Dominic Smithers
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The families of those killed in a brutal attack near a university campus have received death threats, it has been revealed.
Last month, four friends were stabbed to death in their shared home at the University of Idaho.
The victims were Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21, as well as 20-year-old Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle.
According to the coroner, the group of friends were 'butchered' in what is thought to have been a 'personal' attack. And it remains unclear who was responsible for the vicious attack.
Now, a month after the tragic incident, Moscow Police Captain Roger Lanier has revealed that the families of those who were killed had been threatened.
Speaking in a video posted to YouTube, Cpt Lanier said: "We've always closely guarded the information that we've discovered at the scene and our investigative information because we want to protect the integrity of this investigation.
"And just look at social media and the rumours that fly out there is a small piece of information that has speculation added to it just takes its own life on the internet, and starts rumours and then we find ourselves not only tracking those rumours down and trying to quell them.
"But also, we see our tips that come in are geared more toward the rumour and not the facts that have been put out.
"And the really unfortunate part of it is the effect that it's had on the victims families on the college students and friends of these victims, some of whom have had death threats and constant harassment by various media outlets.
"So it's been devastating in some ways, in many ways. It just re victimise us folks who have already suffer this terrible trauma."
Cpt Lanier said that the scale of the investigation was huge, with resources pulled in from across the state and even the FBI.
He explained that while no suspect has been named, their inquires are ongoing and they continue to follow every lead they receive.
"Well, this investigation is not cold, we get tips every day that are viable," he added.
"We get dozens and dozens of tips. We sort through and we prioritise them.
"And for sure some of them are not, are not good tips are not even relevant to the case. But every single day, we get a good amount of valuable tips.
"Eventually we're going to narrow in on exactly what happened and who did it."