Moscow Homicide Update

Moscow, ID – The investigation team spent many hours over the weekend going through tips provided to the FBI Tip Line and the Tip Line email. Police are still looking for information regarding a 2011-2013 Hyundai Elantra. Tips and leads have led investigators to look for additional information about this vehicle being in the immediate area of the King Road residence during the early morning
hours of November 13th. The FBI continues to prioritize and vet those tips.
 
Regarding the safety of the public, police recommendations for safety measures are good reminders in general, and in light of what has happened in this community. These reminders are not an indication of a specific or elevated risk to the community.
 
See an Investigation Update for December 12, 2022 on the Moscow Police YouTube Channel with Captain Roger Lanier with the Moscow Police Department who is in charge of the Operations Division of the King Road Homicide Investigation at: https://youtu.be/OkIKHjiPlME
 
Investigators continue to not release detailed information. It is what must be done to preserve the integrity of the investigation.
 
The investigation continues with the same amount of resources.
 
Moscow Police Department:

• 6 Detectives
• 5 Support Staff
• Communications Team

 Federal Bureau of Investigation: 

• 46 investigators in Moscow & located throughout the United States
• 2 Behavior Analysis Unit investigators

Idaho State Police:

• 13 investigators in Moscow
• 15 uniformed troopers assisting with community patrols
• ISP Forensics Services

As previously reported:

2011-2013 Hyundai Elantra: Investigators Investigators would like to thank the community and public for recent information provided about the vehicle and the spike in tips. The FBI is prioritizing and vetting those tips for use in the investigation. The public is asked to continue to use the Tip Line to report any information about the vehicle.

Calling in tips: Please be aware that this new call process takes patience on behalf of the caller, and there are some prompts to follow. This is a national FBI tip line and it is important to get all the way through the prompts to reach the right agent to report information.

Detectives remain interested in speaking with the of a white 2011-2013 Hyundai Elantra, with an unknown license plate. Tips and leads have led investigators to look for additional information about this vehicle being in the immediate area of the King Road residence during the early morning hours of November 13th. Investigators believe the of this vehicle may have critical information to share regarding this case.

If you know of or own a vehicle matching this description, or know of anyone who may have been driving this vehicle on the days preceding or the day of the murders, please forward that information to the Tip Line.

 Information can be submitted:

• Tip Line: 208-883-7180
• Email: tipline@ci.moscow.id.us
• Digital Media: fbi.gov/moscowidaho

At this time, no suspect has been identified and only vetted information that does not hinder the investigation will be released to the public. We encourage referencing official releases for accurate information and updated progress. All press releases and information related to this case are available at: https://www.ci.moscow.id.us/1064/King-Street-Homicide.

Investigative Timeline:

On the evening of November 12th, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen were at a local bar called Corner Club at 202 N. Main Street, in downtown Moscow, between 10 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. on November 13th. At approximately 1:40 a.m., Kaylee and Madison were seen on video at a local food vendor called the “Grub Truck” at 318 S. Main Street and used a private party for a ride home from downtown to arrive at their 1122 King Road residence around 1:56 a.m.

Investigators have determined that Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle were seen at the Sigma Chi house on the University of Idaho Campus at 735 Nez Perce Drive. At approximately 1:45 a.m., Ethan and Xana are believed to have returned to the residence at 1122 King Road. It was previously reported that Ethan resided at the home; however, it has been determined that he was only visiting.

Detectives believe that on November 12th, the two surviving roommates had also been out in the Moscow community, separately, but returned home by 1 a.m. on November 13th. The two did not wake up until later that morning.

On November 13th, the surviving roommates summoned friends to the residence because they believed one of the second-floor victims had passed out and was not waking up. At 11:58 a.m., a 911 call requested aid for an unconscious person. The call was made from one of the surviving roommates’ cell phones inside the residence. Multiple people talked with the 911 dispatcher before Moscow Police arrived at the location. Officers entered the residence and found two victims on the second floor and two victims on the third floor.

Autopsies were conducted on November 17th. The Latah County Coroner confirmed the identity of the four murdered individuals and their cause and manner of death as homicide by stabbing. The coroner stated the four victims were likely asleep, some had defensive wounds, and each was stabbed multiple times. There was no sign of sexual assault.

Detectives continue investigating what occurred from approximately 9 p.m. on November 12^th to 1:45 a.m. on November 13th, when Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle were believed to be at the Sigma Chi house on the University of Idaho Campus at 735 Nez Perce Drive. Any interactions, contacts, direction and method of travel, or anything abnormal could add context to what occurred.

Detectives are seeking all outside surveillance video taken from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Sunday, November 13th, from businesses and residences within the geographical area listed below. Detectives request all available videos – whether there appears to be motion and content or not.

