Idaho Chief's Regret: Delayed Response to Student Murders

Moscow Police Chief James Fry recently shared the profound anxiety he experienced during the 2022 investigation into the murders of four University of Idaho students. He admitted that the intense media and public scrutiny, which lasted seven weeks until Bryan Kohberger's arrest, took a significant personal toll. Fry recounted that major advancements in the investigation were attributed to critical video footage of a car near the crime scene and DNA evidence found on a knife sheath. He specifically mentioned that Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos faces a similar situation in the ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie, relying on video and DNA analysis.

Fry expressed a significant regret: his decision to wait three days before holding his first press conference after the murders. He stated this was a failure on his part, believing he should have communicated with the community within six to eight hours. Fry also acknowledged the invaluable assistance provided by external agencies like the FBI and the Idaho State Police, noting the case would have suffered greatly without their support. The chief mentioned he did not sleep soundly until Kohberger accepted a plea deal 32 months later, leading to Kohberger's current sentence of four life sentences.