The Idaho police chief, who is leading the investigation into the deaths of four college students, said he had no regrets about how the investigation was conducted and insisted the initial phase was handled correctly, while indicating he was confident that a “conclusion” will be reached.
But Chief James Fry, who heads Moscow police in the small town of 25,000, has also admitted he has no idea where the killer is.
The students were stabbed to death in the early hours of November 13 in an unsolved case that has gripped the country and pressured local police to solve the crime.
The investigation, which involved not only the local police department but also 48 FBI agents and 28 Idaho State Police personnel, moved slowly, but Chief Fry has defended suggestions that police botched the entire operation within the first 48 hours .
Chief James Fry, who heads Moscow’s police force, admitted in the small town of 25,000 that he has no idea where the killer is
Madison Mogen, 21, top left, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, bottom left, Ethan Chapin, 20, center, and Xana Kernodle, 20, right, were murdered Nov. 13 at their college home off campus
Blood drips down the outside wall of the house the four students shared. Investigators described it as the worst crime scene they have ever seen
“I think they were handled properly.
“We secured the scene quickly, we called in state police, we did our due diligence to get the things we needed to do to make this a solid case throughout.
“We called the state lab to gather evidence and I believe it was the first things that we started with and how we did things that will help bring this to a conclusion,” he said Fry told NewsNation on Friday.
No suspects have been arrested yet as Moscow police continue to comb through evidence, but Fry said police will keep the public updated on their progress as the investigation into the death of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, continues; Ethan Chapin, 20; Madison Mogen, 21; and Xana Kernodle, 20, all killed at a home near the University of Idaho.
The Moscow police are conducting their investigation together with federal authorities. Fry was at pains to point out that such cooperation is normal rather than an indication that local investigators are at a loss.
Kaylee and Madison were found on the top floor of the house in Moscow, Idaho. College lovers Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle were found in a second-floor bedroom, while survivors Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke were sleeping on the first floor
“I think there are some misunderstandings about how we work here in Moscow,” he said.
“We’ve called in ATF in the past, we’ve called in the FBI in a lot of these big cases in the past because they have resources that we don’t have and we want to have the best investigators there.
“We have always conducted these investigations with the help of our federal and state partners,” he said.
“We’re continuing the investigation. We keep pushing. As I said from the start, I’m very confident that we’ll complete this timeline as development progresses, and we’re continuing to track all of these things.
“We do a lot of interviews and put the puzzle together. There are many things we don’t know. We’re not sure where the individual is [responsible] is. Every tip helps.”
Chief Fry tried to sound positive when he announced a “conclusion” would be reached soon
The Moscow Police Department, together with the FBI, are continuing the ongoing investigation into the deaths of four University of Idaho students
Some members of the victim’s families, including Goncalves, have expressed their grievances, saying they believe the police have been too quick to rule out some people as suspects and that their daughter may have been stalked.
Earlier this week, during an interview with the Today Show, Shannon Gray – a lawyer representing Kaylee Goncalves’ family – said the family is increasingly frustrated by the apparent lack of progress in the case.
“We want them to know that we hold them accountable for their decisions,” he said. “And if you’re overwhelmed, acknowledge that and turn the investigation over to someone more knowledgeable about such matters.”
“I’m not sure they have the capacity to handle a quadruple homicide.”
The secrecy of detective work has also led to true crime detectives theorizing themselves.
So far, investigators have conducted hundreds of interviews and tracked tips from both the community and around the country.
Police in Eugene, Oregon brought this Hyundai Elantra to the attention of the Idaho Police Department. But they’ve now ruled it out as part of the investigation
The only lead shared with the public is a white Hyundai Elantra, built between 2011 and 2013, that was seen in the area at the time of the killings.
Detectives are looking for the driver and any passengers who they say may have important information about the gruesome crime.
A car with that description was found in Oregon, but investigators have now determined it was unrelated to the murders.
“We appreciate all the tips we’ve received, not just from local Moscow but from across the country, and we’re following up on all of them,” Chief Fry said.