Autopsies on the bodies of four University of Idaho students found dead in an off-campus apartment on Sunday confirm they were murdered by stabbing, the Latah County coroner officially ruled on Thursday.
The Moscow Police Department released the statement from Coroner Catherine M. Mabbutt on its Facebook page. They had already said they were investigating the deaths as homicides and that they believed the as yet unknown suspect used a knife.
The report says that the victims suffered “extensive wounds” after they were “stabbed multiple times with a large knife,” NBC News reported.
Mabbutt said the autopsies put the time of death sometime after 2 a.m. and said investigators are now looking at evidence found on the bodies to determine if any can help locate a suspect. No other information from the report has been released.
Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Ethan Chapin were found dead after a 911 call reported an unconscious person inside the house, as CrimeOnline previously reported. Police officers found the four bodies.
While they initially said they believed the attack on the students was “isolated” and “targeted,” police have since urged students to be caution and “aware of their surroundings.” Investigators have said they do not have a suspect, although they said that two roommates at the home — who were not harmed and were present when the stabbing took place — were cooperating with the investigation. Those two people, they say, have not been ruled out as suspects.
Mabbutt’s official cause and manner of death followed Spokane County Medical Examiner Dr. Veena Singh’s completion of the autopsies Wednesday night, according to KREM. She sent her report and recommendations to Mabbutt for the final determination.
The victims’ bodies have been released to their families, KREM said.
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[Featured image: Left, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle; Top right: Kaylee Goncalves; Bottom right: Madison Mogen/Instagram]
