Police chief vows University of Idaho student murder probe won’t go cold

Police Chief James Fry vowed the probe into the slaying of four University of Idaho students isn’t going cold as authorities in the town of Moscow are still on the hunt for the suspected killer or killers.

Fry, who became teary-eyed during an interview with Fox News Monday, stressed law enforcement is still combing through evidence and talking with people daily about the shocking and gruesome murders. So far police have received more than 2,600 emailed tips and more than 2,700 phone tips on top of 1,000 digital media submissions, he said.

“This case is not going cold. We have tips coming in. We have investigators out every day interviewing people. We’re still reviewing evidence. We’re still looking at all aspects of this,” Fry told Fox News correspondent Alexis McAdams.

“And I said early on that no stone will go unturned. And I mean that. We are going to continue.

“This case is not going cold.”

The college town has been rocked with sorrow and fear since Nov. 13, when the bodies of college students Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and her boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, were discovered inside an off-campus home.

Moscow police informed the public Tuesday afternoon that, starting Wednesday, Fry and other members of the department would collect and remove some of the personal items from that home that aren’t needed for the investigation.

The items would be loaded into a truck and driven to a “secure location” until families can collect the belongings, police said. Authorities said the removal of items would be done as privately as possible to respect the victims.

Fry said in a video posted by Moscow police he wants the families to have some of those “fond memories” of their lost loved ones back in hopes it would help them heal.

“It’s time for us to get those things back that really mean something to those families and hopefully to help with some of their healing,” he said.

Moscow police said the house on King Road would still remain an active crime scene regardless of the removal of items.

Police have faced criticism for mixed messaging in the case, including their statements about whether the wider community was originally in danger and if the attacks were targeted. Families of the victims have grown frustrated with the lack of answers, with one family even hiring private investigators to look into the slayings.

Fry, in the Fox News interview, said authorities would continue to push forward with the heartbreaking case.

“I’m a dad with daughters. And that’s tough. We’re human,” Fry said as his voice cracked. “We don’t go to these and just turn it off. It affects us. But we have a job to do. And we’re going to continue to do that job and we’re going to continue to push forward.”