Police in the college town where the University of Idaho is located have been swamped with calls from a community still terrified by an unsolved brutal quadruple killing, just before students return from Thanksgiving break.
The Moscow Police Department has received 78 calls for “strange situations” and 36 requests for welfare checks since Nov. 13 — the day after students Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, and Kaylee Goncalves were stabbed to death in their sleep in an off-campus home.
During the whole month of October, the police department received 70 complaints regarding strange conditions and just 18 requests for welfare checks.
Police recognized that there is a sense of terror within the neighborhood.
Local, state, and federal authorities are currently evaluating 488 “digital submissions” sent to an FBI link by the public, including photo and video tips.
CNN stated that students are due to return to the UI campus on Monday, although it is unknown how many will resume in-person study for the final two weeks of classes before winter break.
Fearing a killer on the free, several students fled school early in the aftermath of the murders, and the president of the University of Idaho stated last week that some students did not want to return until police made an arrest.
“As a result, staff have been instructed to prepare in-person teaching and remote learning options for the final two weeks of the semester,” he stated in a statement. “This will allow students to choose their way of involvement.”
Wednesday, the University of Idaho will organize a candlelight memorial in memory of the murder victims.
Police earlier stated that they believed the four student murders were “targeted” and “isolated,” but they have not ruled out the potential of other perpetrators.
No suspects have been identified, and the murder weapon, thought to be a knife with a fixed blade, has not been recovered.
Kaylee Gonclaves’s father, Steve Gonclaves, told Fox News on Saturday that he has not gotten any investigation updates from law enforcement since before Thanksgiving.
“They’re basically telling me that they can’t tell me much, which frustrates me because I’ve always been quite trustworthy,” he added.
Aaron Snell, the director of communications for the Idaho State Police, noted that detectives have remained tight-lipped to prevent spreading further fear and suspicion in an already tense and rumor-filled town.
Kerry Uhlorn, an alumnus of the University of Idaho, has funded over $19,000 to purchase and distribute Birdie personal alarms to students to help them feel safer on campus.
She told KTVB7, “I’m not even up there, and it’s so terrifying.” I cannot fathom what it must be like for the folks who live there.
Megan Lolley, a high school senior, told the station that she is looking forward to receiving her alert so that she can defend herself.
She stated, “It feels hazardous to be up there right now.” I’ve been terrified for the past week.
»911 calls rise after the University of Idaho murders«