"An Isolated, Targeted Attack" - Idaho 4 murders
Kaylee Goncalves was a senior at the University of Idaho, only weeks away from graduation in December 2022, when she returned to the Moscow Idaho campus of the University of Idaho on November 11th, 2022, to visit her former roommates. Kaylee was excited to proudly show off her newly purchased Range Rover to her former roommates, including her lifelong best friend, Madison Mogen. Kaylee was prepared to graduate with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Idaho, and had already established plans to move to Austin, Texas for an internship.
By all appearances Kaylee, as well as her roommates, had a bright future ahead of themselves – replete with a high probability of prospects and achievements. However, tragedy took its toll on these bright, young University of Idaho college students on the early morning hours of November 13, 2022, when Kaylee & her former roommates Madison and Xana Kernodle, as well as Xana’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin were brutally murdered in their slightly-off campus rental home – according to law enforcement authorities, “likely as they slept” (as per Moscow PD Captain Roger Lanier on November 22nd 2022).
The murders of these four University of Idaho students, in their own home, “likely as they slept”, immediately grabbed the attention of the public, from Maine to Malaysia, these murders were the “news”. This international attention is not the norm for murder cases in America, yet the headlines in Malaysian news read “Criminal justice postgrad charged with murder of 4 Idaho students”.
This author attributes the public interest in the case of these heinous murders is a confluence of the tragic nature of the murders, coupled with the ambivalent actions of law enforcement authorities. Perhaps the most ambivalent action on the part of Idaho law enforcement authorities occurred on November 16th, 2022, at their first press conference following the murders, when Moscow PD Chief James Fry declared the murders to be an “isolated, targeted attack”, but could offer zero facts or evidence to substantiate such claims.
In fact, Idaho law enforcement authorities would proceed with a “cold case” style approach to this quadruple homicide investigation from November 13th, 2022, until the arrest of suspect Bryan Kohberger on December 30th, 2022. The ambivalent nature of Idaho authorities actions are exhibited by the juxtaposition of immediately declaring the quadruple homicide as “an isolated, targeted attack", prior to proceeding with their investigation into these malevolent murders as if the investigation were a “cold case”.
Thus, the brutal nature of these senseless murders, coupled with the anomalous actions & public statements by local law enforcement in the immediate aftermath of the murders has spurred international public intrigue. In addition to the perpetually deepening mystery surrounding the entire case, and the ambivalent actions by Idaho law enforcement authorities relative to their investigation in this case. Cumulatively, these factors cause this author to inquire whether or not this is simply the effect of a relatively “small town” police force, who is inexperienced in homicide investigations, generally, and more specifically four homicides of this heinous and mysterious nature?
Moscow, Idaho
Upon first glance the town of Moscow, Idaho is nothing more than a sleepy college town located in the rural, and picturesque Palouse plateau of Western Idaho. However, if one were so inclined to look deeper below the surface of the town (side note: this is the author’s intent, a deeper look), it is apparent the hometown of the University of Idaho has a darker atmosphere that lies just beneath the surface of its Hallmark Christmas card appearance.
Or in the alternative, there are far more nefarious actions at play here in law enforcement investigation?
This darker or HIGH-weirdness element that seems inherent to the University of Idaho and the town of Moscow, ID - generally, has an almost “Twin Peaks”-like atmosphere; the Chief of Police is married to the Latah County Clerk of Courts (Moscow is the County Seat), the “private driver” that dropped two of the victims off at their home immediately prior to their murders - appears to be an employee of the University of Idaho & his wife appears to be employed by Moscow Police Department. It is a town that everyone knows everyone else, and the primary players in local politics & law enforcement involved in this investigation are all alumni of the hometown school, the University of Idaho.
Further, one of the more unsettling actions of law enforcement in this “Twin Peaks” like environment, occurred at the initial onset of the investigation in this case, when Idaho law enforcement authorities essentially began taunting the interwebs “true crime” community.
Idaho law enforcement authorities’ actions taunting the interwebs “true crime” community covered the spectrum of blaming interwebs “true crime” community for attempting to conduct an investigation into this case (author’s note: an investigation that Idaho law enforcement authorities were clearly not conducting), all the way to holding a press conference asserting to the public that they would be investigating abandoned White Hyundai Elantra hundreds of miles away & also asserting an intent to investigate possible connections to other unsolved stabbing homicides in the Pacific Northwest.
These actions all occurred whilst Idaho law enforcement authorities had zero facts or suspects in the quadruple homicides that Idaho authorities were supposed to be investigating.
