Idaho university murder victim’s mom reveals last messages she sent just hours before tragic killing

The mom of Kaylee Goncalves, one of the four University of Idaho victims fatally stabbed last week, revealed that her daughter sent her photos just hours before her killing last Sunday morning.

“She sent me a couple pictures of her and Maddie and that was on Saturday afternoon around 3,” Kristi Goncalves, Kaylee’s mom, said on Fox News’ “Lawrence Jones Cross Country” Saturday evening. 

Kaylee and her University of Idaho roommates, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kernodle’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin, 20, were fatally stabbed while sleeping last Sunday morning between 3 and 4 a.m. in Moscow, Idaho, according to authorities.

Kaylee’s mom said she had spoken to her daughter on the phone that same day and the two were making birthday plans for the coming week. 

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“Kaylee called me on Saturday, my birthday was earlier in the week,” Kristi Goncalves added. 

“And said ‘Mom, I’ll be home on Tuesday, and I’m gonna take you out to breakfast, lunch and dinner, and it’s all on me, all on me, and we’ll celebrate your birthday.'” 

The mom told Fox News’ Lawrence Jones that she was excited at the thought of celebrating her birthday with her daughter by going out to eat, recalling she told her daughter, “that sounds great Kaylee and, and I’ll see you on Tuesday, honey.”

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Local police are working with other law enforcement authorities, including the FBI, in investigating the brutal murders. Kaylee’s parents said during the Fox News interview that the investigation will take time due to the amount of evidence police have collected from the crime scene. 

The killer “made a mess. And there’s a mess there. And they’re gonna have to go through that point by point and that’s going to take a lot of time. That’s why they reached out to other facilities to help them with that lab work,” Kaylee’s dad, Steve Goncalves told Fox News’ Lawrence Jones. 

Mogen and Goncalves were seen at a food truck shortly before their deaths and were then taken home by a “private party,” according to police. Authorities originally said the two young women were taken home by a rideshare service, but have since corrected that information. 

Police said Saturday that they investigated the driver who took Mogen and Goncalves home, but “do not believe he is involved in this crime.”

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Two other roommates were in the home on King Road during the murders but are not considered suspects in the case, according to authorities. 

Moscow police provided updates on the case Saturday evening and said a 911 call was made at 11:58 a.m. on Sunday from “one of the roommates’ cell” phones. 

Moscow Police Department Chief James Fry said there were no signs of forced entry when police first arrived on the scene last Sunday. 

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Additionally, Goncalves called a man named Jack seven times before their deaths, “Inside Edition” reported, citing Goncalves’s sister Alivea Goncalves.

“At 2:26 a.m., Kaylee starts to call Jack,” Alivea Goncalves told the outlet. “Kaylee calls Jack six times between 2:26 a.m. and 2:44 a.m. From 2:44 to 2:52 Maddie calls Jack three times, then Kaylee makes a final call to him at 2:52 a.m.”

Officials said they are “aware” of the phone calls made to a man and it is part of the investigation. 

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Goncalves’ parents said during their interview on Fox News Saturday evening that their daughter’s ex-boyfriend Jack is innocent in the case, and that they are completely standing behind him as he also grieves Kaylee’s death. 

“They’re wasting their time with Jack,” Kristi Goncalves told Jones. “And Jack is just as distraught as we are. Jack is our family. Jack is 1,000%. 2,000% our family, and Jack is with us, and we stand behind him 100%.”

“We are supporting him, and we know in our hearts and our minds and our souls and the depths of our soul, Jack is hurting,” she continued. “Kaylee and Jack would have eventually been married. They would have eventually been married, and they would have eventually had children.”

Kristi Goncalves said Kaylee and Jack had dated for years, but that they were on a break in their relationship. 

Anyone with information about the incident is being asked to call Moscow police at 208-883-7054 or email tipline@ci.moscow.id.us.

Fox News’ Adam Sabes, Rebecca Rosenberg and Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.