ID - 4 University of Idaho Students Murdered - Moscow # 26

[cara23]

I agree, IMHO It would not take much skill to kill 4 college kids that were borderline functional from drinking in excess. There obviously was some sort of target as the LE has not cautioned people to be on the watch for a potential killer on the loose. If LE thought there was a major danger to the public they would caution people daily on being careful, setting alarms, staying in pairs and sleeping with one eye open. LE is obviously comfortable with the target scenario as they would otherwise be opening themsilves to all sorts of problems if heaven forbid another massacre occurs.

I don't know. They've gone back and forth too many times on this targeted thing.

This perpetrator who killed four isn't in custody (rumors aside) - so my opinion is there is obviously is still a risk.

Kids are unfortunately used to living in fear now with the school shootings and whatnot, feeling safe is a thing of the past.

 

[GRT]

The heaviness of the sleeping of the roommates, how well the noise isolation works towards the 1st floor and the fact that people often don't scream when attacked all have absolutely nothing to do with the planning or execution.

Nope.

MOO: I feel like some people give the killer way too much credit and it's kinda yuck. Someone stabbed 4 drunk college kids in their sleep. This does not require that much skill, rather rage and/or psychiatric issues. While getting a college degree might require skills, as might collecting money for a new car at such a young age or getting a good partner/friend to fall asleep next to. I feel like the prep lacked at least some of these skills.

P.S: just this crazy story to share, too! Just to show how a person might be able to behave.

I've been wondering whether the killer was in the house when they went to bed. I know some have suggested that before, but what if he drugged them somehow? That would explain how they were killed in their beds with only limited defensive wounds. That would mean it was someone they knew and trusted. MOO

 

[WildWest]

Is it definite that the mini van seen at 1122 King and used by plainclothes LE was not a rental? If they flew into the area and rented the van it could have had out of state plates. I've often had rentals that had out of state plates.

Good catch!

 

[XtremeScorpio]

Initially, the blood on the knife belongs to the first victim, then to first and second victims, then first-second-third and finally all of them. Additional blood found in the victim's wounds most likely would be the killer's unless someone else has been injured by that knife prior to the murders...human or animal. It will also show when the killer was injured. My daughter has a PhD in biomedical engineering, and she has worked her entire career exclusively with RNA and DNA. She tells me the process of making these determinations is time-consuming and must be perfect... but it's absolutely do-able although going to ancestral DNA gets more complicated and time-consuming which is partly why this will likely take a long time. But it does work. See Michelle Martinko Murder 1979. The killer was arrested exactly 39 years later (and subsequently convicted) on DNA evidence like I'm describing. He lived about 20 miles from us and was highly thought of in the community. Similar to the the Delphi suspect.

If that's the case then they'd most likely know who was killed first and, possible, the order they were all killed in. But then they probably do and are keeping tight lipped.

MOO

 

[ktm44]

I've been wondering whether the killer was in the house when they went to bed. I know some have suggested that before, but what if he drugged them somehow? That would explain how they were killed in their beds with only limited defensive wounds. That would mean it was someone they knew and trusted. MOO

I read a fascinating article many years ago when a group of university students in Calgary were stabbed to death. They were all awake and there was so much speculation about why the victims died and what people felt they could have done to save themselves.

The basis of the interview with a psychologist was that our reactions are unique situations stems from our life experiences and even seeing friends murdered, young people with limited life experiences aren't going to process that information quickly enough.

I would assume that if anyone woke up from a deep sleep, with someone plunging a knife into your body, you're going to have little time to process information, regardless of life experiences and even less time to react.

Edited to correct typo

 

[Moonsie]

I've been wondering whether the killer was in the house when they went to bed. I know some have suggested that before, but what if he drugged them somehow? That would explain how they were killed in their beds with only limited defensive wounds. That would mean it was someone they knew and trusted. MOO

If I’m half drunk, fully asleep and on my stomach, all it would take is someone grabbing my hair to lift my head up and severing my carotid artery. I’d be dead in less than a minute. I wouldn’t stand a chance and would never know what hit me. I’d basically bleed out into the mattress.

Fwiw, I think this crime was swift and efficient.

moo.

 

[WildWest]

If crime was done by approx 4am it was still dark out then I'm guessing. It starts to get light where I am around 6am... So he was cleaning up/disposing of evidence probably before daylight.

If on foot his disposal would have to be close to the crime scene. If in a car he could dispose anywhere off a main road and he'd still want to do a due diligence clean up of the car which would be in daylight.

I live in MST, it's still dark here at 4 am for me too.

 

[cara23]

If I’m half drunk, fully asleep and on my stomach, all it would take is someone grabbing my hair to lift my head up and severing my carotid artery. I’d be dead in less than a minute. I wouldn’t stand a chance and would never know what hit me. I’d basically bleed out into the mattress.

Fwiw, I think this crime was swift and efficient.

moo.

Shiver. Agree. Anyone who is capable of this that is terrifying no matter who they end up being.

 

[XtremeScorpio]

In that case, a presumptive test would have been performed by forensic techs. If proteins were found, a sample would be taken to forensic lab to determine if it is animal or human blood

That's what I keep thinking. Or, they didn't think taking a sample of it was necessary because they found the source of it inside.

Either way, I'm confident it is blood or else LE would have revealed it and put all talk and speculation to rest. Just my opinion (JMO).