Lastly, in a far more anomalous and seemingly an action without reasonable explanation, on December 7th, 2022, Idaho law enforcement authorities subjected their own tip line to a high volume of clearly erroneous tips regarding a 2011 – 2013 White Hyundai Elantra. On December 7th, 2022, Idaho law enforcement authorities asked the public, which includes the “true crime” community, for tips on the identity of the occupant or occupants of this 2011 – 2013 White Hyundai Elantra. However, it is evident as per authorities’ own affidavits filed with the court that Idaho law enforcement authorities identified suspect Bryan Kohberger via his 2015 White Hyundai Elantra – 8 days prior to December 7th, 2022 - on November 29th, 2022.
Thus, for what legitimate purpose would Idaho law enforcement authorities identify suspect Bryan Kohberger via his 2015 White Hyundai Elantra on November 29th, 2022, then wait 9 days only to ask the public for assistance & tips for a 2011 – 2013 White Hyundai Elantra?
In summary, what is “true crime”? I am not certain that Idaho law enforcement authorities understand the definition of “true”, but I suspect they have a solid understanding of “crime”. So, if you’re here looking for Idaho law enforcement authorities to share with you some “true” crime, your search will likely remain unfulfilled. By following this series, the reader may likely garner a greater understanding of the “true” facts of this case. “True” crime facts that exhibit the only reasonable conclusion, suspect Bryan Kohberger did NOT do it!
Chapter 2 -"An Isolated, Targeted Attack"
"An Isolated, Targeted Attack" - a deeper look & analysis of the Idaho 4 murders that occurred in Moscow, ID on 11/13/2022.
Economic Motivations to “Solve” the Murders?
Moscow, Idaho is a sleepy college town on the sparsely populated Palouse region of western Idaho. Moscow was settled in 1871 and incorporated as a town in 1887. The University of Idaho was founded a few years after incorporation in 1887 – with its inaugural class of students accepted in 1892. The town of Moscow has grown at a slow pace, without massive booms nor busts in population, gradually reaching its current population in 2023 of approx. 25,000 residents.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau this population data of the town of Moscow, ID does indeed include the student population of the University of Idaho. Thus, with a student population of approx. 11,500 students, the student population comprises approx. 45% of the total population of the town of Moscow. The University of Idaho comprises most of the town’s population, when adding the employees and support functions of the University.
In consideration of the total student enrollment & the University of Idaho employees, these approx. 50% of the town of Moscow’s total population have an obvious impact on the economy of the small, sleepy college town of Moscow. Therefore, when the University of Idaho ceased all in-person courses from November 13th, 2022, until the start of the Spring Semester in January 2023, the local economy suffered immensely. Following the scheduled Thanksgiving break from classes, approx. 4,200 students did not return to campus in Moscow, ID until the start of the Spring Semester in January 2023.
As a result of the significant decrease in the student population for a period of 8-weeks in November 2022 through January 2023, the local economy of Moscow, ID experienced an immediate downturn in their business. This is directly a result of the brutal, and perhaps more importantly unsolved quadruple homicides. The student population of University of Idaho were for obvious reasons, apprehensive about returning to campus due to the apparent homicidal killer or killers remained on the loose.
This atmosphere was untenable for the administrators of University of Idaho to permit to continue. The students were frightened for their safety, and the town’s local supporting economy had taken a 2nd shutdown in 2 years, with the 1st shutdown of their economy occurring during COVID-19 shutdown.
In 2020, all in-person courses for all University of Idaho students were shut down, and the local business also experienced associated COVID-19 related limitations on their respective businesses, resulting in millions of dollars in lost revenue to both the town & the university. Then, in December 2022 the quadruple homicide shutdown of the university and the town-generally, were having a slightly less, but equally devastating economic consequences for both entities.
Further, Idaho law enforcement authorities had not resolved this matter of the unsolved quadruple homicide of students in their slightly off campus home. As a result, the local economy of Moscow, as well as the University of Idaho, would experience deleterious effects to the revenue of each entity. Additionally, students and residents across the small town of Moscow feared for their safety when a homicidal maniac remained unknown & likely still amongst the local-sparsely populated region of Moscow, ID.
These circumstances would have created economic devastation for the University of Idaho. The lack of students on campus would have had severe economic consequences for the university. A comparative analysis between the reduced student population (approx. 4200 out of 11,500 students) in the wake of the quadruple homicide, with the economic impact of the COVID-19 shutdown to the university’s financial circumstances. During the COVID-19 the University of Idaho “lost $7 million when it closed down for the spring semester and anticipates it would lose double that if they closed down for the full year”.
This $7 million dollar loss was a result of the student population of University of Idaho all enrolled in online courses, as opposed to in-person/on campus courses. The $7 million represents a significant loss to the university’s pocket books at a time when the university was already enduring financial shortfalls. In 2019, the university had a $22 million dollar shortfall and to solve this shortfall the university terminated 150 employees, or approx. 6% of the university employees.
