Sick Shrine: Work Begins to Demolish Idaho Quadruple Murder House to Thwart ‘Efforts to Further Sensationalize the Crime Scene’
Six months after four University of Idaho students were fatally stabbed in the home, demolition began at the off-campus residence, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The decision to tear down the Moscow, Idaho, home was done with the intention to thwart "efforts to further sensationalize the crime scene."
Bryan Kohberger, 28, a criminology Ph.D. student at nearby Washington State University, was arrested in connection to the quadruple homicide at his parent's home in December.
In late June, prosecutors announced they would seek the death penalty against him.
A mile-and-a-half away from the Latah County jail cell where Kohberger sat as he awaited trial, a crucial first step towards closure was underway.
Loved ones of the four victims — Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Ethan Chapin, 20, and Xana Kernodle, 20 — began to remove their cherished possessions from the home. The two surviving roommates were also allowed to collect belongings left behind.
The removal process marked the beginning of the end for the residence at 1122 King Road.
On Tuesday, a construction crew arrived at the crime scene and began boarding up windows, presumably to prevent nosey onlookers and brazen break-ins.
University of Idaho spokesperson Jodi Walker explained the school intended to level the home prior to students' return this fall.
"We hope to have the house down before school starts," Walker wrote in an email per the Idaho Statesman. "We don’t yet have a date for demolition. We continue to work through the process."
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With less than two months until the fall semester kicked off in August, work at the off-campus home moved quickly.
More construction activity was underway on Wednesday. Around a dozen university officials were seen at the home, along with a remediation firm and trucking company.
The groups joined together as they walked the perimeter of the six bedroom property, which had been fenced-off.
The week's frenzy of activity was expected since plans to demolition the home were announced at the end of the solemn spring semester.
"This is a healing step and removes the physical structure where the crime that shook our community was committed," University of Idaho President Scott Green wrote in a February email sent to students and faculty.
"Demolition also removes efforts to further sensationalize the crime scene."