Tag Archives: King Road

Take a deep breath social media world

Following the Idaho 4 case has been interesting to say the least.

From trying to determine what happened on that fateful morning at 1122 King Road to knowing multiple families will never be the same again and more, the case of the University of Idaho murders has captured the attention of many people. That is both in this country and outside the U.S.

With that in mind, it has been downright fascinating to see how the world of social media has reacted to this case.

As someone who uses social media for both work and personal pursuits, I’ve been nothing short of amazed of the reaction on social networking to this case.

First and foremost, I think we all feel a tremendous amount of sympathy for the families of Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. No parent or other family member should have to go through what these four families have been put through. I make it a point to mention the names of the victims often in my posts so that in fact they are never forgotten.

Yes, I have no doubt many of these family members and even friends of the deceased go on social sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, You Tube and so on. Some likely more frequently than others. What they can be subjected to in chat groups dedicated to the case can be downright awful at times. We all want answers and most notably the families want and deserve answers.

In being in several Facebook chat groups and seeing some of the other chatter online about this case, I’m both inspired and appalled at times.

I’m inspired that so many people have taken interest in the case and more importantly showed such tremendous love overall towards the families.

On the flip side of the coin, I’m appalled at times by how some people are treated on social media. Specifically, those that even dare suggest something other than the police narrative of the individual in custody stalked one or more of the women in the home and acted out because he could not have them.

If we are being honest and even applying some commonsense, only a few people know what exactly happened at 1122 King Road on Nov. 13 of last year somewhere in the time frame of 4-4:25 a.m.

To say these tragic murders may be due to something other than the police narrative is acceptable and even normal, especially when information being released to the public has been so limited. That does not mean that anyone in that home alive or deceased is/were terrible people. And certainly none of the four victims by any means deserved what happened to them.

Social media and this case in particular at times brings out the worst in people.

Sadly, I feel at times like I’ve been transported back to junior high school and the cliques are running the show in the world of social media. Either tow the company line and think like everyone else or be ostracized.

News flash, you have every right to voice your opinion and beliefs, share theories that the main group of people think are outlandish, and not be ashamed of those thoughts. Doesn’t mean you are right, but you can and should be heard. People looking down on you because you may not share the same thoughts as others are the ones with the problem and not you.

So, should you already be on social media talking about this case or look to do so for the first time, stand your ground.

If someone says you’re nuts for thinking a certain way, just smile, don’t give them the time of day, move along.

Sometimes ignoring such people is more upsetting to their childish egos than if you confront them head on.

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How vulnerable was the home on King Road?

What made 1122 King Road stand out to a killer?

When you stand outside the property and walk around it, nothing stands out of note.

Having seen the house in person Memorial Day weekend, I was amazed at how much more compact the neighborhood is than what you see on television. Being there in person gives you an even better appreciation of how on top of one another these homes and apartments are.

That said, the home at 1122 had to stand out for some reason to the alleged killer.

Even more perplexing is did this quadruple murder have to take place to begin with?

The prevailing theory is that the killer entered the home from the kitchen patio door on what is considered the second floor of the three-story residence. It is also reported from one of the two surviving roommates that the killer left the home through that same sliding door.

While it is easy to be a Monday morning quarterback, there were several deficiencies that made the residents at 1122 more vulnerable.

The most glaring one to me was the fact that the patio was accessible to anyone who wanted to go there.

Imagine for a moment if that patio had been surrounded by a big gate and/or fence. Yes, the killer may well had still be able to get in. That said, a big gate/fence surrounding the patio outside the kitchen door would have made it much more challenging. Also, think about how security cameras may have led a killer to think twice about entering. The individual who owned the home at the time of the killings has since given the property to the University of Idaho. It is now boarded up and much more difficult for someone to break in (there is also security there 24/7 now).

We also do not know if the residents (Kaylee, Maddie, Xana, Bethany, Dylan) locked the doors on a regular basis. If they did not, this would have made it so much easier for the killer to come in.

Let’s be honest…. it is Moscow, Idaho and not Chicago or Los Angeles. You’re not expecting to have a quadruple homicide in a town of some 25,000 people. As such, it would not be terribly uncommon for many people to not lock their doors and windows in this quaint little college town.

The old adage that a killer will do whatever it takes to kill is true. Even better security at 1122 King Road may not have prevented this tragedy.

At the end of the day, however, that home was vulnerable as were its occupants on that fateful Nov. 13 morning.

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Seeing 1122 King Road in person

Seeing 1122 King Road in person was surreal, sad and a number of other emotions. It certainly made it hit home a lot closer. I would say the only similar experience would have been when I went to the Gulf Coast as a reporter shortly after Hurricane Katrina. While seeing the damage brought by Katrina on CNN etc. was quite an impact for sure, seeing it with your own eyes was 10 times greater.

I made sure during my visit to the outside of 1122 King Road last weekend to be respectful and not make the job difficult for security on hand. Part of going there along with my journalist curiosity was to lay flowers and a note at the small memorial in the front of the driveway.

Hopefully Ethan, Xana, Kaylee and Maddie knew how many people cared about them.

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Death on King Road

As a journalist of more than 30 years, I have followed countless crime cases. That is both for reporting on and out of personal interest. The tragic killing of 4 University of Idaho students last Nov. 13 (2022) has stayed with me through now. My goal with this blog is to keep readers up to speed on the latest happenings, present some theories, and engage with readers. Most importantly, I want to see justice prevail for Kaylee, Maddie, Xana and Ethan.

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