The devastated father of murdered University of Idaho student Kaylee Goncalves revealed during a candlelight vigil Wednesday night that she died in the same bed as her longtime best friend, Madison Mogen.
“These girls were absolutely beautiful. They’ve been friends since sixth grade … Every day they did homework together, they came to our house together, they shared everything,” Steve Goncalves told a crowd of about 1,000 people at the campus.
“They went to high school together, then they started looking at colleges and they came here together, they eventually get into the same apartment together,” he said inside the school’s Kibbie Dome, the Idaho Statesman reported.
“And in the end, they died together, in the same room, in the same bed. And it’s a shame, and it hurts,” the grieving dad continued.
He said he took solace from the fact that they were together in their last moments on Nov. 13 in their off-campus home in Moscow.
Grieving dad Steve Goncalves said he got solace that his slain daughter Kaylee was with her best friend, Maddie Mogen, in their last moments. AP
Univeristy of Idaho students gathered at a vigil for the four murdered students James Keivom“The beauty of the two always being together is something that will — it comforts us, it lets us know that they were with their best friends in the whole world,” Goncalves said.
He also vowed to get justice for his 20-year-old daughter, Mogen, 21, and the other two slain students, Xana Kernodle, 20, and her boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20.
“We’re gonna get our justice, we’re gonna figure this stuff out. This community deserves that,” Goncalves said, the Independent reported.
Slain University of Idaho students Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves. Maddie Morgan/Instagram
Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were in a relationship before their deaths. APAlso attending the vigil was Maddie’s father, Ben, who recalled how he had bragged about how she made the dean’s list and fell in love with her boyfriend.
“I’m so glad that she got to just have at least a little taste of what it’s like to be in love with someone,” Mogen said, according to the Idaho Statesman.
“I was really proud to call (Jake) my daughter’s boyfriend and maybe some day they would have gotten married. It seemed like it at least,” he added.
About 1,000 people attended a vigil for the four students on Wednesday night. REUTERS
Students console each other at the vigil. James Keivom
Moscow has been rocked by the senseless murders. James KeivomPolice said the four students were stabbed to death while their roommates Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen slept on the first floor.
On Wednesday, police stunningly revealed that detectives aren’t sure if the quadruple homicide was a targeted attack — despite informing the public earlier that they believed a killer or killers targeted the victims.
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’
“Conflicting information has been released over the past 24 hours. The Latah County Prosecutor’s Office stated the suspect(s) specifically looked at this residence, and that one or more of the occupants were undoubtedly targeted,” Moscow police said in a statement.
“We have spoken with the Latah County Prosecutor’s Office and identified this was a miscommunication,” it added. “Detectives do not currently know if the residence or any occupants were specifically targeted but continue to investigate.”
No suspects have been identified and the murder weapon has not been found.
