The tight-knit Moscow community held a Christmas tree lighting Thursday night to pay tribute to the four slain University of Idaho students.
The event was held at Friendship Square to honor the lives of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, 20, who were murdered on Nov. 13.
Residents were asked to share messages and place yellow roses at the Winter Wonderland Tree, the Moscow-Pullman Daily News reported.
Moscow Contemporary head Roger Rowley said the downtown art gallery partnered with the city to provide supplies for the event, according to the paper.
Local businessman Dan Brown shared the message he left.
The Moscow community gathered at Friendship Square to honor Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, 20. James Keivom
Residents were asked to place messages and yellow roses at the event. James Keivom“To the families of Kaylee, Madison, Xana and Ethan, we mourn with you,” he wrote. “We pray you can find peace in this difficult time. I hope our tree honors your loved ones and their memory,” Brown, the father of a recent University of Idaho grad, said he wrote.
Brown also is the owner of Breezy Trees Farm, the business that donated the festive tree.
He said he hoped the killer is found quickly so “peace and calm can return to the area,” the Moscow-Pullman Daily News reported.
Almost a month after the brutal stabbings, police have yet to name a suspect and have not even released a possible profile of the killer.
The murder weapon, believed to be a large knife, has not been found.
Here’s the latest coverage on the brutal killings of four college friends:
- Why Bryan Kohberger’s guilty plea means he may get the last laugh — and torment his victims further
- Byran Kohberger’s former criminology professor fears her serial-killer courses inspired him
- Prosecutors offered Bryan Kohberger a plea deal despite a mountain of damning evidence — here’s what they had
- Deluded Bryan Kohberger fans known as ‘probergers’ insist he’s innocent – despite guilty plea deal: ‘Reeks of a coverup’
- Families of slaughtered Idaho students vow to fight Bryan Kohberger plea deal: ‘Idaho has failed’
On Monday, Police Chief James Fry became teary-eyed when he stressed that investigators are still combing through mounds of evidence.
“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.
