Idaho college murder suspect may have killed before, unlikely to be a student, former FBI special agent says

Moscow police are still searching for a suspect, murder weapon almost one month after killings

A former FBI special agent profiled what kind of person police could expect to find responsible for the murders of four University of Idaho students, saying the suspect likely has behavior that can be "easily identified" in their community.

"I can guarantee you that the behavior that we see exhibited in this murder was most likely an escalation," Jonathan Gilliam said on "America Reports" Wednesday. "And somebody who has either killed before or who has had a pattern of very odd violent behavior."

Gilliam articulated how behavioral analysis will help police track down suspects as the murders still have no motive or weapon four weeks later. 

"We know in the past with these types of killers that people have said later on, ‘Well, he was very odd. They had an aura of danger, or they were very violent. We just never thought to report this,’" he said. "And I think this is somebody in reflection that the general public in that area… can reflect on."

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General views of the Moscow, Idaho home taken on Wednesday, November 16, 2002 where where four students of the University of Idaho were murdered, show red stains running down the foundation of the house. (Credit: Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)

Last month, Gilliam weighed in on the use of a Ka-Bar knife, also known as a "Rambo"-style knife.

"That knife is pretty much a relic," Gilliam said on "Fox & Friends First." "Nobody really uses that knife except for people that had them when they got out of the military or they got handed down."

Gilliam noted the specific weapon is a powerful clue helping investigators further profile the potential suspect. 

On Wednesday, Gilliam also addressed the layout of the home where the murders occurred. Appearing as almost two separate apartments, he said that understanding where the killer entered could reveal more information about the killings. 

"If they went upstairs and started there, they would move to the second person and then come back downstairs and finish off those attacks. And by the time they get to the last person, they would pretty much be exhausted as well as have spread the DNA from one person to the next," Gilliam said.

"Killing with a knife, especially a large knife like this, is a very physical activity that would drain somebody rapidly."

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Gilliam emphasized the importance behavioral analysis will play in tracking down a suspect and finding answers for the families and the Moscow community, adding that he believes the suspect is either not a college student or a "newer" student.

"This is a type of person that knows enough about society not to get into too much trouble, but somebody that has such a desire to kill that they actually lack empathy, the ability to sympathize for others, and many people would describe them as not having a conscience," he said. 

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"So I think this is a type of behavior that we can easily identify."

As the investigation creeps up on nearly a month since the killings of Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, family members have been critical of law enforcement's lack of leads and messaging as they continue to wait and hope for answers.

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