After much back and forth, authorities investigating the murders of four University of Idaho students said they still believe the grisly attack was targeted but could not say for sure whether “the target was the residence or its occupants.”
Housemates Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20 and student Ethan Chapin, 20 were found fatally stabbed inside a residence just off-campus, where the three women lived with two other roommates, on the morning of Nov. 13.
In the immediate aftermath, authorities said they believed the stabbings were part of an “isolated, targeted attack” — comments they walked back days later, with officers saying they couldn’t actually say whether there was a threat to the public.
During a press conference the following week, authorities reversed, again suggesting the attacks were targeted.
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Moscow Police on Thursday further clarified their stance in a statement to CNN, a day after they corrected comments made by a county prosecutor.
“Conflicting information has been released over the past 24 hours,” police said in an update posted on Wednesday.
“The Latah County Prosecutor’s Office stated the suspect(s) specifically looked at this residence, and that one or more of the occupants were undoubtedly targeted. We have spoken with the Latah County Prosecutor’s Office and identified this was a miscommunication. Detectives do not currently know if the residence or any occupants were specifically targeted but continue to investigate.”
Authorities tried to further clear up the issue with a follow-up statement.
“We remain consistent in our belief that this was indeed a targeted attack but have not concluded if the target was the residence or its occupants,” Moscow police said Thursday.
So far, no suspect has been identified and the murder weapon has yet to be recovered.
