Sunday, January 1, 2023

Murders in Moscow, A Suspect in Custody, and the Internet Justice System Has Different Rules

 The Moscow, Idaho police, the Idaho State Police, FBI, and others believe Bryan Christopher Kohberger committed murder most foul early in the morning of November 13th, 2022. So does TV personality, Nancy Grace. Grace, who is the Donald Trump of crime and court reporting is the least believable of any of the above mentioned entities. If cops arrest anyone for anything she immediately tells her audience the accused is flagrantly guilty and an inhuman creature straight from hell. Her bombasts are both crude and prejudicial and the volume at which she speaks renders microphones moot.

Nancy Grace aside, during the seven, or so weeks since University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernoodle, and Ethan Chapin were brutally murdered in their barely off campus rental place, more than a few have been called suspects, although none of them by the police. 

Indeed the internet justice system, as it were, has different rules than what we are used to. During that month and a half plus of official silence the internet went wild with speculation and baseless accusations. The first to fall victim to this hysteria was third year law student Jeremy Reagan. He was a neighbor of the four victims who was interviewed on the fledgling cable network News Nation. After telling the reporter the only thing he knew was he went to bed early that night many claimed he had to be the guy

Personal attacks and threats began to flood Reagan's inbox. Police had initially declined to take a DNA sample and it just intensified the insanity. Finally he marched into Moscow Police Headquarters and demanded they take a sample so he could prove to the faceless mob he wasn't involved. The cops took it, cleared him again, but doubts still lingered among web gumshoes everywhere.

There were others. The unidentified guy at a food truck in the hoodie for one. A security camera at the scene showed a brief exchange between one of the victims and him mere hours before the murders happened. Amateur audiologists and lip readers became convinced Ms. Goncalves told the man to, "fuck off," or said, "fuck you," or maybe something else equally hostile. The internet became enraged when the authorities seemingly failed to follow up on their suspicions. 

Kaylee's ex-boyfriend, Jack DCoeur was offered up as a suspect after it was reported she called his cell phone numerous times without success during the moments before the murders. The theory being DuCoeur committed the crime, then called himself from her phone to establish an alibi.

Then in a truly ugly turn, Steve Goncalves, Kaylee's father, began to be eyed by some because unlike the police, he spoke to the media too much.  

Finally, Tik Tok maven, Ashley Guillard declared UI associate professor, Rebecca Scofield committed the murders, or at least ordered someone to do it. The motive for the hit remains unclear, but according to Ashley Guillard the evidence was and even now is clear. Ms. Guillard's tarot cards told her so.  Ashley Guillard has over 100,000 followers on Tik Tok and her posts about Scofield have taken over a million hits. Some in her audience have taken time from their busy days to send the professor derogatory and threatening messages. Recently Scofield filed a federal lawsuit claiming Guillard has repeatedly defamed her and damaged her reputation. Guillard's response has been, bring it on.

Hey, being noticed, no matter how expensive it might prove to be, is better than not being noticed at all.

While all this nonsense was raging the local, state, and national law enforcement people were zeroing in on Bryan Kohberger. The public's demand for every detail of the ongoing investigation be damned, other than asking for information about a white Hyundai they weren't saying a word.  Although a quirky Idaho law prevents the authorities from releasing their probable cause evidence until the suspect arrives back in state, reports are a genealogical DNA search provided the tip that caused the arrest. That and the white Hyundai Elantra seen near the crime scene similar to one owned by young Mr. Kohberger.

The dissecting of Bryan Kohberger's mind, behavior, history, and upbringing has already begun. Rumors immediately began to swirl about his oddness, his off-putting personality, and his taste for violence. If it is determined he really did do it, the media and the rest of us will all be amazed no one in his world didn't see it coming. We are, after all, a nation of Monday morning quarterbacks, especially when it comes to mass murderers. 

Law enforcement officials have not recovered the murder weapon, which is probably at the bottom of a pond, or lake somewhere between Pullman, WA and Scranton, PA. They also haven't come up with a motive yet, unless it is part of the information the courts won't allow released at this time.

The fact is right now all we know is a suspect in in custody, but, unless you are Nancy Grace he remains innocent until proven beyond a reasonable doubt he is guilty. And, in the supreme court of the internet, you can accuse anyone of anything without a shred of evidence and there will be rubes out there who not only believe it, but act on it. 


sic vita est



1-1-23    

   


No comments:

Post a Comment