Video shows final moments before four students mysteriously murdered

Haunting footage has captured the last moments of two of the university students found stabbed to death in a home in the US on Sunday.

The video from a Twitch livestream shows Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, chatting to each other and other diners as they grab a late night snack from a food truck just hours before they were murdered alongside Ethan Chapin, 20, and Xana Kernodle, 20.

The students, all close friends, were found dead in an off-campus rental home near the University of Idaho around noon on Sunday, but officials said they likely were killed several hours earlier.

In the clip posted on Twitter by KHQ-TV reporter John Webb, Ms Mogan and Ms Goncalves appear to arrive at the food truck with a man wearing a dark jacket and hoodie. As the women step to the side to wait for their food, the man walks with them, but later leaves separately in the opposite direction as the women, Daily Mail reports.

The Moscow Police Department said investigators were working to establish a timeline of the victims’ activities before they were killed. “They’re in the process of identifying the other people who were there,” at the food truck, Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said, “and what sort of contact did they have".

Two roommates in home at time of murders

During a press conference on Wednesday (local time), police said Mr Chapin and Ms Kernodle had attended a party on campus, while Ms Mogen and Ms Goncalves visited a bar downtown before all four returned to the home the three women shared around 1.45am.

Moscow Police Chief James Fry said two additional roommates were at the house at the time of the murders but were not injured or held hostage, CNN reports. There was no sign of forced entry, and a door was found open by the first police officers to arrive.

Police estimate the four students were stabbed to death with a weapon, which has not been located, roughly nine hours before 911 was called. The killer — or killers — remain at large.

“There was blood everywhere,” a police source close to the investigation told Daily Mail.

“We have investigators who have been on the job for 20, even 30, years, and they say they have never seen anything like this.”

Authorities continue to believe the attack was targeted but have walked back a previous statement that there was no threat to the public.

“Investigators are working to follow up on all the leads and identify a person of interest,” Chief Fry said. “We do not have a suspect at this time, and that individual is still out there. We cannot say that there is no threat to the community.”

Many fearful students have reportedly fled the campus early for the Thanksgiving break.

Slain student's heartbreaking last post

Photos on Instagram show the four victims as close-knit, longstanding friends. All were members of sororities or fraternities. Ms Mogan and Ms Goncalves had been friends since childhood. Ms Kernodle and Mr Chapin, who is a triplet, were dating. Mr Chapin’s siblings attend the same university.

Just hours before her death, Ms Goncalves posted a photo of herself, Ms Mogan, Ms Kernodle and Mr Chapin smiling and posing, seemingly carefree, along with two other friends. “One lucky girl to be surrounded by these people everyday,” she captioned the images.

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Several weeks earlier, Ms Goncalves posted several photos showing her and Ms Mogan growing up together. “I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to be the main character in all of my childhood stories,” she wrote, wishing her best friend a happy 21st birthday.

“I love you more than life! My best friend forever and more,” Ms Mogen replied.

As the heartbroken Moscow community mourns the four students, including creating a makeshift memorial at a restaurant where two of them worked, the family of Ms Goncalves have issued a warning to whoever was behind the killings.

“To whomever is responsible, we will find you. We will never stop. The pain you caused has furled our hatred and sealed your fate,” the family said in a tweeted statement. “Justice will be served.”

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