Recent Student Murders A Grisly Reminder Of 2015 Idaho Spree

The stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students last week is a dark cloud that will hang over the city of Moscow until investigators bring the assailant(s) to justice. The student murders are the second killing spree to happen in the northern Idaho city in the past seven years.

Moscow has quickly become one of the most unsafe cities in the Gem State, according to state crime data. The city is averaging one homicide a year since 2015, which for some college towns in the United States might seem low, but in Idaho, it's a troubling reality. For many community members, the murders are a reminder of another tragedy that struck the city in January of 2015 that also involved four victims.

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Federal Bureau of Investigation data is placing Moscow, which is the fourteenth highest populated city in the state with approximately 26,000 residents, further up the list of Idaho regions that have experienced higher than normal rates of homicide since 2015. It was that year that Moscow resident John Lee shot and killed three people, including a relative and an area restaurant manager, and was sentenced to life behind bars. Lee also shot a fourth victim who lived in Seattle.

It's been nearly two weeks since four students were murdered in a residence just blocks from the university. No arrests have been made in the case as memorials for the three women and single man are taking place this week. The Moscow community is on high alert as the assailant(s) could very well still be walking the city streets.