Connie’s reflections: University of Idaho Student Murders

My grandson John is a student at the University of Idaho located in Moscow, Idaho. His brother attends
Washington State, just 20 miles away. Since I have grandsons living near the site of the murder, I have
had a special interest in the news reports. I’m happy to report that the boys have returned home for
the Thanksgiving holiday, so they are safe!

For readers who haven’t followed the college student murders in Moscow, Idaho, it’s been eight days since the murder of four coeds in their apartment late Saturday night, November 12, 2022.  At this time, neither the police nor the FBI investigators have released any names of a person-of-interest, thus the entire community is “on edge”.

There are so many similarities to the murder I wrote about in my book, “Cavalier – The Story of an
Unsolved Murder in a Small Town”. I hope that this murder doesn’t remain unsolved for many reasons.

Here are some of the reports I’ve heard that align with the 1986 murder I wrote about:

- Moscow, Idaho is a small town.
- Moscow investigators have little or no experience with murder investigations.
- A knife was utilized to kill the students. The murder weapon hasn’t been found.
- Murder with a knife is so personal since the murderer is touching the victims while killing them,
rather than shooting them from a distance.
- The students left their apartment door open for visitors, it was not secured.
- There are few cameras in the area.
- The students sound like they may have been drinking and may have passed out.

Thankfully, the FBI is assisting the local investigators. The FBI didn’t help with the investigation of my
friend Jack’s murder, except for some lab analysis.

Regardless, a week has passed since these terrible murders in Moscow, Idaho. My research shows that
unless there are solid leads uncovered within the first 72 hours, the case may go cold. I hope not.

My grandson and his college friends will never forget this experience, just like my friend’s murder has
impacted my outlook on life for the past 36 years. I feel bad for the students, the roommates, the
college and of course the families involved. They will never be the same.
​
Connie L Nelson