According to some experts, a series of significant communication errors committed by Idaho officials investigating a quadruple homicide may have impeded their ability to solve the case.
This month, University of Idaho students Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Kaylee Goncalves were murdered in the Moscow, Idaho, home where they resided off-campus.
Fox News said that after discovering the deaths on November 13, police first stated that there was no threat to anyone in the tiny village, but then recanted this assertion.
According to the New York Post, as of Friday, authorities had no motive, no suspect, and had not found the murder weapon. Tuesday was the last time police provided an update on the inquiry.
“Investigators have given out too much information,” said Joseph Giacalone, an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a retired New York Police Department sergeant, according to Fox.
Herman Weisberg, a former NYPD sergeant, called the original comment that no one should be concerned a “big misstep.”
“They don’t have an identified suspect, and they still don’t have a motive, so until you have those two extremely vital pieces you can’t set the public’s mind at ease,” he said.
“I personally cringe when I see the media and the public’s demands for information outweigh the need to preserve the integrity of the investigation,” Weisberg said. “This is all because of the armchair detectives out there on social media.”
Weisberg added that the killer or killers could have discarded crucial evidence that investigators might have used to “weed out false confessions,” Fox reported.
When he referred to the deaths as a “act of passion,” the mayor of Moscow, Art Bettge, contributed to the early downpour of dubious remarks. He then recanted his statement.
Giacalone also had strong words for Latah County Coroner Catthy Mabbutt, who described her opinions regarding how and when the victims were stabbed in public.
“It was not only surprising but aggravating,” he said. “It is not her place to investigate this thing on TV and speculate.”
The police have stated that they are investigating possible comments made by Goncalves about having a stalker.
“We are not done looking into that piece of information,” Col. Kedrick Willis of the Idaho State Police said, according to the New York Post.
“We continue looking into the stalker issue and are asking for any information from the public on this topic,” said Aaron Snell, communications director for the Idaho State Police, according to Fox News.