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Slain Idaho College Student’s Dad Says Its ‘Frustrating’ Police Haven’t Shared More About The Case
“They’re kind of just telling me that they can’t tell me much, which is frustrating to me because I’ve been very trustworthy,” Steve Goncalves said of authorities’ efforts to solve the murder of his daughter Kaylee and three of her friends.
A slain Idaho college student’s father says it's been “frustrating” police have been unable to share more about the ongoing investigation into the murder of his daughter and three of her college friends.
“They’re kind of just telling me that they can’t tell me much, which is frustrating to me because I’ve been very trustworthy,” Steve Goncalves told Fox News over the weekend.
Goncalves said he last spoke to investigators Wednesday evening and has not had contact with law enforcement during the Thanksgiving holiday.
“Law enforcement told me that they were going to drop off a little bit and not to expect the same type of communication that I had gotten before,” he said. “So basically, long story short it was Wednesday 5 p.m. was the last time they reached out to me. So, you know, that’s rough.”
Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle were found dead in their off-campus house just before noon on Nov.13.
Moscow Police have said they believe the four victims were likely stabbed to death while they were sleeping.
Some of the victims were found with “defensive wounds” but no suspects have been arrested more than two weeks after the shocking killings.
Goncalves told Fox News that he’s been frustrated that authorities aren’t sharing more about the case with the victims’ families, especially since he does “know things” and has never shared them publicly.
“We’re the same family that found the original timeline. We’re the same family that broke into the phones. We tried everything in our ability to try to get into this system because a court order is not the fastest thing. So we broke in. We did what we did. We know, we have some family passwords that we all share, so we broke in and we helped them,” he said.
Goncalves said he was hoping to share some information with the media that he had discovered on his own about the case, but authorities have asked him to stay quiet.
“We’re holding our tongue, we’re waiting patiently, but we’re definitely concerned,” he said.
Despite his frustrations with the investigation, Goncalves was also quick to commend investigators for the long hours they’ve put in on the case.
“I don’t want to talk bad about them because these are some hard-working individuals. … I’m doomed without them,” he said. “We’re all doomed without them.”
As the weeks pass by without an arrest, Moscow police said in a statement on Sunday that there had been growing safety concerns among residents of the University of Idaho college town.
“We understand there is a sense of fear within our community,” police said. “Since November 13th, the department has received 78 calls for unusual circumstances and 36 requests to check the welfare of loved ones, an increase from 70 and 18, respectively, for all of October.”
They encouraged the public to contact law enforcement about any suspicious activity first.
“As officers respond to these incidents, they find that concerned parties call friends and family before notifying the police,” police said. “For life-safety and emergencies, we want to remind our community to call 9-1-1 before notifying family or friends.”
Police believe some of the fear within the community is a result of rumors or unfounded theories about the case.
“At this time, no suspect has been identified and only vetted information that does not hinder the investigation will be released to the public,” police said. “There is speculation, without factual backing, stoking community fears and spreading false facts.”
Police are now asking the public to share video or images they may have taken from the night of Nov. 12 and the early morning hours of Nov. 13 as they try to piece together the college student’s violent final moments.
According to police, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen were seen at a local bar known as the Corner Club from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. on November 13. They stopped at a local food vendor called “Grub Truck” after leaving the bar and then used a “private party” for a ride back to their home at 1122 King Road at 1:56 a.m..
Chapin and Kernodle returned to the home around 1:45 a.m. after being at a party at the Sigma Chi house.
Two other roommates, who were not harmed, called friends over to the house later that morning because they believed one of the second-floor victims was “passed out” and couldn’t be woken up. A call from one of the surviving roommates' cell phones was placed at 11:58 a.m. to 911 to report an “unconscious person.”
Police arrived to find the four bodies inside. Authorities have said they do not believe the surviving roommates or the private party that gave Goncalves and Mogen a ride home were involved in the slayings.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact a special tip line at 208-883-7180 or tipline@ci.moscow.id.us.
