Chapter 3 -"An Isolated, Targeted Attack"
"An Isolated, Targeted Attack" - a deeper look & analysis of the the Idaho 4 murders that occurred in Moscow, ID on 11/13/2022.
Why was no Reward offered in this case?
Moscow is a town with a serene setting in Idaho’s Palouse plateau, a safe community that according to the national data, maintains a low volume of incidents of crime. However, homicide is not completely unheard of in the peaceful Palouse region of Idaho. The town of Moscow, along with local Idaho law enforcement authorities such as the Latah County Sheriff’s Department, have offered rewards for information that lead to solving investigations in the past.
The history of homicide investigations in Moscow, Idaho is not significant in volume, but this is certainly not the first homicide or violent crime case investigated by the Moscow Police Department. In fact, in this quadruple homicide case, the Moscow PD has investigatory assistance from both the Idaho State Police (co-lead investigating agency) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) serving as supporting investigating agency.
Now, Moscow, ID may not be accustomed to a high volume of violent crimes, notably murder. Especially in relative comparison to the violent crime rate of Moscow, ID compared to the city of Chicago, colloquially known as “Chi-raq” due to the apocalyptic levels of violent crime in the city exceeding that of war-torn Iraq. However, in Chicago the importance of offering a reward to solve a crime, notable to solve a homicide case is not a lost concept. In fact, a local Chicago social activist asserts his organization has assisted in solving “nearly 30” homicides by offering reward money for information leading to an arrest in those “nearly 30” homicide cases.
Were Idaho law enforcement authorities indeed completely clueless in their investigation into the quadruple homicide case?
And if so, why did Idaho law enforcement authorities spend 47-days into their investigation appearing totally clueless in the endeavor & leaning on the public for information on their persons of interest/potential suspects?
From the initial press conference on November 16th, 2022 – Idaho law enforcement authorities appeared completely befuddled & bereft of even a single clue available in their investigation into this quadruple homicide. This oblivious appearance of the Idaho law enforcement authorities continued with a public display of what appeared to be ineptitude on the part of Idaho law enforcement authorities. That is right up until the point in which suspect Bryan Kohberger was apprehended via an all-out SWAT-style assault on Kohberger’s parent’s home in the early morning hours of December 30th, 2022 - located in the Poconos Mountains region of eastern Pennsylvania.
Given consideration of those facts relative the 47-day period following the quadruple homicide and the Idaho law enforcement authorities’ actions, it would only seem reasonable to expect the University of Idaho and/or Idaho law enforcement authorities to offer a reward for information in solving the quadruple homicide case. Further, after analyzing the negative economic impact that the quadruple homicide case had levied upon the university and local municipalities, it would only seem reasonable that it would a matter of urgency to offer a reward in this case. However, there was no reward offered.
This begs the question, why is no reward offered for information to solve this case?
It is an accepted practice in law enforcement investigations to offer a reward leading to information in solving a particular crime. This is evident, even in the state of Idaho, as the Idaho State Police partners with an organization named Crime Stoppers, to seek information from the public to assist in solving major crimes. The Crime Stoppers in coordination with the Idaho State Police offer up to a $1,000.00 reward for information that leads to an arrest in a major crime. Thus, the Idaho State Police – as co-lead investigators in this quadruple homicide case – clearly comprehends the added value of offering reward money for information that leads to solving a crime.
Moscow PD – the co-lead investigating agency in this quadruple homicide – also clearly comprehends this concept of the added value to an investigation to seek This comprehension is exhibited by Moscow PD’s generally accepted practice of offering a reward for information used to solve a crime, with numerous examples dating as far back in recent history as 2013.
However, the particular actions by both lead investigatory agencies, and their statements in reply to media inquiring about the status of a reward being offered in this quadruple homicide case appear to be bizarre; especially in consideration of the 47-day period of the investigation where both agencies appeared to have zero leads, and zero suspects in this case.
The 1st bizarre response came from a Moscow PD spokeswoman on December 11th, 2022, when media outlets inquired as to the status of a reward being offered in this case, and the Moscow PD spokeswoman completely avoided a direct reply to the seemingly simple question. Instead the Moscow PD spokeswoman stated in reply to the question, “Investigators continue to get good tips and leads and are focusing on those at this time”.
The 2nd bizarre response came from an Idaho State Police spokesman on December 6th, 2022, when ISP spokesman Aaron Snell was asked about the status of a reward being offered in this case, Snell provided this anomalous reply, “At times, when there is a reward or money offered ... the quantity and quality of tips actually degrade a little bit”. Now, this is a particularly odd reply in relative to comparison to Snell’s statement in 2019, thanking a Crime Stoppers tip leading to the arrest of a suspect wanted for major felonies. It seems that Officer Snell’s statements are mutually exclusive of one another, rewards offered for information to solve crimes are productive in 2019 but in 2022 Officer Snell has an opposing perspective in regard to this quadruple homicide case.
These multiple acts of completely ignoring the media’s very reasonable question on the status of a reward being offered in this case, by both lead investigatory agencies, speaks volumes to this author as to the actual intent of authorities in this quadruple homicide investigation. As what would be the impetus for Idaho law enforcement authorities to ignore and deflect the very reasonable question submitted by media, inquiring on the status of a reward offered in this case.
Even the FBI fully comprehends the added value of offering a reward for information to solve a crime.
The FBI has exhibited over and over through countless examples of FBI investigations, that the FBI fully comprehends the added value of offering a reward for information to solve a crime. Just look at the FBI Most Wanted list, each suspect is accompanied by a large monetary reward being offered for information leading to the suspect’s arrest. Further, the FBI also offers rewards for information in homicide investigations.
Again, the FBI who is heavily engaged in every single pivotal moment of this case, including the obfuscation of evidence in the Discovery process, evidence that is being used to incriminate suspect Kohberger – whilst grossly violating suspect Kohberger’s “inalienable Rights” to have access to any such evidence used to incriminate him, including this DNA evidence being unlawfully withheld from suspect Kohberger.
In summary…
The two law enforcement agencies, serving as co-lead investigators in this quadruple homicide case – Moscow PD & Idaho State Police, clearly comprehend the added value of offering a reward in a case, as does the supporting law enforcement agency. Then why was no reward offered for information leading to solving this quadruple homicide – especially in consideration of the Idaho law enforcement authorities “cold case” style investigatory approach from November 13th until suspect Kohberger’s sudden arrest on December 30th, 2022?
As discussed in the previous chapter, both the town of Moscow and the University of Idaho were faced with circumstances that could only result in a catastrophic economic implosion if students did not get back to campus in January 2023, and campus did not open back for spring semester without facilitating a safe environment for all students & townsfolk. Why then did Moscow, nor the university offer a reward for information leading to solving this quadruple homicide.
Lastly, in hindsight we know as per the Arrest Affidavit and subsequent Court filings in the Discovery battle that has ensued, the F.B.I. is involved in every pivotal aspect of this case. Why then was the F.B.I. not immediately offering a reward in this quadruple homicide at the onset of the investigation?