The murder of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kernodle's boyfriend Ethan Chapin, 20, in the early hours of Nov. 13 has shocked and fascinated the nation. They all seemed like fun-loving college kids in a quaint little college town -- Moscow, Idaho, home of the University of Idaho.
In this episode, we look at how both the University of Idaho and Washington State University came to be located right next to each other in the far-flung reaches of their state, and how the culture that developed on the Palouse formed the backdrop for the tragedy. Having lived and worked and studied in Moscow, I explain a place where going to the bars at night and coming home without fear is a daily routine, and sadly made it possible for someone to sneak in and murder these students as they slept.