Sign up for our free US News newsletter delivered straight to your inbox every weekday morning
Sign up for our free US morning email newsletter
Four University of Idaho students were found dead near the campus in Moscow, Idaho, in what officials have described as a “crime of passion.” The Moscow Police Department named the students Monday as Ethan Chapin, 20, of Conway, Washington. Madison Mogen, 21, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Xana Kernodle, 20, of Avondale, Arizona; and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, of Rathdrum, Idaho. The four students were discovered at an address in King Road just before midday on Sunday following reports of an “unconscious person”. Although police are treating it as a homicide, they have said little about how the victims died. The city’s mayor, Art Bettge, told The New York Times he believed the killing was a “crime of passion,” but declined to elaborate, saying only, “It seems to have some of the hallmarks.” Ethan Chapin, left, and Xana Kernodle, were among four University of Idaho students killed Sunday (Xana Kernodle/Instagram) Asked to elaborate by The Spokesman-Review, a newspaper based not far from the state border in Spokane, Wash., Mr. Bettge said he arrived at this crisis through the process of elimination. “We don’t really know what it was,” he admitted. However, Mr Bettge urged citizens not to worry for their own safety, calling it a “targeted, one-off situation” that was “not likely to happen again”. Moscow police also said they did not believe there was an “ongoing community risk” based on the preliminary investigation, although no suspects had been arrested as of Monday night. “Our sincere condolences to every person affected by this incident,” the police department said. According to the Daily Mail, a final photo posted on social media by Ms Goncalves showed all four students smiling and posing together on a terrace of the house. Other photos suggest that Mr. Chapin and Ms. Kernodle were having an affair, showing them with their arms around each other. The campus was placed on lockdown Sunday afternoon as the University of Idaho issued a warning to students to stay away from the area and seek shelter. Madison Mogen, left, and Kaylee Goncalves were among four homicide victims at the University of Idaho (Kaylee Goncalves/Instagram) The threat was lifted several hours later, but university officials warned students to remain “vigilant.” In a social media post, President Scott Green said Monday’s classes would be canceled “out of respect for these fellow Vandals,” a reference to the school’s mascot. Mr Green urged all students left traumatized by the tragedy to seek counselling. “An event of this magnitude can reasonably have a significant impact on those left behind. As Vandals, we need to come together and lift each other up,” he said. Moscow Fire Chief Brian Nickerson told the Idaho Statesman that his officers were also dispatched to a medical call at the property on Sunday. By the time they arrived, the police had already entered the property and found the bodies of the students. The deaths came on the same day three University of Virginia students were reportedly shot by a fellow student. Two others were injured in the campus shooting. Suspect Christopher Darnell Jones was captured 12 hours later after he fled. This story was updated at 7:16 PM PT to add new details.
