Sandra Ladd: Third unsolved murder with eerie similarities to Idaho killings emerges amid investigation
MOSCOW, IDAHO: A third fatal stabbing that had uncanny similarities to the unsolved killings of the four University of Idaho students has surfaced as investigators continue their hunt for the killer suspect in the quadruple murders. At a news conference on Wednesday, November 23, journalists questioned Moscow police about a potential link between the student killings and the murder of Travis Juetten, during which his wife Jamilyn was critically injured, in Oregon.
According to authorities, on August 13, 2021, about 3am, a burglar attacked the couple as they slept in their home. Juetten, 26, resisted, but he eventually died from his wounds. His wife, now 26, managed to survive despite being stabbed 19 times, as per Fox.
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"We're looking at every avenue, and we have other agencies reaching out to us with other cases, stuff that we are going to follow up on," Moscow Police Chief James Fry said during the press conference. He said his office knew about the case and was looking into the alleged similarities, but no official connection has been made between the two cases.
The Idaho Tribune reported that a third attack had a similar profile. According to Oregon Crime Stoppers, Sandra Ladd, 71, was discovered dead in her Washougal, Washington, home on June 14, 2020. The medical examiner discovered many stab wounds in her torso, leading the police to declare her death a homicide at the time, as per Fox. The two incidents took place 70 miles apart with 14 months in between. The location is about a five-hour trip west from Moscow, Idaho.
On November 13, between 3am and 4 am, four University of Idaho students—Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21—were fatally stabbed while they slept in their rental home. The incident took place on the 13th between 3 and 4, just like the Juettens. It was not immediately obvious when Ladd died. Local reports stated her body was found in her bed around 4.30 p.m. There is no known suspect in any of the three cases.
The Idaho State Police's director of communications, Aaron Snell, told Fox News Digital on Thursday, November 24, that the cases' potential connections would be thoroughly investigated. "Unequivocally, even without asking anybody, our detectives will be aware of that," he said, adding, "They will look into the possibility that they're linked…anything that would be a remote possibility as a connection will be something that we consider. It was too soon to determine for sure whether any of the three incidents were connected," he added, adding that investigators had "not ruled out any idea or concept."
Investigators from the state, city and the federal government worked through the Thanksgiving holiday on November 24, searching for leads, 11 days after the students were discovered dead at a gruesome murder scene just a few yards from the university's campus. Police reportedly believe the killings were "targeted," but they have opted not to go into any detail. Investigators are requesting any witnesses who may have surveillance footage of the scene to submit it as no murder weapon has been found. Additionally, they also investigated rumours that Goncalves had a stalker before the attack.