MOSCOW, Idaho – Police urged the Internet true crime community to tone things down Friday, nearly four weeks after the unsolved murders of four University of Idaho students garnered national attention.
“Investigators have been monitoring online activity related to this active and ongoing case and are aware of the large amount of rumors and misinformation being shared, as well as harassing and threatening behavior towards potentially involved parties,” Moscow police said in a statement on Friday afternoon.
They did not identify the “potentially involved parties.”
“Anyone who engages in threats or harassment, whether in person, online or otherwise, should understand that they could be subject to criminal charges.”
Police say Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20, were murdered in a rental house on King Road, just steps from campus between 3 and 4 am on November 13.
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Victims of the November 13 massacre at the University of Idaho.
(Instagram @xanakernodle / @maddiemogen / @kayleegoncalves)
Approaching a month later, police have not publicly named any suspects or persons of interest, and released few details before Wednesday, when they asked the public for help finding the occupant or occupants of a white 2011 to 2013 Hyundai Elantra seen near the place. home of the victims at the time of the murders.
Police say anyone in the Elantra may have “critical information to share” in the case.
You can contact the tip line at 208-883-7180 or by email at tipline@ci.moscow.id.us. Digital media can be submitted at fbi.gov/moscowidaho.
Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, along with the two other roommates of the women in Kaylee Goncalves’ latest Instagram post, shared the day before the murders.
(@kayleegoncalves/Instagram)
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Two other roommates were downstairs and escaped harm, police said. Goncalves’s dog was also unharmed.
A strong community of true crime supporters have been discussing the case extensively on social media, in Facebook groups, subreddits, Discord servers, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and elsewhere.
The belongings of victims of the University of Idaho quadruple homicide are removed from the home in Moscow, Idaho, on Wednesday, December 7, 2022.
(Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
Some groups are moderate; some are not. Some allow speculation; others prefer confirmed details only.
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A Facebook group warns members: “Don’t post the family… Don’t post anything to do with the families of the victims. It doesn’t matter if it’s public record!” And “Don’t post photos of people not directly involved in the case! Don’t mention names!”
Moscow Police Chief James Fry helps transfer belongings of University of Idaho quadruple homicide victims being taken from home in Moscow, Idaho, Wednesday, December 7, 2022.
(Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
The r/MoscowMurders forum on Reddit instructs users not to post any personal information about anyone.
Several administrators of groups with tens of thousands of members did not immediately respond to requests for comment. One who politely refused to speak at the register.
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But online speculation about potential persons of interest has led to intimidation by unidentified parties who may or may not be associated with the case, according to police.
“Anyone who engages in threats or harassment, whether in person, online or otherwise, should understand that they could be subject to criminal charges,” Moscow police said on Friday. “The Moscow Police Department warns the public not to trust rumors and remains committed to keeping the public informed. We urge you to rely on official channels for accurate information.”
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Investigators have not named suspects and have said they will release “only vetted information that does not impede the investigation.”
Detectives in Moscow, Idaho are interested in speaking with the occupants of a white 2011-2013 Hyundai Elantra, with unknown license plate, in connection with the investigation of a quadruple homicide on November 13, 2022. This image is not the car in question, it is for reference only.
(Distribute)
They have repeatedly described various people as individuals “detectives do not believe” were involved in the crime without naming them.
They include the two surviving roommates, a “Man in Grub Truck Surveillance Video” though multiple men appeared in the video, a “private party driver” who gave a ride to Goncalves and Mogen hours before their murders. , “the man Kaylee and Madison called numerous times during the early morning hours of November 13,” a group of people who were present at the victims’ home when the initial 911 call came in, and a sixth person named in the lease that he no longer lived there.
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Three victims were tenants of the house. Chapin, Kernodle’s boyfriend, lived in a frat house 200 yards away and would sleep over.
Chapin was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He was majoring in recreation, sports and tourism management, the University of Idaho said. He and Kernodle are believed to have spent most of the night at Sigma Chi’s home before returning to his home around 1:45 a.m., according to investigators.
The Hunter brothers, left, and Ethan Chapin pose in their Sigma Chi T-shirts. Hunter posted the photo on Instagram in tribute to Ethan, who was found murdered near the University of Idaho campus last month.
(instagram)
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Kernodle and Mogen were both members of the Pi Beta Phi sorority and marketing students. Goncalves, a general studies student, belonged to Alpha Phi. They had been seen at the Corner Club bar in Moscow and at a food truck earlier in the evening.
“Your information, whether you believe it is significant or not, could be the piece of the puzzle that helps investigators solve these murders,” police said in a statement.
Anyone with information should call the information line at 208-883-7180 or by email tipline@ci.moscow.id.us.
