Moscow, Idaho police need more tips to crack quadruple murder case, ex-FBI officials say

close

Video

Idaho police 'need more tips' in university murders, Danny Coulson and Chris Swecker say

Two former FBI assistant directors analyze state of the Idaho murder case following police presser, on 'Your World.'

Idaho authorities investigating the quadruple murders at the University of Idaho in Moscow will need more public tips to crack the case, two former FBI assistant directors told Fox News on Wednesday.

Officials used a lot of words to make a much more simple point, former deputy of the criminal division Chris Swecker told Fox News moments following authorities' press conference Wednesday, 10 days after the slayings

"There was a lot of filler there, but what I took away was they need more tips and leads. They need information from the public," he said pn "Your World."

"They're going to need an assist to break this case -- because what they have is a lot of forensic evidence. They've done a lot of interviews. And this idea … that somebody was specifically targeted in a very personal way, it just isn't panning out right now."

UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO STUDENTS KILLED: A TIMELINE OF EVENTS

Flowers at an improvised memorial at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho Monday, November 21, 2022, for four of its students who were slain on November 13. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)

Swecker said officials have conducted more than 100 interviews seeking suspects or leads, adding that in typical situations, at least one of those individuals would have picked up on whether someone they know might have had the "animosity" to murder the college students in their home.

"This didn't just happen. There's a lead-up to it if it's that personal,' he said.

Former Deputy Assistant FBI Director Danny Coulson later added it is sometimes better for authorities to say very little publicly to avoid potentially revealing investigation strategy.

CBS' TARDY HUNTER LAPTOP VERIFICATION IN FACE OF BIDEN DENIALS DEMANDS PROBE: GOP

Chris Swecker, former LAPD sgt, ex-FBI assistant director. (Fox News)

"This is going to be solved by a tip or by forensic evidence that's gathered at the scene," he said. "The FBI's evidence response team is the best in the world. This is a horrible crime scene. It's going to be very difficult to sort out all the different blood samples."

"And, you know, we might have a situation where the subject actually wounded himself. And that would be a good thing because then we would have his blood; his DNA, and we can work from there."

Video

Coulson disagreed with the belief the killings were targeted.

"The idea this is targeted – I don't see this as targeted. I don't see that at all," he said on "Your World."

However, Coulson pointed out it is wise if police are playing "close to the vest" on some of those details of the investigation.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Crosses at an improvised memorial at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho Monday, November 21, 2022, for four of its students who were slain on November 13. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)

University of Idaho students Ethan Chapin, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and 21-year-old Madison Mogen were stabbed several times and killed in the early morning hours of November 13, officials have said. Police have not identified any suspects. 

Video

Moscow police received a call shortly before noon on Nov. 13 for a report of an "unconscious person" at the King Road home. Several other people had gathered at the crime scene by the time police arrived, officials said.

Investigators have determined all four were likely stabbed in their sleep sometime between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., after they had returned home from a night out. Some of the victims appeared to have tried to defend themselves. 

Fox News' Stephanie Pagones and Dan Springer contributed to this report.