This is the police investigation that shook America. On November 13, four students from the University of Moscow, Idaho, were found dead in the apartment they shared. The victims, who were very close to each other, were apparently the targets of the knife attack.
Five days after the massacre, many questions remain unanswered. CNN reports that US police still have no leads or weapons.
All four students have been publicly identified. There is one man, Ethan Chapin, 20, and three women, Kaylee Gonsalves, 21. Chana Kernodil, 20; and Madison Mohan, 21.
Hours before the gruesome discovery, one of the victims, Kaylee Goncalves, posted a photo of the four of them beaming happily under the porch of their home on Instagram with the caption: “One lucky girl to be surrounded by these people every day”.
What happened from Saturday to Sunday night?
As police have launched an appeal for witnesses and fear has gripped the university campus, investigators are trying to trace the last hours of the victims, identify possible suspects and determine a motive for the crime. Are these student robbery victims at fault? Where are they specifically targeted?
Chapin and Kernodle were at a party on campus while Goncalves and Mohan spent the evening at a downtown bar, Moscow Police Chief James Fry said.
According to the young man’s mother, Chapin did not live at home, but slept with his girlfriend Kernodil.
Video captured by surveillance cameras was analyzed
of Filmed images Food truck cameras captured the last known movements of the two victims. This surveillance video shows Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves having dinner. These pictures were shot after midnight. “The Goncalves and Mohan have been best friends since they were children and they “did everything together”. Alivia Goncalves, the sister of one of the victims, told ABC News.
During the roughly 10-minute wait in line for the food truck, the 21-year-old BFFs seemed to be having fun, smiling with each other, taking photos and chatting with other students gathered nearby.
A mysterious man appears to be with them when they arrive in front of the food truck, but two young women leave the scene alone.
According to the medical examiner, Mohan and Goncalves were killed two hours later in their student residence along with their friends Ethan Chapin, 20, and Chana Kernodle, 20.
A deserted campus
With Thanksgiving celebrations just days away, many students on the Moscow campus are looking forward to returning to their families.
“It cannot be said that there is no threat to society.”
The police, in fact, said in a more alarming communication that they could not be sure there was no danger to the public, reversing an earlier statement that the attacks were targeted. “We cannot say that there is no threat to society”, Moscow Police Chief James Fry said at a press conference Wednesday. “And as we’ve said before, please be vigilant, report suspicious activity and be vigilant at all times.”
When asked by CNN, Ava Tritfmeyer, a student at the campus, shared her feelings: “It’s very dark. It’s like a dark cloud over everything. We need to get out of here soon.”
Ava, who said she lives close to where four students were killed, described it as difficult to cope mentally and emotionally.
“Do you know how crazy that is? Not having answers to our questions is the worst feeling ever”, she said.
“Everybody went home scared. Student Nathan Dino also told CNN.
Two key witnesses are the housemates
According to ABC, two other roommates were inside the home at the time of the death. “None of them were injured or taken hostage.”The president of the university created Green.
Information confirmed by police. “There were a lot of people in the house at the time, but we’re not just focusing on them, we’re focusing on everyone who might be coming in and out of this apartment.” James Fry said, clarifying that the two men are actively cooperating with the work of the investigators.
The identity of the person who alerted emergency services at noon Sunday has not been publicly released.
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