Idaho college murders update: Surviving roommates break silence sharing memories of victims in letters read at memorial

Police in Idaho are wrapping up the investigation at the house where four University of Idaho students were brutally murdered – despite the killer still being at large and officials appearing to be no closer to solving the crime.

Police in Moscow have been grappling with a surge in calls since four friends were found butchered in their rental home – as the community remains racked by fear and University of Idaho students are set to return to campus with the killer still at large.

Two University of Idaho students who were asleep when their flatmates were stabbed to death have made public statements for the first time about the quadruple homicide.

Dylan Mortenson and Bethany Funke were asleep on the first floor of their Moscow, Idaho, student rental house when their three roommates Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, and Xana Kernodle, and Kernodle’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin, were stabbed to death on 13 November.

“We understand there is a sense of fear within our community,” said the Moscow Police Department, 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.

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”.

Maroosha Muzaffar reports.

Rampant rumours have dogged the investigation from early on with the victims’ families urging calm.

Law enforcement officials in Moscow, Idaho, continue to firefight rumours spreading about the unsolved murders of the four University of Idaho students.

On Friday, the Moscow Police Department warned about “speculation, without factual backing, stoking community fears and spreading false facts” and stressed the need to rely only on official statements as only vetted information would be released to the public.

• As detectives move forward with the homicide investigation, a private security company has been contracted to provide scene security to free up patrol resources. The scene remains under police control.

• Detectives are aware of a sixth person listed on the lease at the residence. They have spoken to this individual and confirmed they moved out prior to the start of the school year and was not present at the time of the incident. Detectives do not believe this person has any involvement in the murders.

• There has been extensive media interest regarding an incident at Taylor Avenue and Band Field on November 13, 2022, at 3:01 a.m. This incident was an alcohol offense which was addressed by the on-scene officer. This call is not related to the murder investigations. For further details regarding this incident, a Moscow Police Department Public Records Request can be submitted referencing incident number 22-MO9896.

• 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. We continue receiving inquiries about comments made by Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson, who said the suspect(s) specifically looked at the victim’s residence and that one or more of the occupants were undoubtedly targeted. The Moscow Police Department is the only provider of official information regarding this case.
• At this time, no suspect has been identified and only vetted information that does not hinder the investigation will be released to the public. There is speculation, without factual backing, stoking community fears and spreading false facts. We encourage referencing official releases for accurate information and updated progress.

“Even before her birth, Kaylee was fire and life,” it read.

Kaylee was studying to become an elementary school teacher, the obituary stated. She was weeks shy of graduation at the time of her death.

“She was born with black, thick curls, the cutest button nose, and a perfectly round porcelain face marked with a tiny scar on her forehead that even the doctors couldn’t quite explain. Much to her dismay later in life, her siblings would tease her that’s where her ‘horns’ tried to grow in.”

“She was strong. She was fair. She was tough. She was dedicated. She was beautiful. She was. She was and she is love.”

Her family had previously said that she had landed a job in Texas and was going to move to the state early next year.

A woman has been exposed as falsy posing as a journalist to question police about the killing of four University of Idaho students.

This footage shows the moment the “fake reporter” identified herself as being with the student newspaper, The Pathfinder.

She proceeded to ask Moscow police about the murder weapon and the “possibility that the killer might be a female.”

In a Facebook statement, The Pathfinder said the woman was not affiliated with them, and they were “confused and concerned” by the incident on November 23.

The attack was targeted, police said.

However, it is unknown whether the perpetrator targeted one or more of the victims or the residence where they were killed.

It is not known if the killer personally knew one or more of the victims and whether the attack was carried out in a fit of jealousy or rage.

The autopsies revealed that the bodies did not show signs of sexual assault.

Police have distanced themselves from early characterisations of the crime as “personal.”