Four students were brutally murdered in the early hours of Sunday, November 13, at the University of Idaho in the United States. According to reports in the US press, there are no suspects so far, no murder weapon has been found and no motive for the attack is known. The FBI is already investigating the case.
Ethan Chapin, Chana Kernodle, Madison Mohan and Gayle Goncalves were stabbed to death in a home on the college campus. Post-mortem results indicate that the youth died between 3:00 and 4:00 on Sunday. Kathy Mapbutt, a coroner from Latah County, Idaho, was at the scene and told NBC television that she had never seen such a violent crime scene in her 16 years on the job.
“The injuries were very large. We have done murders in the past, but nothing with the scale of these student murders. There was a lot of blood in the apartment. It was shocking that four young university students were found dead in the apartment,” the doctor explained to NBC, adding that the crime weapon would have been a large knife.
Before the tragedy, the youth had fun
The victims used Saturday night to go out. Ethan and Sana were at a party on campus, Madison and Kaylee went to a bar, and were later seen buying food at the trailer around 1 a.m. These activities were confirmed by a surveillance camera.
On the night of Saturday, November 12, surveillance camera images of the youth’s whereabouts began to be published by American media and social networks. The goal was to see if anyone knew anything that could help the investigation. Recent updates provided by American TV and press reveal that the police have yet to find anything about the sightings.
The family notices the inconsistencies in the story
The crime happened in the early hours of the morning, but the call to 911 (equivalent to 112) was made only in the afternoon and only reported unconscious people in the home, according to the police report.
Police told CNN International on Wednesday, November 16, that two other young women were in the home at the time of the killings and were either injured or held hostage. The girls were also studying at the university, they were interrogated, and were apparently sleeping. Investigators decided to remove them from the suspect list and not release their identities.
When they arrived at the scene, the police found no signs of vandalism and no indication of any forced entry to the doors. Moscow, Idaho County Police Chief James Fry told CNN International.
As investigations progress, the victims’ parents continue to believe that many things have been poorly explained. “There has been a lack of information from the University of Idaho and local police. So far only false rumors have been circulated,” Jim Chapin, Ethan’s father, said in a statement last Wednesday.
Idaho’s last recorded homicide was in 2015
Moscow, the town in Idaho where the murders took place, has a population of about 25,000. It has always been seen as a peaceful city with low crime rates. According to Idaho police data, the last homicide was recorded in 2015, before the death of a university student.
After seven years of living in a quiet town, people are fearful and worried that new deaths could occur, The Guardian said in a release on Tuesday about the lack of leads in the case.
According to CNN International, the president of the University of Idaho, Scott Greene, tried to reassure students and university staff that they were not in danger, because everything indicated that the killing was targeted, but also that extra care should be taken.
Some university students have told the university that they feel unsafe and reluctant to spend time on campus. The University of Idaho is considering allowing students to take classes remotely after Thanksgiving break, NBC has learned.
“They were smart, they were careful, and yet this happened. This means no one is safe. We are all heartbroken and trying to cope with this indescribable pain, but the strongest of these feelings is anger. We are angry. They must have been angry,” Kaylee’s sister told CNN. told International.
A candlelight vigil will be held in honor of the four youths on November 30, the broadcaster said.
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