Idaho Police Risk Losing Victims' Families as Frustration Over Case Mounts

Police must do everything they can to maintain the trust of the families of the four slain University of Idaho students amid growing frustration about the investigation, a former FBI profiler told Newsweek.

Authorities in Moscow, Idaho, have revealed relatively few details as they continue to investigate the brutal slayings of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, in an off-campus rental house on November 13.

They have not named a suspect and repeatedly said that "only vetted information that does not hinder the investigation will be released to the public." Police have said they believe the murders were a "targeted attack" but have not elaborated on why they think that.

In recent days, some family members of the slain students have expressed frustration about the lack of details being provided by police.

Goncalves' father, Steven Goncalves, told the New York Post on Monday that he is working with his own private investigators, a decision stemming from his concern that some investigators are too "inexperienced." He has also called for police to release the alibis of some individuals that police have said are not believed to be involved in the crime.

"It is absolutely understandable that Kaylee's father is frustrated due to the lack of information being provided to him," Mary Ellen O'Toole, who retired as an FBI profiler in 2009, told Newsweek. "The families are in such pain, there should be extra attention afforded to them."

O'Toole said it is crucial that authorities provide intermediaries to communicate with the families, noting that the FBI has trained advocates to work with victims and their families on such cases.

"I would hope that these people are out there in Idaho or wherever the families live to work with them," she said. "These people can serve as intermediaries with investigators, provide updates when available and explain nuances in an investigation."

But O'Toole said police cannot and should not release information about the alibis provided to them by individuals.

"These are private citizens who have done nothing wrong other than get caught up in the investigation," she said. "Obviously that could change if investigators develop new information on people previously cleared."

Having "a highly trained victim-witness person with the families explaining all of this to the families and giving them a voice is critical," O'Toole said. "Otherwise, the families will become angrier and angrier with law enforcement, and law enforcement will 'lose' them. You never want this to happen.

"The families are a critical part of an investigation and we have to make sure we do everything we can to give them the information we can, but explain each time we are unable to do so."

Newsweek reached out to the Moscow Police Department for comment.

The department previously said it has not provided certain information to protect the integrity of the investigation.

There have been "statements and speculation about this case, victim injuries, cause of death, evidence collection and processing, and investigative techniques," the department said in a news release on Monday.

"With the active criminal investigation, law enforcement has not released additional facts to the family or the public," the release said. "We recognize the frustration this causes and that speculation proliferates in the absence of facts. However, we firmly believe speculation and unvetted information is a disservice to the victims, their families, and our community.

"The Moscow Police Department is committed to providing information whenever possible but not at the expense of compromising the investigation and prosecution."