Moscow police are confident that occupants of a white Hyundai Elantra hold critical information relevant to the homicides of four University of Idaho students.
Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were killed in bed and stabbed in the chest and upper body with a large knife Nov. 13 between 3 and 4 a.m.
Video footage taken from the surrounding area showed a white 2011-2013 Hyundai Elantra at an Exxon Mobil gas station around 3:45 a.m., 1 mile from the victims’ home. Police put out a notice for the public for any tips or information relating to the vehicle on Dec. 7.
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Capt. Roger Lanier said in a video update released on Thursday that police are going through 22,000 registered Hyundai vehicles that match the description but that it’s possible some have slipped through the cracks.
“Maybe one of your neighbors has one in the garage they don’t drive that often. Maybe there’s one that’s just not on the registration database,” the captain said. “Let us know.”
This update comes after Kristi Goncalves, mother to Kaylee, told NBC’s Today that she only heard about the Hyundai as a clue through the media, not from the police.
“My first thought just started being like, ‘How long have they had this information? Where do they get this information? Was it on a camera?’” she recalled.
However, police spokespeople have claimed they sent the press release in an email to families to keep them up to date.
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So far, police have not identified or arrested a suspect and are providing limited information to the public so as not to damage the investigation.
Police have warned the media not to perpetuate, or even cause, rumors and speculation and have asked the public to refer to their press releases for updated and accurate details.
