MOSCOW, IDAHO: Cleaners were photographed on Tuesday, June 27, at the Moscow, Idaho horror house where four local university students were brutally stabbed to death in November last year, scouring for personal items to remove before the property's obliteration.
The property situated on 1122 King Road has remained cordoned off since the killings of Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20. Bryan Kohberger, a 28-year-old criminology student, is charged with their killings and scheduled to go on trial in October. He has pled not guilty to the crime.
When will the property be demolished?
In February, the university said the property, which was handled by its owners, would be demolished but no date has been set as of yet. "This is a healing step and removes the physical structure where the crime that shook our community was committed," said Scott Green, the president of the university, in an email to students. He stated that the house would be destroyed in the subsequent weeks in February but no sign of its demolition has been seen so far.
Owners and university want the house destroyed
Green claimed that the owners of the property, the university, and all other involved parties want it completely destroyed. "Demolition also removes efforts to further sensationalize the crime scene," Green said. "We are evaluating options where students may be involved in the future development of the property."
Memorial in the cards
Green added that a university committee, which includes students, will start to create a memorial for the four murdered students inside a healing garden on the Moscow campus but the location is yet to be finalized. "While the memorial will be a focal point of a garden, the garden will also be a place of remembrance of other students we have lost and a place of healing for those left behind," the email said.
The investigators were constantly seen in the house after the murders, taking away boxes of evidence but have now slowed down a bit. Kohberger was in court on the day the house was being searched, and appeared before a judge for a pretrial hearing. The prosecutors informed the court on Monday that they were seeking the death penalty due to the brutal and cold-blooded nature of the murders.
'I cannot imagine being involved in cleaning that up'
On Twitter, a user responded to the news, "It's not an active crime scene. It's fine that it's being cleaned and personal items retrieved for the families. The property owner shouldn't be forced to keep it as it was. Photos and mockups will allow the jurors to see it. No reason not to demolish it now." Another wrote, "I don’t understand why cleaning crews are there and how come they’re not using that house as evidence it just doesn’t make sense to me!!!" One user noted, "I think the jury should be able to walk through the house. I just don’t understand demolishing it before trial," while another tweeted, "Wow. They’re still going back in to cleanup even more??? Over 6 months later? That is not good!" "I cannot imagine being involved in cleaning that up," wrote one user.
