Idaho investigators rule out connection between college murders and other unsolved stabbings

FIRST ON FOX: Detectives looking into a quadruple homicide of a group of University of Idaho students have ruled out a connection between the jarring attack and two other unsolved stabbings with similar characteristics.

"We don't believe, at this time, that these murders are actually linked to two other knife murders that have occurred," Aaron Snell, the director of communications for the Idaho State Police, told Fox News Digital Friday. "At this point in time, our detectives were aware of these cases, and we have looked into them."

Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20, were found dead hours after police say someone attacked them in their sleep on Nov. 13.Reporters at a news briefing Wednesday asked Moscow police about the possible connection between the students’ slayings and a second unsolved stabbing, which left Travis Juetten dead and seriously injured his wife Jamilyn in Oregon.

Authorities say an intruder attacked the couple in their sleep around 3 a.m. on Aug. 13, 2021.

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Travis Juetten, 26, fought back but succumbed to his injuries.

His wife, who is 26 now, survived 19 stab wounds.

The following morning, the Idaho Tribune reported that a third nearby attack under eerily similar circumstances.

Sandra Ladd, 71, was found dead in her home in Washougal, Washington, according to Oregon Crime Stoppers. Her death was ruled a homicide after the medical examiner found multiple stab wounds in her torso, Washougal police said at the time.

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The attacks on the students and the Juettens both happened between 3 and 4 a.m. on the 13th of a month. Ladd was found dead in her bed on June 14, 2020.

In all three cases, no suspect has been identified, and no weapons have been recovered.

However, investigators say the Idaho attack was targeted.

And while Snell previously said investigators had "not ruled out any idea or concept" he confirmed Friday that they were confident the three cases were unrelated, based on what evidence they've obtained so far.

"We have excellent investigators on these cases and as we get critiqued by other people that don't have any knowledge of it -- it's always very interesting to be critiqued by people who don't have knowledge of a specific case," he said, although he added that investigators would consider new evidence if it surfaced.

"Based on what they know from the other two cases, it doesn't seem that they are the same," he said.

As they continue to look for answers in the college killings, they are also asking the public for information on Goncalves’ potential stalker — no matter how small the details may be.

"We feel that if there was a stalker, that would be a pretty important piece of information that we would want to know," Snell said. "And so we have followed all the tips and leads for that regard, that we've been able to we have not been able to corroborate anything.

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But he said if it's true there was a stalker, it would be "very important to the investigation." 

Anyone with information on the stalker or on the case in general is asked to call the tip line at 208-883-7180 or email tipline@ci.moscow.id.us.