Kaylee Goncalves warned about stalker three weeks before her murder (2024)

Kaylee Goncalves had "tons of issues" with a stalker before she was murdered, along with three other University of Idaho students, according to a local shop manager.

Goncalves, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, were stabbed to death in the early hours of November 13 at a shared student house in Moscow, Idaho.

Two other female students living in the house slept through the attack and were unharmed. More than a month later police have yet to identify a suspect or recover a murder weapon.

Brian Entin, a senior national correspondent for the network NewsNation, spoke to the manager of a Moscow vape store, who said Goncalves and Mogen used to come in as part of a group and discussed Goncalves having a stalker.

He said: "They always came in as a group—I'd say four, five girls at most, all the time would come in together. I made a joke about it coming together and stuff like that—'nice seeing you girls trying to stay safe.' One of them more or less openly says we've had a friend of ours be stalked before so this is kind of why we all travel in a group like this."

Asked by Entin whether Goncalves made the remark he replied: "No it was Maddie [Madison] who actually said that. Maddie said it and motioned to Kaylee who was right next to her, you could tell they all were trying to keep Kaylee safe and be there for her as good friends."

He continued: "They more or less made the comment that it always seemed to happen either by the campus or down on Main Street. Kaylee more or less made it sound like it seemed like it was down on Main Street, and that the person was coming from around the Corner Club area.

"This was apparently something Kaylee had tons of issues with, apparently she always had someone who was walking behind her like that," he said. "And it was more so at night time when they were out there drinking, stuff like that. I asked them, like, 'is it at school?' And she's like 'no at night going out to the bars or coming back from the bars.'"

The vape store manager described Goncalves and Mogen as "very friendly" and "happy-go-lucky."

Moscow Police Captain Roger Lanier told reporters on November 23 that "we obtained information through some of our interviews that Kaylee had made some comments about a stalker."

On December 5, Moscow police said there had been an "incident" involving Kaylee and two males, but they do not have any evidence connecting these males with the murders.

"Using tips and leads, investigators have identified an incident involving Kaylee at a local business, which may have been the stalker reference she made to friends and family," the Moscow Police Department said in a statement. "In mid-October, two males were seen inside a local business; they parted ways, and one male appeared to follow Kaylee inside the business and as she exited to walk toward her car. The male turned away, and it did not appear he made any contact with her.

"Detectives contacted both males and learned the two were attempting to meet women at the business, this was corroborated through additional investigation. Based on available information, detectives believe this was an isolated incident and not an ongoing pattern of stalking. No evidence suggests the two males were involved in the murders."

Goncalves family has hired a lawyer, with her father Steven telling Fox News Digital that police had "messed up a million times."

Investigators are seeking information about the occupants of a white Hyundai Elantra, that was seen near the student house near the time when the murders occurred.

Newsweek reached out to the Moscow Police Department for comment.