 

[WildWest]

If I’m half drunk, fully asleep and on my stomach, all it would take is someone grabbing my hair to lift my head up and severing my carotid artery. I’d be dead in less than a minute. I wouldn’t stand a chance and would never know what hit me. I’d basically bleed out into the mattress.

Fwiw, I think this crime was swift and efficient.

moo.

Agree, I still cannot make sense of multiple stab wounds on each of the 4 though. I pray they did not suffer long.

 

[Mad Hettie]

I've been thinking about the basic motive of the killer(s) here.

Whatever else occurred in the house that night, the murders themselves seem to have been well planned in that no one awoke until they were attacked (according to LE/coroner reports). No neighbors or roommates were alerted.

4 people were killed with some purpose. It's unknown if the killer(s) planned to kill more.

My theory is that the killing was either very personal (to the killer) or nothing personal/business.

If it was very personal, I'm thinking it was someone acting alone.
If it was nothing personal/business, it may have been more than one killer. MOO

 

[dotr]

Numerous links, video within link.

Idaho murders timeline: What we know about the slayings of four students

This is what is known so far about the grisly murders of four University of Idaho students, who were found stabbed to death in an off-campus home Nov. 13, according to police.

www.foxnews.com

December 9, 2022

''The four victims were stabbed to death with a fixed-blade knife between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on the second and third floors of the home, according to police. The murder weapon has not been recovered''

'At 2 p.m. Sunday, the university sent out a "Vandal Alert" notifying students of the homicides and telling them to "shelter in place."

''Idaho State Police Communications Director Aaron Snell also said that authorities hadn't zeroed in on a motive or determined whether there was more than one assailant.''


''Police enlist a local business to tow five vehicles from the King Road home. All five of the vehicles are moved to the City of Moscow Maintenance Shop, where police can access them if the need arises. ''

''Meanwhile, Kaylee’s father, Steven Goncalves, told "Lawrence Jones Cross Country" the "means of death" for his daughter and Mogen – who were asleep in the same bed – "don’t match."

Authorities are asking anyone with information about the incident to call 208-883-7180 or tipline@ci.moscow.id.us.''

 

[Vivyinsect]

Every rental I've had had the same plate as the state I was in at that time. It is possible. I just don't think it's too likely. Thus is JMO though.

I’ve had different experiences with rentals picked up near the airport. I dreaded having the Indiana plates while driving through Manhattan’s rush hour traffic!! I’ve rented cars locally while my own car was being serviced and those plates were local. I’m not sure if there’s rhyme or reason there.

 

[Deleted member 110058]

If I’m half drunk, fully asleep and on my stomach, all it would take is someone grabbing my hair to lift my head up and severing my carotid artery. I’d be dead in less than a minute. I wouldn’t stand a chance and would never know what hit me. I’d basically bleed out into the mattress.

Fwiw, I think this crime was swift and efficient.

moo.

Do you think the killer might have had some understanding of human anatomy. So they could, as you say "efficiently and swiftly" do the job?

 

[blackbeary]

Why would that matter?

idk. They are some type of le who do not want their faces broadcast nationwide, it could interfere with their ability to investigate covertly?
M00

 

[Aquarian]

Do you think the killer might have had some understanding of human anatomy. So they could, as you say "efficiently and swiftly" do the job?

I’ve wondered that

 

[Moonsie]

Do you think the killer might have had some understanding of human anatomy. So they could, as you say "efficiently and swiftly" do the job?

Anatomy? Maybe. How to kill someone quickly and efficiently with a knife? Absolutely.

moo.

 

[10ofRods]

Articles mentioning that Ethan was found on the floor:

Blood oozes from home where four Idaho students were killed

Sources in Moscow, Idaho, say the house where four students were brutally murdered Sunday was the worst they have ever seen. There was so much blood that it oozed through the walls.

www.dailymail.co.uk

^This one is daily mail, but it appears to be a copy of an article published elsewhere. It's the first mention on our media thread (it's on page 2) of Ethan being on the floor. Next the coroner will say the same thing.

Later, the coroner will clarify that all four were "in bed": (page 8 of our media thread):

University of Idaho Students Killed in Bed, Coroner Says: 'Maybe They Were Sleeping'

While speaking to NewsNation, Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt said the four victims of Sunday night's quadruple homicide were found in bed at an off-campus residence near the University of Idaho

people.com

Meanwhile, other sources picked up the DM original story.

So, that's how I was misled into thinking that Ethan was found on the floor - that and the alleged blood stains dripping from that room onto the foundation (it is hard to believe that much blood would be left over after soaking into the mattress...)

 

[Scvanvliet]

Good catch!

The Pullman-Moscow regional airport is in Washington. The closest FBI office to Moscow, ID is in Spokane, Washington. Both logical reasons for plates not to be from Idaho.

 

[Nash2019]

With a case I mentioned before in Calgary, Canada they released a video still image to the public of a green pick up truck seen close to the crime scene.

I think they did this because they couldn't see the plate in the image and Calgary/Alberta is a place where pick up trucks/big trucks are rampant (rural, farming, ranching, lots of snow, etc.) more than some other Canadian cities.

So a needle in a haystack kinda thing. There are probably tons of white Elantras but maybe they are waiting for that one tip where someone knows someone with that car who was acting suspicious or cleanings. etc. That's what happened in Calgary - one tip to that truck led to the killer and thankfully!

I was at Timmie's around noon today. I counted 17 car/suv in front of me and 15 were white! I'm not a car buff so wouldn't know the make of a car from a distance but sure as heck are a lot of white vehicles!