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

[OldCop]

OldCop, in your experience, is this ever done as a strategy? Letting someone have a sigh of relief that no one's on to them while behind the scenes, they're being watched quite intensely?

In a rare instance this might be done if they have the person under 24/7 surveillance. However, the inherent risk in this tactic is not only giving a perp a sense of relief, but also giving him a brazen confidence that he can get away with it again.
ETA I think Moscow PD has been very open about this particular group of people because of the out of control rumors floating around town about them. Because emotions are running so high, I think they feared that someone might attempt vigilante justice. So they have checked these folks out and don’t think they’re involved, but they could circle back around to any one of them if their leads are not panning out.

 

[drmrgrl]

And if an act of vengefulness, which is more likely a reason: to avenge something not done, or as revenge for something done?

Both

If these crimes were other than random, which do you think, given what you know of the circumstances, is a more realistic motive force: murder because of love (or lack thereof); or because of money; or because of some other factor?

anger pure and simple

But it wasn't a full moon - it was at 77%. Would love to hear how that affects lighting in your situation (we live in a regular singular story house). Your higher floor would mean more light, for sure (if your window faced the moon). I need to look up moonrise and house orientation for this house, because the lighting factor is driving me nuts.

We sleep with our door closed too (and two other doors in between that door and any regular point of entry to our house. However, I can see where people sleeping as roomies in one room might keep the door open for quietude when having to get up at night. These sets of people were on three different floors and probably had some expectation of privacy on their own floor.

In this case, people could certainly see in at Level 2 (kitchen/dining room area) but I'm thinking all the lights were turned off - and the killer had to know where the bedrooms were, unless he spent time opening doors and peeking in - and spending the multiple seconds it would take to figure out who was where.

Okay - so it appears to me that the windows in the bedrooms in both the second and third floors face north (so less light from the moon - but I do need to check moonrise time).

Percentage of cloud cover, temp and humidity are also important environmental variables

 

[Kano]

Interesting.

Why the knife, as opposed to a gun, say?

silence? Or maybe the killer is a well-to-do preppy college kid that has no access to an illegal gun market.

 

[mendicant]

Both

anger pure and simple

Percentage of cloud cover, temp and humidity are also important environmental variables

In what way?

 

[bigbear7878]

the car is 2011- 2014 is it? If it was recently purchased, Then the previous owner would be listed.

I don’t think anyone rents cars of that age. There used to be rent a wreck. So a rental is not wondering about blood stains? I suppose he could have a haz mat suit but where would he remove it? I would I imagine not in the house because he could leave a trace of something.

If thé car is stolen , then there probably is a report

yes, thé registering it anywhere is a stop gap so that is where the public can come in to report a car with an out of state license plate .
I don’t think anyone would spend the money to repaint a car. And if they did, I can’t imagine painting it white as that is a hard color to get coverage over another color.

We still have a rent a wreck where I live. Also, plenty of private rentals available.
Yhe car could have been painted years ago. Just stating there's plenty of reasons why the police asked for assistance.

 

[HopeValleyDevil]

Interesting.

Why the knife, as opposed to a gun, say?

Send a message. It was meant to be ferocious and messy. A gun is too clean.

I don't think it was absolute rage AIMOO

 

[Puzzles8]

Please understand that my comment has NOTHING to do with WHO the local killer is...nor am I saying it's in ANY way related.....I just feel like it's a HUGE conflict of interest.

My dad was a cop for 25 years (Chicago)...and went on to become an attorney. He would NEVER have touched anything criminal - especially in a DEFENSE capacity.

I view the coroner as "on the side of LE".....helping them understand the victims last moments, etc. I would be really disturbed by this if it were my child who had been murdered. Knowing the person who viewed their body & will likely testify in court, also has NO QUALMS about representing a murderer.

Cathy Mabbutt has both a nursing degree as well as a law degree. That qualifies her to do either or both jobs.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathy-mabbutt-25478314

I don't feel her job as Coroner is probably a full time job. So she probably does both Coroner and Attorney. In fact I feel her cross experience probably helps her do a more thorough job of both.

Much respect and many thanks to your dad as a Chicago cop, that is not an easy job. As well I applaud him for going further to get his law degree, what a remarkable man.

I do feel that the difference between a coroner and a defense attorney in a large city like Chicago does not compare to a coroner and a defense attorney in a smaller area like Moscow. I'll start and end with the politics involved.

JMO

 

[bigbear7878]

2011-2013

You risk bringing suspicion by painting that car. It’s possible the driver doesn’t have the money to have it painted.

Not if it was painted years ago.

