@Idaho College Murders

[mcppalmbeach]

I am just horrified by the events of this case. These poor children. I cannot imagine what will come to light about what happened, but as a parent, this is so chilling.

[Velar Fricative]

I was thinking about posting a thread just now because the whole thing is tragic and bizarre. Local LE seem to be way in over their heads on this. The coroner may never have even dealt with a death by stabbing in her 16 years as coroner before this: www.idahopress.com/news/local/coroner-confirms-university-of-idaho-students-stabbed-to-death/article_ad4dca58-66c3-11ed-91ea-0bb593034b90.html

[EvieEthelGarland]

I am a Vandal and still visit Moscow 1-2 times a year. My freshman neighbor came home on Tuesday and his parents are hesitant to send him back after the holiday. This is the third multiple homicide I can remember since the 90s. I have some thoughts on the police and city management that I'm sure I am not alone in, but am keeping them to myself because rumors help no one.

[jlt19]

Wow, I hadn’t heard about this yet. How very horrific. I can’t imagine being a student and there being no answers yet as to who did this or why. I wouldn’t blame one of them for not going back after the break.

[mcppalmbeach]

Nov 18, 2022 11:47:01 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

I was thinking about posting a thread just now because the whole thing is tragic and bizarre. Local LE seem to be way in over their heads on this. The coroner may never have even dealt with a death by stabbing in her 16 years as coroner before this: www.idahopress.com/news/local/coroner-confirms-university-of-idaho-students-stabbed-to-death/article_ad4dca58-66c3-11ed-91ea-0bb593034b90.html

I know. I wasn’t going to post it because, frankly, I don’t like being a tragedy attention whore. But the new details really have my mind spinning…Roomates were home, stabbing, the blood dripping out of the house. I just honestly can’t even imagine any of this. It’s just too much.

[konapoppy]

Nov 18, 2022 17:57:04 GMT -5 mcppalmbeach said:

Nov 18, 2022 11:47:01 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

I was thinking about posting a thread just now because the whole thing is tragic and bizarre. Local LE seem to be way in over their heads on this. The coroner may never have even dealt with a death by stabbing in her 16 years as coroner before this: www.idahopress.com/news/local/coroner-confirms-university-of-idaho-students-stabbed-to-death/article_ad4dca58-66c3-11ed-91ea-0bb593034b90.html

I know. I wasn’t going to post it because, frankly, I don’t like being a tragedy attention whore. But the new details really have my mind spinning…Roomates were home, stabbing, the blood dripping out of the house. I just honestly can’t even imagine any of this. It’s just too much.

It is crazy. The piece about roommates being home I imagine will be sorted out at some point. The call saying someone was unconscious. It just doesn’t add up.

[turbo]

I have been obsessively following this story, just because it doesn’t add up. I saw one of the victim’s relatives said there was evidence that she fought her attacker. But then the other two roommates were apparently home and slept through this all? Like if someone was being stabbed, wouldn’t they scream? Can four people really be stabbed to death in a house while others sleep? And then you call in that someone is unconscious and don’t really that your roommate is dead? Wouldn’t there be a lot of blood and stuff?

I’m trying not to jump to any conclusions but so much of this is really weird. And I agree - it definitely feels like the local law enforcement there is in way over their heads.

And if my kids went to UofI, I’d probably push for them to come home. We just did two years of distance learning due to a pandemic so there’s no reason the school can’t do a couple weeks if needed for people to stay safe. I mean the risk is probably low that another kid is attacked. But also, is it worth the risk when the police don’t seem to clearly know what’s going on?

[mcppalmbeach]

Nov 18, 2022 18:21:41 GMT -5 turbo said:

I have been obsessively following this story, just because it doesn’t add up. I saw one of the victim’s relatives said there was evidence that she fought her attacker. But then the other two roommates were apparently home and slept through this all? Like if someone was being stabbed, wouldn’t they scream? Can four people really be stabbed to death in a house while others sleep? And then you call in that someone is unconscious and don’t really that your roommate is dead? Wouldn’t there be a lot of blood and stuff?

I’m trying not to jump to any conclusions but so much of this is really weird. And I agree - it definitely feels like the local law enforcement there is in way over their heads.
And if my kids went to UofI, I’d probably push for them to come home. We just did two years of distance learning due to a pandemic so there’s no reason the school can’t do a couple weeks if needed for people to stay safe. I mean the risk is probably low that another kid is attacked. But also, is it worth the risk when the police don’t seem to clearly know what’s going on?

Yes, I had all of the same questions. I just can’t add up the pieces.
I think I would want my child home also.

[bcv513]

I would bring my kid home too. It’s horrifying.

From what I read the two surviving roommates had rooms in the basement which is pretty separate from the rest of the house. Almost like an in-law apartment.

