Authorities have seized several vehicles from the scene of the Idaho quadruple murders more than two weeks after four university students were brutally stabbed to death in their beds at the off-campus house.
Five snow-covered cars were towed from the residence and hauled away to ‘a more secure long-term storage location to continue processing evidence,’ Moscow Police said in a statement on Tuesday.
It’s the latest update in the mystery of the grisly quadruple murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20 and Ethan Chapin, 20 — students who were all stabbed to death as they slept in their beds in the early morning hours of November 13.
More than two weeks later, police have not yet named a suspect or motive in the slayings. The murder weapon is also missing, but it’s believed the students were killed with a fixed-blade knife.
Police in Idaho seized five vehicles from the off-campus house where four university students were brutally stabbed to death in their beds as the search for the unidentified killer intensifies
The vehicles towed away from the residence belong to the four victims and the two survivors
Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were all brutally murdered in their home in Moscow, Idaho, in the early hours of Sunday November 13
Earlier this week, forensic investigators were spotted at the off-campus house, according to footage obtained by the New York Post.
In the video, investigators could be seen dusting the windows for fingerprints, scouring the crime scene and walking in a nearby wooded area.
On Tuesday, cars were towed from the residence and Moscow Police released a statement explaining the increase in police presence in the area.
‘Today, as part of the ongoing homicide investigation and original search warrant, there will be an increase in detective activity and tow trucks onsite as investigators move five vehicles from within the police perimeter to a more secure long-term storage location to continue processing evidence,’ the Moscow Police Department said in a statement.
The students were found dead in the house after a friend called 911 about an ‘unconscious person’ in the home.
The call apparently came after Kaylee and Madison’s friends were not able to reach them after incessantly calling and texting their numbers.
On Tuesday, cars were towed from the residence and Moscow Police released a statement explaining that the vehicles were taken to a city lot to be processed for evidence
Snow-covered cars at the residence were towed away and will be stored at a secure location
A memorial has grown at the residence of the four students who were killed on November 13
Earlier this week, forensic investigators were spotted at the off-campus house. Now, the driveway sits empty except for a police cruiser after the cars were towed away
The front door remains taped off as Brandt Brothers Trucking tow away vehicles from the University of Idaho Murder house in Moscow, Idaho on Tuesday
The two girls were found still in their beds on the top floor of the house, with cops maintaining they were still asleep when the unknown assailant stabbed them with a knife.
Kaylee’s father Steve spoke out about his frustration with the slow investigation into his daughter’s death.
He had revealed to FOX News’ Lawrence Jones over the weekend how he has not heard anything from law enforcement since Wednesday at 5pm — the same night local authorities gave a disastrous press conference in which they admitted they have no suspects in her and her friends’ murders and have not yet recovered a murder weapon.
‘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 said of the investigators, revealing: ‘I do know things, I haven’t shared things.’
He said he does not want to talk badly about law enforcement because they are ‘hardworking individuals,’ claiming he would be ‘doomed’ without them.
Goncalves and Mogen were found on the top floor in their beds. 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
Officials have insisted over the past month that the quadruple stabbing was a ‘targeted’ attack
The first floor where the surviving roommates were sleeping sits below grade and opens onto a gravel parking lot in the front of the building (pictured)
But, Goncalves admitted, he is disappointed by the lack of information as authorities say they are withholding details in an effort to catch the killer – who remains on the loose.
‘My wife’s biggest fear, part of the reason we didn’t have a funeral, is because she couldn’t be guaranteed that that monster was going to not be there.’
Goncalves did reveal that he had learned that his daughter did not suffer in her final moments, but did have ‘large punctures’ from a ‘brutal weapon’ that police say the killer was ‘proud of.’
‘The detective said this weapon is probably something [the killer] paid money for and something that they’re proud of,’ he said.
Goncalves didn’t share any information on how he’d learned Kaylee hadn’t suffered. Investigators previously said the students had ‘defensive wounds,’ suggesting they’d put up a fight against their attackers.
He said he only found out about his daughter’s untimely demise from family members on campus before police confirmed her death, and tried to call Madison — Kaylee’s best friend for years — only to find that she wasn’t responding either.
‘I haven’t earned the ability to grieve the way that I want to grieve,’ Steve said. ‘I want to be able to just have justice first.’
Steve Goncalves, the father of slain University of Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves, revealed on Tuesday that his daughter did not suffer in her final moments
Goncalves had previously admitted he has been ‘frustrated’ by the lack of information into his daughter’s murder as the investigation enters its third consecutive week without a suspect
Police say that they are not releasing a profile of the suspect because it could lead to more fear and suspicion in the college town, which is already on edge following the gruesome murders, with some students refusing to return to classes.
‘It will potentially put more fear, more suspicion on a wide variety of people versus if we use that to really refine where we’re at in our investigation,’ Idaho State Police communications director Aaron Snell told Jones. ‘I think that will be more pertinent.’
‘And so if we just provide information to the public, I just don’t think that that’s going to be a wise choice.’
In the meantime, Goncalves said: ‘We’re holding our tongue, we’re waiting patiently, but we’re definitely concerned.’
He asked anyone with information about his daughter’s whereabouts the night of November 12 and into November 13 to come forward and speak to law enforcement officials, saying they may provide the missing key to helping unravel the mystery.
Kaylee had spent much of the night before her death at the Corner Club — a Moscow dive bar popular with students — with Madison.
At approximately 1.30am, the pair were caught on camera purchasing a portion of carbonara pasta from Grub Wandering Kitchen – a food truck that offers late-night eats on weekends.
All four of the students were said to have been murdered in their sleep on November 13
Goncalves and Mogen, pictured here, had spent much of the night before their deaths at the Corner Club — a Moscow dive bar popular with University of Idaho students
Parked up close to the Moscow branch of insurers State Farm and outdoor store Hyperspud Sports, Madison and Kaylee were last glimpsed walking away towards what police have called ‘a private party driver’ for their final ride home.
