The chief of police in the college town where four University of Idaho students were killed last month has hinted at the possible release of the 911 call that alerted authorities to the killings.
Much about the 13 November stabbings of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in Moscow remains a mystery. The criminal investigation is now its seventh week with no arrests made or suspects named.
Among the many oddities of the case is the fact that the 911 call that led to the discovery of the bodies came eight to nine hours after the murders are believed to have taken place. Moscow police have refused to release audio or a transcript of the call about an “unconscious individual”, which they say originated from the cellphone of one of the two surviving roommates who were likely sleeping when the killer struck.
The two young women, as well as other friends who were “summoned” to the crime scene by them, have been ruled out as suspects. On Tuesday, Moscow police chief James Fry offered some insight as to when the 911 call could potentially be made public.
“I think it’ll be released when the prosecution believes that we can release that,” Mr Fry said in an interview with ABC affiliate KREM-TV. “That may be at trial ... That may be before then.”
Mr Fry declined to comment on whether what was discussed in the call could lead to any arrests.
The 911 call was made at 11.58am on 13 November - while the students are thought to have been killed between 3 and 4am.
“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,” a statement by Moscow Police early on in the investigation read.
“Multiple people talked with the 911 dispatcher before a Moscow Police officer arrived at the location. Officers entered the residence and found the four victims on the second and third floors.”
It is unclear whether the “unconscious individual” wording is attributed to the caller or the dispatcher.
When pressed by The Independent on why the call could not be released, the department said: “The contents are exempt from public disclosure because the records are active investigatory records which, if released, would interfere with enforcement proceedings...”
On Tuesday, Mr Fry also said his investigators are still waiting for crime lab results from evidence collected at the scene of the quadruple murder.
“We don’t want to rush that, we want to ensure that they’re taking their time to get all of that right,” Mr Fry told KREM-TV. “Real life and the movies are a lot different. You know, in the movies, they have all [the results] back in an hour.”
“We don’t get that in real life, so we’re going to be patient.”
Mr Fry said he could not say whether DNA had been found at the scene.
Moscow Police this week released a fresh appeal saying that they believe “someone” knows something that could help lead them to the killer.
Investigators continue to search for the occupant or occupants of a white Hyundai Elantra, model 2011 to 2013, seen in the “immediate area” of the home on King Road at the time of the murders.
The individual or individuals in the car – whose licence plate is unknown – may have “critical information to share regarding this case”, police said.
So far, police have identified around 22,000 vehicles that fit the description of the vehicle and are combing through the information for clues.
Anyone who owns a vehicle matching the description, or who knows of anyone who may own such a vehicle or have been driving it on the days preceding or the day of the murders, is urged to come forward.
