Police may go back to people who were previously cleared of the murders of four University of Idaho students, the lawyer for one victim's family has said.
Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Kernodle's boyfriend Ethan Chapin were found dead in an off-campus rental house in Moscow, Idaho on November 13. More than five weeks on, police have yet to identify a suspect or make any arrests.
Police have released relatively few details about their investigation, but have stated that some individuals—including two surviving roommates who slept through the attack—are not believed to be involved in the crime.
But police may "revisit" people they previously cleared, said Shanon Gray, an attorney representing Goncalves' family.
Gray made the comments while discussing surveillance footage that recently emerged showing Goncalves and Mogen walking with a man at around 1:30 a.m. on the night they were killed.
The man walking with the pair in the new video is "probably" the same person who was seen in surveillance footage that captured Goncalves and Mogen at a food truck, Gray told NewsNation's Ashleigh Banfield on Monday.
Police have said the man seen in the food truck surveillance footage is not believed to be involved in the murders.
"I think clearing is one of those words that investigators use as far as they might clear someone and then they might get new additional information and revisit that person somehow down the line," Gray said. "So you know, if they've cleared him in this, I'm not sure that they can't revisit any potential suspects that they might have."
Investigators have said the friends had been at a local bar called the Corner Club in downtown Moscow until 1:30 a.m., then stopped at a food truck at around 1:40 a.m. before getting a ride home with a private party. According to police, they got home at around 1:56 a.m. on November 13, while Kernodle and Chapin arrived at around 1:45 a.m.
Officers responded to the house and found the four victims after a 911 call was made from the cell phone of one of the surviving roommates at 11:58 a.m.
Gray also discussed the "Adam" that was mentioned in the video of Goncalves and Mogen walking with the man.
"Maddie, what did you say to Adam?" Goncalves reportedly says in the clip. "Like, I told Adam everything," she replies.
Gray told Banfield that the "Adam" mentioned in the clip is thought to be the bartender at the Corner Club.
"I think it was just a conversation they were having between the two of them. I don't think he's involved in the investigation at all," he said.
Gray said he had "no idea" what the women were referring to.
"I would hope that the Moscow Police Department would follow up with this video and some of the statements that were made in it. So that's we're having faith that they followed up on that, on the video," he said.
Aaron Snell, communications director for the Idaho State Police, told Newsweek: "Investigators are aware of the video and this should be addressed in our daily update. We have consistently stated that we will follow the tips and leads in this case."
The attorney also noted that people have been "digging" in a bid to find a clue that could help solve the case.
"We believe that the community is who will help solve this case anyway. So you know, we encourage people to continue to do the things that they need to do and help out the police in the investigation," he said.
Update 12/20/22, 10 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Aaron Snell.
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