'Disservice To Families & Community': State Police Reject Rumors Surrounding University Of Idaho Quadruple Murder, Refuse To Release Fresh Info To Public
Nov. 28 2022, Published 8:00 a.m. ET
The Idaho State Police investigating the murder of four University of Idaho students have slammed unfounded rumors spreading about the killings while also refusing to release fresh information about the case to the public, RadarOnline.com has learned.
In a stunning development to come roughly 14 days after Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were found stabbed to death on the morning of Sunday, November 13 in their off-campus home, a top official for the department has criticized the rampant speculation surrounding the case as a “disserve” to the families of the victims and the greater Moscow, Idaho community where the killings took place.
According to Aaron Snell, who serves as communications director for the Idaho State Police, the unfounded rumors about the quadruple killing do a “disservice to the families and to the community because it puts out additional information that hasn't been vetted.”
Snell also insisted the investigators working the case have the pertinent information they need, although the investigators have not shared every piece of that information with the public.
“Ultimately, detectives on scene have the information,” Snell told Fox News over the weekend. “The people that are working this case from all three agencies…they're the best and the brightest and they have the most up-to-date resources.”
Investigators also claimed they are withholding specific information about the killings in an effort to catch the quadruple murderer, including a profile of the suspect.
“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,” Snell continued during the interview with Fox News on Saturday night. “I think that will be more pertinent.”
He added, “And so if we just provide information to the public, I just don't think that that's going to be a wise choice.”
Although investigators have refused to share particular information with the public, Snell confirmed the authorities working the case have officially disproved some theories – including the rumor the four victims were bound and gagged when they killed as well as rumors the killings were connected to a series of other recent and similar murders in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
“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,” Snell said before confirming investigators are not only “aware of these various reports” but they also “looked into them.”
“Again, that's part of the investigation,” he continued. “We have excellent investigators on this case. So…we get critiqued by people that don't have knowledge of this specific case.”
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, the authorities investigation the quadruple murder in Moscow, Idaho have come under fire after it was revealed they still have not named a suspect – or recovered the murder weapon – roughly two weeks after the killings took place.
The investigators were also criticized after they quickly ruled out a connection between the quadruple murder and a dog that was found killed and skinned nearby in the college town on October 21 – just weeks before the murders of Goncalves, Mogen, Kernodle and Chapin were committed.
Steve Goncalves, the father of 21-year-old Kaylee, also recently spoke out to express his “frustration” with investigators after they allegedly stopped providing him updates regarding their investigation.
“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,” Kaylee’s father said Saturday night. “I do know things, I haven't shared things.”
“We're holding our tongue, we're waiting patiently, but we're definitely concerned,” he added.