, investigators have described the attacks as “targeted”.

They have used the phrase in multiple press conferences and media interviews but have refused to reveal what has led them to that conclusion or whether only one of the victims was the intended target – with the others simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

This week, Latah County prosecutor Bill Thompson gave conflicting statements about the nature of the crime.

On Tuesday, he appeared to walk back the belief that the killings were targeted, saying that it was “perhaps not the best word to use”.

On Wednesday, he gave a different interview where he said that the “attack was intended for a specific person”.

Hours later, Moscow Police released a “clarification” on their Facebook page – which only added to the confusion.

In it, police said that officials “do not currently know if the residence or any occupants were specifically targeted” and said that Mr Thompson’s comments were the result of “miscommunication”.

Rachel Sharp1 December 2022 11:40

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First crime scene lab results come back – two weeks after murders

The first crime scene lab results have started to come back – more than two weeks on from the quadruple murders that have rocked the college town of Moscow.

Idaho State Police Communications Director Aaron Snell told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that investigators were starting to receive the results from forensic testing.

“I do know that each type of testing… some take longer than others. And I also do know that there have been results that have been returned and those go directly to the investigators, so that way they can help, again, paint that picture as we keep talking about,” he said.

Mr Snell refused to reveal whether DNA that did not belong to the four victims or the two surviving roommates had been found at the crime scene as it is hoped that the forensics could finally provide some clues to lead police to the killer.

More than two weeks on from the murders, investigators still have no suspects on their radar.

But, despite the lack of concrete leads in the case, police are wrapping up the investigation at the three-storey home on King Road where the brutal murder took place.

Rachel Sharp1 December 2022 11:20

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Victim’s father reveals she died in same bed as best friend

The grieving father of one of the four slain University of Idaho students has revealed that his daughter was found dead in the same bed as her life-long best friend.

Steve Goncalves, whose 21-year-old daughter Kaylee Goncalves was stabbed to death back on 13 November, gave a heartbreaking speech at a vigil for the victims on Wednesday evening where he said it gave him comfort to learn that she was with best friend Madison Mogen until the very end.

Mr Goncalves told how the “absolutely beautiful” young women first met in sixth grade and became inseparable.

“They just found each other, and every day they did homework together, they came to our house together, they shared everything,” he said.

“Then they started looking at colleges, they came here together. They eventually get into the same apartment together.

“And in the end, they died together, in the same room, in the same bed.”

The devastated father, whose family also saw Mogen as a daughter, said that while “it hurts”, there is some “beauty” in knowing that the pair were together when they died.

“The beauty of the two always being together is something that will – it comforts us, it lets us know that they were with their best friends in the whole world,” he said.

“It’s like a book, it’s like some kind of terrible chapter but there’s beauty in it. And we’re gonna get our justice, we’re gonna figure this stuff out. This community deserves that.”

Rachel Sharp1 December 2022 11:00

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911 call logs reveal sightings of blood stains, knives and ‘suspicious men’ in town of Idaho student murders

“We understand there is a sense of fear within our community,” said the Moscow Police Department on Sunday, revealing that it had received more calls about “unusual circumstances” and requests for welfare checks in the past two weeks than in the entire month of October.

Rachel Sharp1 December 2022 10:40

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Idaho police rule out ‘red Mustang’ conspiracy theory that’s taking over Reddit

In a statement, the Moscow police department said “there have been online reports of a red Mustang on S Deakin St being processed as part of the investigation” but “this case is not related” to the ongoing murder investigation”.

The mystery of the four murders on 13 November in which Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Gonsalves, 21, were brutally killed has baffled not just the police but internet sleuths as well.

After cops failed to identify a suspect or locate the murder weapon, speculations were rife on social media, with the latest being one about a red Mustang.

Maroosha Muzaffar has the details.

Rachel Sharp1 December 2022 10:20

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