Demolition work commenced on the house in Moscow, Idaho, where four University of Idaho students were brutally stabbed to death last year. The house, near the university campus, became a grim reminder of the tragic event that claimed the lives of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves in November 2022. The property owner, who donated the house to the university, decided to tear it down earlier this year. The university sees the demolition as a crucial step toward finding closure, according to spokeswoman Jodi Walker.
The sounds of construction equipment filled the air as an excavator began dismantling the front part of the house. Debris, consisting of crushed and smashed wood, accumulated on the ground, and a dump truck transported the remains away. The university plans to plant grass on the site after the demolition, with no current plans for its use, although the university may reconsider in the future. Some of the victims’ families opposed the demolition, advocating for the preservation of the house until after the accused murderer, Bryan Kohberger, faces trial.
Kohberger, a former criminology graduate student at Washington State University, has been charged with four counts of murder. Prosecutors, anticipating a summer trial, informed university officials that they don’t foresee needing the house further for the case. A judge entered a not-guilty plea on Kohberger’s behalf earlier this year. His defense team was granted access to the home for documentation purposes, while the FBI collected data at the site in October. The Latah County prosecuting attorney’s office declined to comment due to a gag order restricting statements to the media.
The article draws parallels to other infamous crime scenes, such as the house at 10050 Cielo Drive where Sharon Tate was murdered in 1969. That property was demolished in 1994, and a new mansion was built. The article also highlights the demolition of John Wayne Gacy’s home in 1979 and the home of Fred and Rose West, British serial killers, which was torn down in 1996. In contrast, the article mentions Alex Murdaugh’s hunting estate, where he murdered his wife and son, which is still standing, though it was put up for sale after the killings.