[niemand88f]

Yea so strange & sad. And the first couple days law enforcement were saying no risk to the public, when they seem to have no idea who did this or why?

[turbo]

Nov 18, 2022 18:55:29 GMT -5 bcv513 said:

I would bring my kid home too. It’s horrifying.

From what I read the two surviving roommates had rooms in the basement which is pretty separate from the rest of the house. Almost like an in-law apartment.

That would make a lot more sense. I was assuming they were all roommates together in the same house and that confused me.

Man, could you imagine the trauma and fear and guilt you’d have if you were a surviving roommate and you weren’t involved? I cannot fathom waking up and learning four people I knew and shared a house with were stabbed to death while I slept. Assuming they’re not involved, I feel so bad for them as well.

[jeaniebueller]

Nov 18, 2022 11:47:01 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

I was thinking about posting a thread just now because the whole thing is tragic and bizarre. Local LE seem to be way in over their heads on this. The coroner may never have even dealt with a death by stabbing in her 16 years as coroner before this: www.idahopress.com/news/local/coroner-confirms-university-of-idaho-students-stabbed-to-death/article_ad4dca58-66c3-11ed-91ea-0bb593034b90.html

I’m hoping that local LE didn’t massively screw up the forensic evidence collecting because it seems somewhat unheard of that there wouldn’t be something. I also assume they are grabbing area phone pings and hopefully that leads to a lead. On the other hand, they may have a suspect but are playing like they don’t.

Does Idaho have a state police? In Michigan, the MSP would be brought in most cases to help any smaller jurisdiction

[yellow23]

Nov 18, 2022 18:55:29 GMT -5 bcv513 said:

I would bring my kid home too. It’s horrifying.

From what I read the two surviving roommates had rooms in the basement which is pretty separate from the rest of the house. Almost like an in-law apartment.

I had the basement bedroom in a 3 level townhouse in college and I couldn’t hear anything down there. The rest of the bedrooms were on the top floor so I really didn’t hear anything from there. It’s terrifying to think you wouldn’t hear anything, but definitely possible in some houses.

[penguingrrl]

Nov 18, 2022 19:51:07 GMT -5 jeaniebueller said:

Nov 18, 2022 11:47:01 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

I was thinking about posting a thread just now because the whole thing is tragic and bizarre. Local LE seem to be way in over their heads on this. The coroner may never have even dealt with a death by stabbing in her 16 years as coroner before this: www.idahopress.com/news/local/coroner-confirms-university-of-idaho-students-stabbed-to-death/article_ad4dca58-66c3-11ed-91ea-0bb593034b90.html

I’m hoping that local LE didn’t massively screw up the forensic evidence collecting because it seems somewhat unheard of that there wouldn’t be something. I also assume they are grabbing area phone pings and hopefully that leads to a lead. On the other hand, they may have a suspect but are playing like they don’t.

Does Idaho have a state police? In Michigan, the MSP would be brought in most cases to help any smaller jurisdiction

The article I read tonight (do t remember which to share a link, sorry) said that the state police and FBI were involved at this point. I can’t imagine they wouldn’t need the FBI for a crime like this. So horrific.

[RoxMonster]

It's absolutely horrific. Those poor young people and their families. I can't even imagine.

I absolutely think it's possible the other two roommates slept through the murders. First, if the victims were sleeping when they were attacked, which I have read a report that LE believes they may have been, the attack may be near silent, especially from a distance. By the time they wake up they have already been stabbed, possibly in the head/neck/chest area and it would likely take away your ability to scream loudly. Additionally, the roommates may have been staying on the lower level, and nowadays, I feel it's not uncommon for people to sleep with earbuds in, especially if maybe your roommates were being loud coming home from the bars earlier. All those things together = able to sleep through it. Or perhaps you wake up hearing something, but it's nondescript noises and you just imagine it's your roommates moving around upstairs like usual.

It was previously reported that two of the young women who had been at the food truck got an Uber ride home - one of their sisters tracked down Ring footage on a neighbor's camera showing them getting home safely in the Uber. Just a bit ago Moscow PD put out an update that they just discovered the ride home from the food truck was through a private party, which makes me think NOT Uber/Lyft. Even though the sister could see them getting dropped off at home from the Ring, I do wonder about the ride. Very possibly innocent, but also someone to check into since it was so soon before the murders.

[RitzyHeifer]

This is horrifying. There was also a stabbing death at Purdue University this semester (a different scenario- 1 victim, suspect arrested right away) but similarly the campus police and first responders were completely inexperienced with this type of crime,

[Velar Fricative]

Good synopsis of what’s known so far (NYT gift link): tinyurl.com/47ratw47

[cuadrado]

Nov 19, 2022 15:37:56 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Good synopsis of what’s known so far (NYT gift link): tinyurl.com/47ratw47

It’s interesting that the house is 6 bedrooms with 2 bedrooms on each floor. You would think that whoever did this would have had to know the layout of the house to be able to go into bedrooms on different floors and commit this crime in their sleep without waking the whole house up.