Thus, in December 2022 the University of Idaho was faced with the circumstances of approx. 4200 students, or 37% of the university’s student population, who decided not to return to campus due to concerns of their own safety, on account of the authorities’ failure to solve the heinous home-invasion, turned quadruple homicide.
Could the University of Idaho sustain such deleterious effects of 37% of their student enrollment refusing to return to campus, opting to remain in online learning instead?
The economic impact on the university would have been devastating if these 4200 students (and potentially more students in the future semesters) did not return to campus. In just the brief period of time in November and December 2022, according to the university’s own data, the university would have lost approx. $800k dollars. This is a significant loss to any organization, especially the University of Idaho who has had to terminate employees to resolve multi-million-dollar shortfalls in 2019, coupled with the $7 million dollar loss during the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020.
The economic impact on the university and the town of Moscow is exhibited by a study from 2018, where in 2018 the University of Idaho students generated $26.6 million dollars or the equivalent of producing 818 local jobs in Moscow.
Could the University of Idaho afford to sustain greater economic losses in 2022 & beyond?
It is important to consider that the University is essentially the town of Moscow, and the town of Moscow is essentially the University. The University of Idaho was founded at the onset of the town, and the town has existed to support the University, since 1892. This author asserts that this is an important factor to consider for numerous reasons. Notably, the deleterious economic effects sustained by the University of Idaho in the loss of millions of dollars, has a separate but equal deleterious economic effect on the town of Moscow.
This concept is further exhibited by an economic analysis of Cornell University, a small town, with a large university student population – the same economic environment in Moscow, ID & University of Idaho. In 2018, Cornell University spent “$732.2 million on day-to-day expenses related to facilities, supplies, and professional services”, and with “10,989 full-time and part-time faculty and staff”, which 78% “lived, shopped, and ate in and around Ithaca, NY”. The result of this economic activity produced by Cornell University on the town of Ithaca, NY was approximately $1.8 billion dollars in income to the regional economy in 2018.
In consideration of that analysis of Cornell University’s economic impact on the town of Ithaca, NY, the loss of revenue at the university has a multiplier effect in a negative manner on the local economy of the town of Ithaca. Thus, it is evident that in a similar economic environment in Moscow, ID, a symbiotic economic relationship exists between town and the University of Idaho.
Could this economic environment produce political circumstances in which to charge someone, anyone – even an innocent man, for these quadruple homicides in an effort to quell concerns of the general public & entice the online students to return to courses back on campus in Moscow?
Chapter 3 -"An Isolated, Targeted Attack"
"An Isolated, Targeted Attack" - a deeper look & analysis of the the Idaho 4 murders that occurred in Moscow, ID on 11/13/2022.
Why was no Reward offered in this case?
Moscow is a town with a serene setting in Idaho’s Palouse plateau, a safe community that according to the national data, maintains a low volume of incidents of crime. However, homicide is not completely unheard of in the peaceful Palouse region of Idaho. The town of Moscow, along with local Idaho law enforcement authorities such as the Latah County Sheriff’s Department, have offered rewards for information that lead to solving investigations in the past.
The history of homicide investigations in Moscow, Idaho is not significant in volume, but this is certainly not the first homicide or violent crime case investigated by the Moscow Police Department. In fact, in this quadruple homicide case, the Moscow PD has investigatory assistance from both the Idaho State Police (co-lead investigating agency) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) serving as supporting investigating agency.
Now, Moscow, ID may not be accustomed to a high volume of violent crimes, notably murder. Especially in relative comparison to the violent crime rate of Moscow, ID compared to the city of Chicago, colloquially known as “Chi-raq” due to the apocalyptic levels of violent crime in the city exceeding that of war-torn Iraq. However, in Chicago the importance of offering a reward to solve a crime, notable to solve a homicide case is not a lost concept. In fact, a local Chicago social activist asserts his organization has assisted in solving “nearly 30” homicides by offering reward money for information leading to an arrest in those “nearly 30” homicide cases.
Were Idaho law enforcement authorities indeed completely clueless in their investigation into the quadruple homicide case?
And if so, why did Idaho law enforcement authorities spend 47-days into their investigation appearing totally clueless in the endeavor & leaning on the public for information on their persons of interest/potential suspects?
From the initial press conference on November 16th, 2022 – Idaho law enforcement authorities appeared completely befuddled & bereft of even a single clue available in their investigation into this quadruple homicide. This oblivious appearance of the Idaho law enforcement authorities continued with a public display of what appeared to be ineptitude on the part of Idaho law enforcement authorities. That is right up until the point in which suspect Bryan Kohberger was apprehended via an all-out SWAT-style assault on Kohberger’s parent’s home in the early morning hours of December 30th, 2022 - located in the Poconos Mountains region of eastern Pennsylvania.
