A retired Washington, D.C., homicide detective believes Idaho police should have released the footage of a white Hyundai Elantra to the public “immediately” instead of waiting three weeks to do so.
Police are investigating a quadruple homicide that took the lives of University of Idaho students Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21. Each was killed in bed and stabbed in the chest and upper body with a large knife on Nov. 13.
Three weeks later, Moscow police alerted the public on Dec. 7 that they were seeking any information relating to a white 2011-2013 Hyundai Elantra that was caught on video near the area during the time of death, which was 3 to 4 a.m.
However, retired homicide detective Ted Williams believes police should have “engaged” with the public and provided this information sooner.
“I’m not being critical of law enforcement. What I’m saying is: You must bring the public along to assist you in an investigation of this nature,” Williams said in an interview with Fox News. “And when you have knowledge of a white car that you can’t identify, you don’t wait two to three weeks to put that information out to the public. You get the public engaged right away.”
Williams added that authorities typically have a 48-hour window to process evidence. After that, the longer police wait to receive assistance from the public, the more difficult it becomes to solve the case, he said.
The owner of a property near the home where the students were murdered turned over footage of a surveillance video that showed a white car drive by around the time of the murders, according to Fox News. Moscow police reached out to the owner one day after the murders, and the owner provided footage from 2 a.m. until noon on Nov. 13.
Williams said he saw “absolutely no reason” why police had footage of the car within 24 hours of the murders and kept it hidden.
“Law enforcement is trying to solve this crime, and I do believe that they will solve it, hopefully sooner rather than later. However, when you’ve got evidence that the public can help you with, even while you are dealing with the integrity of the investigation, you bring the public aboard,” Williams said. “I see absolutely no reason to keep that car in fold.”
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Moscow police have provided limited information so as not to damage the investigation. Over 10,000 tips have come in through phone, email, or digital media submissions.
Moscow officers continue to warn the public and media not to perpetuate, or even cause, rumors and speculation and have asked people to refer to police press releases for updated and accurate details.
