A 2011 triple homicide has been linked to Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Brendan Mess, age 25, Erik Weissman, age 31, and Raphael Teken, age 37, were brutally murdered on September 11, 2011.
Authorities found all three men with their throats slashed. Their bodies were sprinkled with marijuana and $5000 cash was recovered from the scene. Law enforcement officials said there were no signs of a struggle or forced entry, suggesting the men knew their attacker.
As reported by WGBH News , authorities suspected the triple homicide was drug-related. Two years later, Ibragim Todashev reportedly confessed to the crime. Authorities said Todashev implicated Tamerlan Tsarnaev as an accomplice.
Following his confession, Todashev was shot and killed by an FBI agent.
Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev are suspected of planning and carrying out the Boston Marathon bombing, which killed four and injured 260. Dzhokhar was apprehended and charged with 30 federal crimes. He remains incarcerated pending trial.
Tamerlan was killed in a shoot-out while fleeing authorities.
Although the bombing and triple homicide are not related, Dzhokhar requested documentation concerning his brother’s involvement. As reported by The Guardian , authorities refused his request , as the investigation into the homicide is ongoing.
Prosecutors said Tamerlan’s criminal history is not a factor in Dzhokhar’s defense. The information could be relevant during sentencing, but releasing the documents at this point would compromise the investigation.
Ibragim Todashev’s death remains a point of controversy, as he was killed during an interrogation. The FBI is currently conducting an internal investigation into the incident. The Florida ACLU has demanded a state investigation into Todashev’s death.
Following the suspect’s death, a new prosecutor was assigned to continue the investigation . The case is currently being investigated in a joint effort between state and federal law enforcement.
The exact details of the triple homicide remain a mystery, but authorities now have a better understanding of what happened.
