The 28-year-old man suspected of killing four University of Idaho students met with the Pullman, Washington, police chief about a job seven months before the quadruple homicides took place.
Recently released emails show that the suspect, who will not be named due to Daily Wire policy, had an online meeting with Gary Jenkins, the chief of police at the Pullman Police Department, about a three-year Graduate Research Assistantship. The job was one of two offered through Washington State University, where the suspect was pursuing his graduate degree.
“It was a great pleasure to meet with you today and share my thoughts and excitement regarding the research assistantship for public safety,” the suspect wrote to Jenkins on April 12, 2022, just a few hours after the two met about the job, according to Inside Edition.
“Great to meet and talk to you as well,” Jenkins responded.
It is unclear whether the suspect was hired for the job, but the emails indicated he was one of four candidates who applied, The New York Times reported.
Those hired were expected to “coordinate activities with their respective police department,” including designing databases, analyzing data, and writing reports and grants, among other duties.
The suspect is accused of killing Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Ethan Chapin, 20; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Madison Mogen, 21, as they slept in their off-campus residence in Moscow, Idaho, in the early morning hours of November 13.
The suspect was pursuing a Ph.D. in criminal justice and criminology at Washington State University and worked as a teacher’s assistant, and was reportedly a tough grader.
The suspect previously studied psychology at DeSales University in Pennsylvania. While at DeSales, the suspect reportedly worked as a student investigator for a survey exploring motives behind crimes. One question in the survey reportedly asked, “Why did you choose that victim or target over others?” Another asked, “After committing the crime, what were you thinking and feeling?”
A state court in Washington on Wednesday unsealed the search warrants used to collect items from the suspect’s home and office at Washington State University’s department of criminal justice and criminology.
Police found nothing at the suspect’s office, the filings show, but hair samples and other evidence were collected from his apartment.
The search warrants show police were looking for blood, DNA, shoes with a particular pattern on the soles, and any information pertaining to the students who were killed on November 13.
Police seized a “nitrite-type black glove,” several possible hair strands, one possible animal hair strand, a computer tower, a “dark red spot,” two cuttings from an uncased pillow containing a “reddish/brown stain,” along with other items from the suspect’s apartment. While the warrant mentioned the items were removed, it did not explain what connection the items may have to the murders.