First it was a targeted attack.
Then last night it wasn’t a targeted attack and Bill Thompson was wrong.
Then hours later it was a targeted attack again.
Come on, guys! For the residents of Moscow and the remaining UI students, whether it was targeted or not really matters.
Moscow police chief: ‘We’re going to solve this’
In interview, James Fry talks about why information is being held back from the public, reiterates that investigators believe murders were a targeted attack
The Moscow police chief on Thursday explained why police have held back information from the public regarding the investigation into the Nov. 13 murders of four University of Idaho students.
James Fry also expressed confidence that the team of investigators will solve the case, even though no suspect has been identified yet.
Nearly three weeks after Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle were killed in their King Road residence, little information has been shared to answer questions like how the suspect got into the residence, who specifically was targeted and why other roommates were spared.
Fry said when that information is made public, the suspect may learn that information, too, which could jeopardize the case. It also might jeopardize the integrity of a trial if an arrest is made.
“We’re always going to hold stuff back as much as we possibly can because when you’re talking about the integrity of the case, you’re talking about when this goes to trial, have you tainted jurors?” he said during an interview with the Daily News. “There’s a way bigger picture here than just people knowing. Because for it to be a fair trial, you have to have people who don’t know facts and have already made up their own opinions on them.”
Fry said his department still believes these killings were the result of a targeted attack, though he did not divulge why detectives believe that.
A Wednesday news release from the Moscow police created some confusion on this topic by stating: “Detectives do not currently know if the residence or any occupants were specifically targeted but continue to investigate.”
Fry confirmed to the Daily News on Thursday that his department still stands by its earlier statements that this was a targeted attack. In an interview with CNN, Idaho State Police spokesperson Aaron Snell clarified the recent news release by saying investigators “have not concluded if the target was the residence or its occupants.”