• West Taylor
• West Palouse River
• Highway 95 south to the 2700 block of Highway 95
• Arboretum & Botanical  

Detectives are also seeking additional tips and surveillance video of any unusual behavior on the night of November 12th into the early hours of November 13th while Kaylee and Madison were in downtown Moscow and while Ethan and Xana were at the Sigma Chi house. Anyone who observed unusual behavior near these areas or has video surveillance is asked to submit their tips.

Investigators have looked extensively into information received about Kaylee having a stalker. They have pursued hundreds of pieces of information related to this topic but have not verified or identified a stalker. Anyone with information about a potential stalker or unusual instances is asked to contact the tip line.

At this time in the investigation, detectives do not believe the following are involved in this crime:

• Two surviving roommates,
• Male in the Grub Truck surveillance video,
• Private party driver who took Kaylee and Madison home on November 13^th,
• The male Kaylee and Madison called numerous times during the early morning hours of November 13th,
• Any individual at the residence when 911 was called, or
• The individual on the lease who moved out of the residence before the school year started and was not present at the time of the incident.

Additional information related to the investigation:

• Currently, no suspects are in custody, and no weapon has been located.
• On the night of the incident, officers located a dog at the residence. The dog was unharmed, turned over to Animal Services, and later released to a responsible party.
• Local businesses were contacted to determine if a fixed-blade knife had been recently purchased.
• Detectives seized the contents of three dumpsters on King Road to locate possible evidence.
• Gov. Brad Little directed up to $1 million in state emergency funds for the ongoing investigation.

Throughout the investigation, detectives have collected:

• More than 2,770 calls to the Tip Line at 208-883-7180
• Over 2,645 emails at tipline@ci.moscow.id.us
• Over 1,084 digital media submissions to the FBI link
• 113 pieces of physical evidence collected and taken to the ISP crime lab
• Approximately 4,000 crime scene photographs taken
• Multiple three-dimensional scans of the residence
• On November 29, as part of the ongoing homicide investigation and original search warrant, detectives relocated five vehicles from within the police perimeter to a more secure long-term storage location to continue processing evidence.
• Idaho State Police Forensic Services crime lab scientists have worked on this case for weeks and have provided testing and analysis results to detectives. As they complete additional tests, those results will also be provided. To protect the investigation’s integrity, specific results will not be released.
• As detectives move forward with the homicide investigation, a private security company has been contracted to provide scene security to free up patrol resources. The scene remains under police control.
• Detectives are aware of a sixth person listed on the lease at the residence. They have spoken to this individual and confirmed they moved out prior to the start of the school year and was not present at the time of the incident. Detectives do not believe this person has any involvement in the murders. 

Rumor control:

There has been extensive media interest regarding an incident at Taylor Avenue and Band Field on November 13, 2022, at 3:01 a.m. This incident was an alcohol offense which was addressed by the on-scene officer. This call is not related to the murder investigations. For further details regarding this incident, a Moscow Police Department Public Records Request can be submitted referencing incident number 22-MO9896.

• We have not changed our belief that the murders were a targeted attack. However, investigators have not concluded if the target was the residence or its occupants.
• There have been media questions about a September 12th, 2022, incident regarding an argument between a group of people walking on the University of Idaho bike path and a cyclist. It was reported that during the confrontation, the cyclist displayed a folding knife. Both parties dispersed, and there were no injuries. The cyclist turned himself into the police. The case was investigated and misdemeanor charges were referred to the Moscow City Attorney’s Office. There is no connection between the individual involved in this incident and the current murder investigations.
• There have been media questions regarding a February 2022, death on Baker St. The Latah County Coroner’s Office has confirmed the death was due to an overdose. This case is not related to the ongoing murder investigation.
• There have been online reports of a red Mustang on S. Deakin St. being processed as part of the murder investigation. This information is not accurate, and the vehicle is not connected to this incident.
• The identity of the 911 caller has not been released.
• There have been numerous media inquiries about a 1999 double stabbing in Pullman, Washington, and the 2021 double in Salem, Oregon. While these cases share similarities with the King Street homicides, there does not appear to be any evidence to support the cases are related.
• Detectives are aware of a Latah County Sheriff’s Office incident of the report of a skinned dog but do not believe there is any evidence to support it is related to this incident. Contact Latah County Sheriff’s Office for further details.
• Detectives are also aware of a Moscow Police incident of the report of deceased animals left on a resident’s property. This was determined to be wildlife activity and not related to the murders.
• Online reports of the victims being tied and gagged are not accurate.

 
The Moscow Police Department thanks our community for their continued support, understanding of the limited information we can share, and patience during this difficult time.
 
Press Releases are located on the City of Moscow website.