My bedroom was in the basement growing up so I could def see how someone may not have heard what was going on upstairs.

[Deleted]

Nov 20, 2022 6:58:34 GMT -5 cuadrado said:

Nov 19, 2022 15:37:56 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Good synopsis of what’s known so far (NYT gift link): tinyurl.com/47ratw47

It’s interesting that the house is 6 bedrooms with 2 bedrooms on each floor. You would think that whoever did this would have had to know the layout of the house to be able to go into bedrooms on different floors and commit this crime in their sleep without waking the whole house up.

My bedroom was in the basement growing up so I could def see how someone may not have heard what was going on upstairs.

Is also possible that they didn’t know there was a basement so didn’t think the look there? I feel like there’s so much that’s unknown, and it’s such a weird sequence of events, speculating seems sorta pointless.

[Velar Fricative]

Nov 20, 2022 6:58:34 GMT -5 cuadrado said:

Nov 19, 2022 15:37:56 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Good synopsis of what’s known so far (NYT gift link): tinyurl.com/47ratw47

It’s interesting that the house is 6 bedrooms with 2 bedrooms on each floor. You would think that whoever did this would have had to know the layout of the house to be able to go into bedrooms on different floors and commit this crime in their sleep without waking the whole house up.

My bedroom was in the basement growing up so I could def see how someone may not have heard what was going on upstairs.

I’ve been reading a lot about this case and it is definitely plausible that the killer had no idea there were other rooms. The survivors were in the basement that had a separate entrance; if the killer went through the other entrance, they probably missed that there were two additional rooms.

[eddy]

I am speculating but I think the two young women were the focus of the target. They were on the third floor. Xana and her boyfriend were on the main floor. My guess is they woke and that is why they were killed. I don’t know if the killer had motivation to stick around and look in other bedrooms for more victims.

Just an awful situation.

[redheadbaker]

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/idaho-murders-suspect-arrested-update-university-b2253646.html

A 25-year-old man has been arrested in Pennsylvania in connection with the murder of four University of Idaho students more than six weeks ago, according to reports.

... 

Police in the college town of Moscow, Idaho said that they would hold a press conference at 1pm local time, the first such official event since November 23. 

[Velar Fricative]

Dec 30, 2022 11:42:25 GMT -5 redheadbaker said:

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/idaho-murders-suspect-arrested-update-university-b2253646.html

A 25-year-old man has been arrested in Pennsylvania in connection with the murder of four University of Idaho students more than six weeks ago, according to reports.

... 

Police in the college town of Moscow, Idaho said that they would hold a press conference at 1pm local time, the first such official event since November 23. 

I really expected this case to go cold for a long time so I am really happy to see this. I know it’s been long enough that he could have gone anywhere, but…Scranton?

[Velar Fricative]

Well, according to national news outlets like NBC, he’s from PA. Was/is a criminology PhD student at Washington State (just a few miles from U of Idaho). Law & Order episode coming to life instead of getting ripped from prior headlines.

[eddy]

I have been following this case closely. What a relief for the families.

[underwaterrhymes]

Dec 30, 2022 13:13:59 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Well, according to national news outlets like NBC, he’s from PA. Was/is a criminology PhD student at Washington State (just a few miles from U of Idaho). Law & Order episode coming to life instead of getting ripped from prior headlines.

He evidently posted a survey on Reddit several months ago asking for people who committed crimes to respond.

The questions are scary AF.

I’m so relieved that there will be closure for these families.

[Aloe Vera]

I am glad they got him. I am curious to know more. Press conference is at 4PM ET.

[Pilsy]

I really thought this might go cold or be long and drawn out like the Delphi murders. I'm relieved to see such a significant development.

[seeyalater52]

Dec 30, 2022 13:39:45 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

Dec 30, 2022 13:13:59 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Well, according to national news outlets like NBC, he’s from PA. Was/is a criminology PhD student at Washington State (just a few miles from U of Idaho). Law & Order episode coming to life instead of getting ripped from prior headlines.

He evidently posted a survey on Reddit several months ago asking for people who committed crimes to respond.

The questions are scary AF.

I’m so relieved that there will be closure for these families.

Jesus.

[cattledogkisses]

I'm glad that the families will get closure. It doesn't bring their loved ones back, but hopefully seeing justice done will bring them some peace.

I'm also glad that speculation about other people tangentially involved in the case can stop. I've seen internet sleuths throw around theories about suspects and motivations, including a victim's ex and even the two surviving roommates, and I'm glad they'll be able to move forward now without people trying to cast public suspicion on them.