University of Idaho murder victim’s father says his daughter died ‘in the same bed’ as her best friend

Steve Goncalves, the father of University of Idaho murder victim Kaylee Goncalves, said the only solace he can find is that his daughter died in the same bed as Maddie Mogen, right by the side of her best friend for the past decade. 

Mogen and Goncalves, both 21-year-old students, had been inseparable since the beginning of middle school. 

“These girls were absolutely beautiful. They’ve been friends since sixth grade… Every day they did homework together, they came to our house together, they shared everything… They went to high school together, then they started looking at colleges and they came here together, they eventually get into the same apartment together,” Steve Goncalves said at a vigil for the victims on Wednesday evening. 

“And in the end, they died together, in the same room, in the same bed. And it’s a shame, and it hurts. But the beauty of the two always being together is something that will – it comforts us, it lets us know that they were with their best friends in the whole world.”

On Nov. 12, the two women went out to Corner Club, a local bar, around 10:00 p.m. before returning home at approximately 1:56 a.m. on Nov. 13. 

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When they returned home, both women called Kaylee’s ex-boyfriend several times between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m., but he never picked up the calls. Authorities have cleared him of any wrongdoing in the investigation. 

An unknown assailant entered the house some time between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m. and stabbed Mogen and Goncalves multiple times. 

They were two of five roommates who lived in the home. Police had not previously revealed that Mogen and Goncalves were in the same bed when they were attacked. 

Another roommate, 20-year-old Xana Kernodle, was also stabbed to death, along with her boyfriend 20-year-old Ethan Chapin, who was staying the night at the three-story residence. Two other roommates were not injured in the attack. 

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Police said early in the investigation that the attack was “targeted,” but they have not said who was targeted or why they believe that to be the case. 

No suspect has been identified and a murder weapon has not been located. Authorities have appealed to the campus community to report anything out of the ordinary that could help their investigation. 

“We’re gonna get our justice. We’re gonna figure this stuff out,” Steve Goncalves said on Wednesday. “This community deserves that.”