The route, seen in an exclusive DailyMail.com video, takes less than five minutes to complete and cuts through the University of Idaho campus and passes the Sigma Chi house on the right where Xana and Ethan spent their last night before taking a left up King Road towards their home.
Poignantly, the drive also goes past the Moscow Police Department headquarters which can be seen on the left just as the route turns right onto the campus.
According to police, the pair arrived home at 1.45am – at the same time as Ethan and Xana and 45 minutes after their other roommates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, 19, who both miraculously survived the attack.
Less than two hours later, Madison, Kaylee, Xana, and Ethan were dead – butchered as they slept by a knife-wielding villain.
Autopsy results showed all four died from stab wounds to the chest, with police saying the murder weapon was a large military-style knife which still hasn’t been found.
Kaylee’s dog Murphy survived the attack unscathed and didn’t make a sound, while the first Dylan and Bethany knew of their roommates’ fate came after 11am when they woke up and went upstairs to find them dead.
Officials have insisted over the past month that the quadruple stabbing was a ‘targeted’ attack, with Idaho State Police spokesman Aaron Snell, 49, telling DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview that all four of the victims could have been the intended targets.
Idaho State Police communications director Aaron Snell told FOX News’ Lawrence Jones how they are not releasing a profile of the suspect to prevent further hysteria in the college town
Police are pictured here searching for evidence through trash at a local refuse center
He confirmed investigators have gathered enough evidence to suggest the killings were targeted, but admitted they are still no closer to identifying the murderer.
‘We still believe it was a targeted attack based on the evidence at the scene and how everything developed, what we know. We believe that’s accurate,’ he said.
Still, Snell refused to say which of the victims police believe to be the target, describing it as a ‘delicate question’.
He said: ‘That’s part of the ongoing investigation. That’s a real delicate question and when we’re able to say that or if we’re able to say that, we’ll definitely do that.
‘It’s very similar to the whole stalking, right. Potentially if there was a stalker, that would be somebody of extreme interest.
‘You can’t lay all your cards out at once. We’re trying to find the various potential participants.’
He then admitted that there is a threat to the community, despite Moscow police originally assuring the public there was no threat to the close-knit college town.
‘Is there somebody out there? Yes,’ Snell told DailyMail.com. ‘Our goal is to find that person and bring them to justice.’
Students have started to return to the University of Idaho, where a memorial has been set up for the college students following a Thanksgiving break
Meanwhile, students returned to campus from Thanksgiving break, and are on edge as questions remain unanswered.
The school has now announced it has increased security for the rest of the semester, as some students plan to stay home or take more classes online.
A candlelight vigil will also be held for the slain students on Wednesday in locations throughout the state.
The rumors surrounding the mysterious deaths of four University of Idaho students
The victims were bound and gagged: FALSE
Moscow police have denied reports that the victims were bound and gagged when they were stabbed to death on November 13. An autopsy found no such signs of bondage.
Two other roommates survived the attack: TRUE
Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen lived in the house with the three female victims but miraculously survived the attack, only to find their friends dead the next morning.
Both girls had been out of town separately on Saturday night and returned home by around 1am – before the other four victims came home from a night out.
It took nine hours to call 911 about their deaths: TRUE
Police received a call at noon on November 13, and concluded that the four had been stabbed to death up to nine hours before, with the killing occurring between 3am to 4am that morning and there were no signs of forced entry.
Veteran Moscow police have described the scene as among the most gruesome and harrowing they have ever seen, with the victims left to bleed to death inside the house.
Officials arrived and discovered the additional victims and confirmed that anyone in the house when the 911 call was placed was not involved with the crime.
The incident is related to recent animal deaths in the area: FALSE
Moscow police say there is no reason to believe the deaths of the four college students is related to recent animal deaths in the area or to a dog found skinned from head to tail on October 21.
The incident is related to similar unsolved stabbings nearby: FALSE
Investigators have ruled that the quadruple murder is not tied to other knife stabbings in Idaho, Washington and Oregon — despite announcing last week that they were probing a possible link between the students’ deaths and a similar case in Oregon, where a husband and wife were stabbed in their beds by a crazed lunatic last year.
‘We don’t believe at this time … these murders are actually linked to two other knife murders that have occurred both in Pullman, [Washington] as well as Oregon,’ Idaho Police communication director Aaron Snell said, noting that police are ‘aware of these various reports’ and ‘looked into them.’
Ex-boyfriend Jack DeCoeur, 26, was a suspect: FALSE
Moscow Police have ruled out murder victim Kaylee Goncalves’ ex-boyfriend, Jack DeCoeur, 26, as a suspect in her murder and the deaths of Maddie Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20.
Goncalves’ parents, Steve and Kristi, said they stood by Jack ‘100 percent’ after it was revealed that Kaylee and Mogen had called him at least seven times before their deaths
Kristi told Jones that she believes her daughter and Jack ‘would have eventually been married.’
‘They would have eventually had children,’ she said, explaining that the pair had dated for years and were on track to reconcile after spending some time apart.
‘We are supporting him, and we know in our hearts and our minds and our souls and the depths of our soul, Jack is hurting,’ she said.
Murder victim Kaylee Goncalves, 21, (right) and her ex-boyfriend Jack DuCoeur, 26, (left). Kaylee and her friend Maddie called Jack at least seven times in the hours before they were killed
The man seen talking to them at a food truck was a suspect: FALSE
Authorities have also ruled out a man who was seen speaking to Kaylee and Maddie at a food truck, which is where they were caught on surveillance footage for the last time alive.
Officials say there may be multiple perpetrators responsible for the crime.