When Does Advocacy & Sleuthing Turn Into A Dangerous Breach of Information?

What Happened In Moscow, Idaho?

If you're like me as well as millions of others, you've been enraptured by the horrific quadruple murder in Moscow, Idaho, since it occurred in the wee morning hours of November 13, 2022. The news stations were quick to identify the victims - Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin - as four young students at U of I living in the house together, 3 women and 1 man. I still remember the sinking feeling I got immediately upon reading the headlines, and then I saw the photo - those who have followed along will know the one - of blood dripping through the wall to the outside concrete foundation of the home.

An argument broke out amongst the populace, debating whether it was blood or simply rust from old plumbing - but I think most of us knew immediately there was nothing else it could be; rust doesn't typically coagulate like blood, nor is it often seen dripping and creating run-off in the way these photos showed. It was very clear by that early afternoon that something unspeakable, incomprehensible, had happened that morning in that oddly arranged house. What we didn't know was who was responsible, whether they were still a threat, or even if these kids and their families would ever see justice.

I think many of us that day were sure it had to be someone connected to the individuals in the 1122 King Road house, because this crime seemed incredibly personal - stabbing is often referred to as an intimate crime, preferred by those with a tremendous amount of rage they want to take out on their victim(s). Immediately, though, one family stood apart from the other three - Kaylee's, the Goncalves family. Steve Goncalves, Kaylee's father, stepped out in front of the case as soon as it began accumulating attention, to try to get ahead of rumors and initiate a call for action when it came to finding whoever killed his beautiful - and by all accounts, kind, caring, welcoming - daughter.

So, who would want to kill these kids, and why?

The Family Who Would Stop At Nothing

Enter Alivea Goncalves, Kaylee's older sister. She comes to social media with a bombshell - she found video of both Kaylee and Maddie, getting food from a portable eatery called the Grub Truck. The owner of the truck streamed, and seemingly still does, some shifts on Twitch so students can watch whoever comes up, often their own friends. Alivea somehow found the footage very quickly after the murders, desperate to find anything leading to her killer.