Given consideration of those facts relative the 47-day period following the quadruple homicide and the Idaho law enforcement authorities’ actions, it would only seem reasonable to expect the University of Idaho and/or Idaho law enforcement authorities to offer a reward for information in solving the quadruple homicide case. Further, after analyzing the negative economic impact that the quadruple homicide case had levied upon the university and local municipalities, it would only seem reasonable that it would a matter of urgency to offer a reward in this case. However, there was no reward offered.
This begs the question, why is no reward offered for information to solve this case?
It is an accepted practice in law enforcement investigations to offer a reward leading to information in solving a particular crime. This is evident, even in the state of Idaho, as the Idaho State Police partners with an organization named Crime Stoppers, to seek information from the public to assist in solving major crimes. The Crime Stoppers in coordination with the Idaho State Police offer up to a $1,000.00 reward for information that leads to an arrest in a major crime. Thus, the Idaho State Police – as co-lead investigators in this quadruple homicide case – clearly comprehends the added value of offering reward money for information that leads to solving a crime.
Moscow PD – the co-lead investigating agency in this quadruple homicide – also clearly comprehends this concept of the added value to an investigation to seek This comprehension is exhibited by Moscow PD’s generally accepted practice of offering a reward for information used to solve a crime, with numerous examples dating as far back in recent history as 2013.
However, the particular actions by both lead investigatory agencies, and their statements in reply to media inquiring about the status of a reward being offered in this quadruple homicide case appear to be bizarre; especially in consideration of the 47-day period of the investigation where both agencies appeared to have zero leads, and zero suspects in this case.
The 1st bizarre response came from a Moscow PD spokeswoman on December 11th, 2022, when media outlets inquired as to the status of a reward being offered in this case, and the Moscow PD spokeswoman completely avoided a direct reply to the seemingly simple question. Instead the Moscow PD spokeswoman stated in reply to the question, “Investigators continue to get good tips and leads and are focusing on those at this time”.
The 2nd bizarre response came from an Idaho State Police spokesman on December 6th, 2022, when ISP spokesman Aaron Snell was asked about the status of a reward being offered in this case, Snell provided this anomalous reply, “At times, when there is a reward or money offered ... the quantity and quality of tips actually degrade a little bit”. Now, this is a particularly odd reply in relative to comparison to Snell’s statement in 2019, thanking a Crime Stoppers tip leading to the arrest of a suspect wanted for major felonies. It seems that Officer Snell’s statements are mutually exclusive of one another, rewards offered for information to solve crimes are productive in 2019 but in 2022 Officer Snell has an opposing perspective in regard to this quadruple homicide case.
These multiple acts of completely ignoring the media’s very reasonable question on the status of a reward being offered in this case, by both lead investigatory agencies, speaks volumes to this author as to the actual intent of authorities in this quadruple homicide investigation. As what would be the impetus for Idaho law enforcement authorities to ignore and deflect the very reasonable question submitted by media, inquiring on the status of a reward offered in this case.
Even the FBI fully comprehends the added value of offering a reward for information to solve a crime.
The FBI has exhibited over and over through countless examples of FBI investigations, that the FBI fully comprehends the added value of offering a reward for information to solve a crime. Just look at the FBI Most Wanted list, each suspect is accompanied by a large monetary reward being offered for information leading to the suspect’s arrest. Further, the FBI also offers rewards for information in homicide investigations.
Again, the FBI who is heavily engaged in every single pivotal moment of this case, including the obfuscation of evidence in the Discovery process, evidence that is being used to incriminate suspect Kohberger – whilst grossly violating suspect Kohberger’s “inalienable Rights” to have access to any such evidence used to incriminate him, including this DNA evidence being unlawfully withheld from suspect Kohberger.
In summary…
The two law enforcement agencies, serving as co-lead investigators in this quadruple homicide case – Moscow PD & Idaho State Police, clearly comprehend the added value of offering a reward in a case, as does the supporting law enforcement agency. Then why was no reward offered for information leading to solving this quadruple homicide – especially in consideration of the Idaho law enforcement authorities “cold case” style investigatory approach from November 13th until suspect Kohberger’s sudden arrest on December 30th, 2022?
As discussed in the previous chapter, both the town of Moscow and the University of Idaho were faced with circumstances that could only result in a catastrophic economic implosion if students did not get back to campus in January 2023, and campus did not open back for spring semester without facilitating a safe environment for all students & townsfolk. Why then did Moscow, nor the university offer a reward for information leading to solving this quadruple homicide.
Lastly, in hindsight we know as per the Arrest Affidavit and subsequent Court filings in the Discovery battle that has ensued, the F.B.I. is involved in every pivotal aspect of this case. Why then was the F.B.I. not immediately offering a reward in this quadruple homicide at the onset of the investigation?