MOSCOW, Idaho – The house where the four University of Idaho (U of I) students were killed last November will remain in its place for at least the rest of the fall semester, according to Jodi Walker, director of communications for the university.
You may recall the U of I originally planned to demolish it over the summer. It was then pushed to October and now it’s unclear when it will be destroyed.
Regardless, students and the public have opinions on the matter.
“It makes me want to stay away from that area of town just because I don’t want to accidentally see it at a time where I’m not emotionally ready to see it,” Olivia Niemi, a senior at U of I, said.
Niemi talks about the reality for many students who call Moscow and King Road home.
“Its kind of lost that spark that it used to bring. Going over there was something that’s exciting, something that I looked forward to,” Niemi said.
Now, different types of people coming and going to the area.
“On a daily basis, I would say it’s creating some problems. There’s been a lot of traffic,” Dawson Key, who lives just a stone’s throw away from the house, said.
There have been a lot of people driving by, taking pictures of it – some even taking selfies in front of the home.
“There’s about one car every two hours I’d say every day. More on the weekends. There’s definitely been a lot of people just sitting and watching,” Key said.
There’s even been people from out of state coming and going, according to Key.
The property remains taped off and security continues to watch over the house.
“Personally, I thought they definitely should’ve demolished that house this summer while the students were away,” Niemi said.
But both Niemi and Key understand the argument of keeping it up and so does Crista Bushell, a Sandpoint resident, who’s been following the case.
“Because maybe the jurors might want to go see it, go through it and see things, so I think they shouldn’t tear it down until after the trial,” Bushell said.
A lot of people agree with Bushell on our Facebook page.
Defense and prosecution have both signed off on demolishing the house. It remains up to the university to make the decision.
Court proceedings will continue on Wednesday in Moscow.
Judge John Judge should make a determination if cameras will be allowed in the courtroom for the remainder of this case.
NonStop Local’s John Webb will be in court and will have updates during the proceeding on his X account, formerly known as Twitter.
