Idaho Police Chief Insists He Has No Regrets Over Early Investigations—Video

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Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property insurance market, local and national politics. She has previously extensively covered U.S. and European politics. Giulia joined Newsweek in 2022 from CGTN Europe and had previously worked at the European Central Bank. She is a graduate in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations from Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy. She speaks English, Italian, and a little French and Spanish. You can get in touch with Giulia by emailing: g.carbonaro@newsweek.com.

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Moscow Police Chief James Fry defended the work of his investigators in the face of recent criticism, as the case of the four murdered University of Idaho students remains unsolved over a month after their deaths.

"I do think [investigations] were handled properly," Fry said talking to NewsNation on Thursday and responding to concerns expressed by the family of one of the victims that early investigations might have missed some crucial clues.

"We secured the scene quickly, we called in the state police. We did our due diligence in getting the things that we needed to do to... have this be a solid case all the way through. [We] called in the state lab to collect evidence," Fry continued.

"I believe that it was the initial stuff that we started, and how we did things, that will help bring this [case] to a conclusion," he added.

James Fry Video Press Conference
Moscow Police Chief James Fry gives a video press conference, 12-20-22. Fry has defended the way investigations into the murders of the four students were initially handled, saying that the groundwork laid down during the... Moscow PD

Despite Fry's apparent confidence, six weeks after the bodies of Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were found in a rental home in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13, Moscow police have yet to name a suspect, identify a motive or find the murder weapon.

The Goncalves family—who earlier this month launched a fundraiser with the idea of hiring a private investigator or offering a reward for any tip that could help crack the case—recently criticized Moscow police for the way the investigation was handled in the first 48 hours after the bodies of the students were found.

About a week ago, Kristi Goncalves—the mother of Kaylee Goncalves—told the Today show that her family was being "left in the dark" on the course of the investigation and that she feared the murder of her daughter may remain unsolved.

Moscow police—who are now being assisted in their investigations by the FBI and Idaho state police—have turned to the public for help with tips that can help direct the search for a suspect. According to the latest update provided by Moscow police on Facebook, investigators are working through more than 7,650 emailed tips, 4,313 phone tips, 4,583 digital media submissions, and over 250 interviews.

But the lack of clues in the case, as time goes on, has led to an explosion of speculation and conspiracy theories growing around the murders of the four students. Moscow police have repeatedly warned internet sleuths against spreading misinformation around the case, while family members of the victims have denounced being harassed by the public.

Moscow police say that they're only sharing information that won't hinder the investigation. "We're still trying to put everything together," Fry told NewsNation on Thursday.

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About the writer

Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property insurance market, local and national politics. She has previously extensively covered U.S. and European politics. Giulia joined Newsweek in 2022 from CGTN Europe and had previously worked at the European Central Bank. She is a graduate in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations from Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy. She speaks English, Italian, and a little French and Spanish. You can get in touch with Giulia by emailing: g.carbonaro@newsweek.com.

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Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property ... Read more