Warning: Graphic content, readers’ discretion advised
MOSCOW, IDAHO: Kaylee Goncalves was one of the four University of Idaho students allegedly murdered by suspect Bryan Kohberger last November in 2022. Now the late Kaylee's dad, Steve Goncalves, has denied certain claims made about the case by investigative journalist, Howard Blum.
Blum reported about the Moscow, Idaho murders in a digital publication series titled 'The Eyes of a Killer'. He claimed that Steve was conducting his own investigation into the murders alongside the official investigation conducted by law enforcement.
According to KHQ, Blum also alleged that Steve took liberties with the case and potentially jeopardized the case against suspect Bryan Kohberger.
However, Steve has slammed the article, calling it "obviously fictional," in a statement through the Goncalves' family lawyer, Shannon Gray.
The controversy comes after the court issued a restrictive gag order on the case ahead of Kohberger's October 26 hearing, when the court will discuss his motion to dismiss the murder indictment based on a biased grand jury.
Kaylee, alongside Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, was killed in an early morning home invasion attack on November 13, 2022.
Report claims survivors of Idaho murders 'were awake' during attack
As part of his report, presented in an Air Mail story, Blum mentioned that two housemates who survived the massacre in the off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho, were awake and texting each other when the four victims were allegedly murdered, Fox News reported.
The reporter attributed the revelation to the grand jurors of the case and claimed that they had allegedly leaked the information to Goncalves' father.
However, Blum clarified that neither Steve nor his attorney had ever agreed to comment on the story.
"Steve had been told that the two survivors allegedly had not only been awake while the killings had taken place but that they had heard everything," the report alleged.
"More astonishingly, his grand jury sources alleged that the two girls had been texting one another as the murderer methodically went from one room to the next," it added.
What did Kaylee Goncalves' father say?
Goncalves' father, Steve, issued a statement about the claims in Blum's report through their family attorney and hinted that the reporter was allegedly trying to profit off his slain daughter and his family's grief.
"I just want to make it very clear to the public that we have not spoken to Mr. Blum about the death of our daughter… This is nothing more than grandstanding and a very, very poor attempt at getting attention. This piece is obviously fictional but written in poor taste," the statement mentioned, as per KHQ.
"The Goncalves family would ask that everyone please respect the victims of this tragedy and continue to support trustworthy journalism," it further added.
The publication mentioned that Blum had contacted the Goncalves family for an interview but they declined the proposal multiple times.
Netizens slam investigative report on Idaho murders
Several social media users called out the investigative report on Idaho murders after the statement from Goncalves' family attorney.
Retired FBI Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer appreciated Steve for "providing clarity" on the situation. "I am glad to see an official statement," she wrote, while noting the statement from his attorney.
"Leaving Mr. Goncalves with the last word. I wonder if Mr. Goncalves will seek legal action against Mr. Blum. That article was inciting...," Coffindaffer added.
"Said it 100 times, Blum is a 'Cassandra' trying to pave the way for future book sales. Gross," one user said.
"I didn’t even want to read that article. Glad Mr. Goncalves spoke out," another commented.
One said, "Oh good. I didn’t like the article at all and stopped reading it, so it’s good I don’t have to go back and finish it."
While another opined, "I think Steve Goncalves is a decent person, he’s simply searching for the truth and I can’t blame him."
What did officials say about the surviving roommates of the Idaho murders?
According to court documents unveiled in January, at least one of the surviving roommates saw something suspicious before the four Idaho murder victims were attacked.
The same roommate, who was reportedly on the second floor of the three-story house, told police that she awoke to some noises around 4 am and believed that it came from Kaylee Goncalves playing with her dog on the top floor, as per Fox News.
However, cops later found that Kaylee and Mogen were both dead at the time in the other upstairs bedroom. As per the probable cause affidavit, the roommate thought she heard Kaylee say, "There's someone here."
Although the roommate peeked out of her room, she could not see anything. Investigators revealed that Xana Kernodle was still alive at this time and even using the TikTok app on her phone at 4.12 am.
The roommate soon thought she overheard crying from Kernodle's room, which was on the same floor, and peeked out to overhear a man allegedly saying, "It's OK. I'm going to help you."
The roommate then "opened her door for the third time" and saw a masked man in dark clothes with "bushy eyebrows" leaving through the rear sliding door. She described him later to the police as "not very muscular, but athletically built."
Court documents said that the roommate froze in shock when the suspect walked by her and out the door. Officials believe all four victims were repeatedly stabbed before 4.25 am.
The other surviving roommate was barely referenced in the probable cause report and agreed to interview with Kohberger's defense lawyers in April after resisting a subpoena.