 

[Kano]

We still have a rent a wreck where I live. Also, plenty of private rentals available.
Yhe car could have been painted years ago. Just stating there's plenty of reasons why the police asked for assistance.

in the world of drugs and crime theres something known as a "smokers bucket" also. Its where you give a small amount of drugs to a drug addict for unquestioned use of their vehicle for an undetermined period of time. That said, i doubt it would come into play with this case.

 

[drmrgrl]

Registration info would show if they recently owned it. If it suddenly disappeared or the owner was uncooperative, LE would have a good lead on whom to investigate further. Especially, if they are in the Moscow, ID area.

Regarding the Elantra, it would seem to me that the DMV would be an invaluable resource.

 

[Sister Golden Hair]

What if one of those owners does not any longer appear to have an Elantra at their house and is not willing to answer phone calls or come to the door when police knock? What then?

surveil the house and catch them by surprise somewhere. then if they react, you have a big clue that they're the sensitive type? jmo of course

 

[BeckyF]

So being that your father worked 25 years in law enforcement, do you think it is strange that the murders happened at around 3:00 AM and the front door was left open which is located on the first floor until Noon??? Next the two girls texted their friends to come over and check on the victims an hour before calling the cops???? Now that we know about the roommates calling friends first makes me look at the two roommates hard as the killers??? JMO

It has been stated multiple times that the room mates were not involved. Looking at them for what?

 

[jcamh]

Just ordered! I am in Texas and this case has me SO freaked out that it’s hard to be alone. I am sure all of us here at WS at extra careful, but i feel like i have to take even more precautions. So. Scary. I hope this case is solved very soon!

I ordered 2 of these awhile back thinking they would be the greatest thing ever. They are large and the angle of the wedge is steep. I couldn't get it to go under my front door. I have carpet in my bedroom and when I put it under the door, it slides on the carpet when you try to open the door. It also is so big that it is longer than the door width so someone on the other side could simply push it out from under the door with their finger.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Yeah - he was the most honorable person I know....no way could he devote his life fighting crime and then defend a criminal. It's so inappropriate....but going from cop to attorney is different from going from one TYPE of attorney to another TYPE of attorney.

But not all individuals charged with a crime are guilty, they need to be represented and defended, where's the presumption of innocence until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt?

 

[North_Idaho_Nony]

Cold days roll on with morning fog – Matt

What we’re tracking Hope you’re used to the cold by now — there’s no sign it’s going anywhere. Patchy freezing fog will be a travel concern in the mornings and

www.kxly.com

Morning fog on November 13, 2022, according to local news weather report.

Thank you! I remembered fog around then but couldn’t remember if it was that awful day or not.

 

[TKG]

I don't know either of you but it made me smile to see your enthusiasm at seeing your friend
Reading these crimes takes some wind out of me. Thanks for the boost.

You will quickly learn our veteran member @MassGuy is insightful, well informed and often makes the most salient points in very few words. Most importantly, he is often right!

 

[everybodhi]

Please understand that my comment has NOTHING to do with WHO the local killer is...nor am I saying it's in ANY way related.....I just feel like it's a HUGE conflict of interest.

My dad was a cop for 25 years (Chicago)...and went on to become an attorney. He would NEVER have touched anything criminal - especially in a DEFENSE capacity.

I view the coroner as "on the side of LE".....helping them understand the victims last moments, etc. I would be really disturbed by this if it were my child who had been murdered. Knowing the person who viewed their body & will likely testify in court, also has NO QUALMS about representing a murderer.

In the film “American Gangster”, Russell Crow plays Richie Roberts, a real life NJ Cop, turned prosecutor, turned defense attorney.
He played a role in the arrest and prosecution of a Harlem drug kingpin.
Then, after the conviction he became a criminal defense attorney and defended him on appeal
True story.

 

[HopeValleyDevil]

Trying to determine where X's room is directionally. The sliders and that part of the foundation are easily identifiable.

If the floor is out of level, the blood could go any way, then when it heads down, all sorts of obstacles carry water away from the building. There are lots of variables.

This may mean the house is a possible destruction order due to the contaminants in the walls.

 

[drmrgrl]

Have any of the victims parents spoken with media since the news of the Hyundai has come out? i don’t think I’ve seen anything from them which seems kinda odd?

The parents are laying low forthetimebeing.

 

[mendicant]

From earlier this week....

Idaho police say people cleared as suspects in student murders may be reinterviewed

Several people including the two surviving roommates and a man seen with two of the victims at a food truck have been cleared as suspects in the killings

www.independent.co.uk