Idaho student murders: Mystery four-hour gap in timeline of killings puzzles police

Rachel Schilke

December 06, 04:29 PM December 06, 04:29 PM

Moscow detectives are looking for any information regarding a four-hour timeline gap during which two murdered University of Idaho students are unaccounted for.

Ethan Chapin, 20, and Xana Kernodle, 20, are two of the four students that were murdered in their beds on Nov. 13 with a large knife. The other two are Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21.

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Police are scrambling to put together a timeline for what happened in the hours leading to their deaths. So far, detectives know that Chapin and Kernodle, who were dating, were believed to be at the Sigma Chi house from 9 p.m. until 1:45 a.m. before returning to the women's residence.

However, they are looking for anyone with details regarding that time frame to step forward.

"Any interactions, contacts, direction and method of travel, or anything abnormal could add context to what occurred," a press release stated.

Kernodle's mother, Cara Denise Northington, said in an interview with NewsNation that she thought her daughter and Chapin may have gone to a bar after the Sigma Chi party, but she does not know for sure.

Police narrowed down timelines for Goncalves and Mogen, who were out at a downtown Moscow bar, and following that, a local food truck, before being driven home by a third-party driver at 1:56 a.m.

There has been no suspect identified in connection with the homicides. Police are offering limited information on the case to avoid damaging their investigation, causing the public and family members of the victims to express frustration and fear.

"I learn more on the news and on TV than what they have said to me," Northington said. "We need more answers."

The Moscow Police Department is combing through over 6,000 tips through email, phone, and digital media, per police.

"Our focus is the investigation, not the activities," the police press release said. "Your information, whether you believe it is significant or not, might be one of the puzzle pieces that help solve these murders."

Police have been consistent in reminding the public not to listen to "speculation or unvetted information" circulating in the media.

"We recognize the frustration this causes, and that speculation proliferates in the absence of facts," police stated. "However, we firmly believe speculation and unvetted information is a disservice to the victims, their families, and our community."

Idaho murders: Police identify 'stalker' incident involving victim Kaylee Goncalves

Asher Notheis

December 06, 10:10 AM December 06, 10:10 AM

Idaho police have addressed a potential "stalker" involving one of the victims in last month's murder of four University of Idaho roommates.

The Moscow Police Department said Monday that two males were spotted inside a local business in mid-October, and the two of them parted ways while one proceeded to follow Kaylee Goncalves, one of the victims of the future murder, inside the business. The male suspect also followed her as she exited the building and walked toward her car, though it does not appear he made any contact with her during this, police said in a press release.

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"Detectives contacted both males and learned the two were attempting to meet women at the business, [and] this was corroborated through additional investigation," the police statement said. "Based on available information, detectives believe this was an isolated incident and not an ongoing pattern of stalking. No evidence suggests the two males were involved in the murders."

Investigators have not identified a suspect in the murders.

The four roommates who were killed on the evening of Nov. 13 include Goncalves, 21, Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Madison Mogen, 21. All four were stabbed in the chest and upper body with a large knife while they were in bed, according to local authorities.

Steven Goncalves, the father of Kaylee Goncalves, noted on Sunday that the murderer's entry point on the middle floor and only going upstairs leads him to believe it may have been intentional.

"I'm not a professional, so I want to specify that, but they've said the entry point was the slider or the window," Goncalves said on WHD News's Fox and Friends on Sunday. "It was the middle floor. So to me, he doesn't have to go upstairs. His entry and exit are available without having to go upstairs or downstairs. Looks like he probably may have not gone downstairs. We don't know that for sure, but he obviously went upstairs. So I'm using logic that he chose to go up there when he didn't have to."

Police are currently going through over 2,645 emailed tips, 2,770 phone tips, and 1,084 digital media submissions to find answers in this investigation. Anyone with potential information or tips for this murder can submit them by calling 208-883-7180, emailing tipline@ci.moscow.id.us, or submitting a digital media submission.

"Your information, whether you believe it is significant or not, might be one of the puzzle pieces that help solve these murders," the Moscow Police Department said.

Idaho student murders: Chilling new clue found as hunt for vicious killer continues

Cami Mondeaux

December 03, 12:19 PM December 03, 12:19 PM

A student at the University of Idaho reported strange footprints that were found near her home located less than a mile away from the off-campus home where four students were killed last month.

A university student reported footsteps in the snow leading up to her back patio that weren’t present when she left her home to go to class around 1 p.m. on Wednesday, according to a police report.

The tip comes as police have reported a significant increase in the number of 911 calls claiming “unusual circumstances” and requests for welfare checks as students grapple with the quadruple stabbings that occurred on Nov. 13. Police have not identified a suspect or retrieved a weapon despite investigators collecting more than 100 pieces of physical evidence and over 4,000 photos and 3D scans of the home, according to officials.

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Four students, identified as Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were slain on Nov. 13. Each was killed in bed and stabbed in the chest and upper body with a large knife.

As of Sunday, law enforcement officers have gotten 78 calls for unusual circumstances and 36 welfare check requests from family members since the Nov. 13 attack, officials said. That’s an increase from the 70 calls and 18 welfare checks that were received throughout the duration of October.

Officials in Moscow, Idaho, initially reported that they believed the deaths were the result of an “isolated, targeted attack” by someone who had “specifically looked at this residence.” However, police backtracked on these statements on Wednesday, explaining they resulted from a “miscommunication” with the Latah County Prosecutor’s Office.

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

Investigators further clarified the next day, releasing a statement noting that "we remain consistent in our belief that this was a targeted attack, but investigators have not concluded if the target was the residence or if it was the occupants."

Police are asking the community to submit tips or any possibly relevant information by calling 208-883-7180 or emailing tipline@ci.moscow.id.us.

Investigators have already received more than 260 media submissions that people have submitted via an FBI form, and authorities are processing more than 1,000 tips, according to police. Investigators have also completed at least 150 interviews.

Idaho student murders: The latest from the two-week investigation

Jenny Goldsberry

November 27, 11:42 AM November 27, 11:42 AM

Two weeks have passed since four University of Idaho students were murdered in their apartment in Moscow, Idaho.

The Moscow Police Department issued an update to its investigation on Friday to clear up rumors, report on the information gathered via its tip line, and ask for more help from the community. This comes as Gov. Brad Little directed up to $1 million in state emergency funds toward the investigation headed by four detectives, 24 patrol officers, and 22 FBI investigators.

Over 260 digital tips have been submitted via the FBI link associated with the incident so far. The department is still soliciting tips and video in particular via its tip line: 208-883-7180 and tipline@ci.moscow.id.us from the hours of 3 a.m. to 6 a.m.

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Police also addressed the rumored connections between a 1999 double stabbing in Pullman, Washington, and the 2021 double stabbing in Salem, Oregon, and its most recent case on the student murders.

"While these cases share similarities with the King Street homicides, there does not appear to be any evidence to support the cases are related," a police statement read.

There is no suspect named in the case, with the murder weapon also still not found. While police have ruled out the two roommates that were in the apartment that same night as suspects, they have not released a profile on who the suspect might be. Idaho State Police Communications Director Aaron Snell said in an interview that that is on purpose.

"It will potentially put more fear, more suspicion on a wide variety of people versus if we use that to really refine where we're at in our investigation," Snell explained when asked why a profile hasn't been released. "I think that will be more pertinent."

A vigil in remembrance of Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, is set for Nov. 30 on the University of Idaho campus.