It has been three weeks since two pressure cooker bombs detonated at the Boston Marathon, killing three and wounding more than 200.
Since then, authorities have captured bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who is recovering at a prison facility from injuries he sustained during the Watertown shootout, revealed that the attacks were originally supposed to take place on July 4, and apprehended three other suspects who destroyed material evidence.
Currently, authorities are having a difficult time finding a burial place for the older of the Tsarnaev brothers, Tamerlan, as funeral homes refuse to take him in. His wife, Katherine Russell, remains under surveillance as officials investigate to see if she assisted in the attacks in any way.
Here are the latest developments in the ongoing case.
1. Teen Suspected of Lying To Be Released
After seeking permission to be released yesterday, Robel Phillipos, 19, of Cambridge was granted that wish under strict conditions, according to prosecutors.
More details to come.
2. Explosive Residue Found In Tamerlan’s Apartment
After officials said that Dzhokhar admitted that he and his brother made the bombs in Tamerlan’s apartment, a source close to the investigation confirmed that explosive residue was indeed found in the kitchen sink.
Federal authorities on Sunday searched Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s apartment, the home he shared with his wife, Katherine Russell, and their young daughter, where they found the residue in at least three places; the kitchen table, the kitchen sink, and the bathtub.
3. Father of Azamat Tazhayakov Says His Son Was in the Wrong Place
Amir Ismagulov, the father of Azamat Tazhayakov, said his son was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people. Tazhayakov, 19, is accused of obstruction of justice after allegedly removing Dzhokhar’s backpack and laptop from his dorm room and destroying material evidence.
If convicted, he and Dias Kadrybayev, the other suspect, could face five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
“Teenagers sometimes do stupid things,” Ismagulov said, stressing that his son didn’t know he was doing anything wrong.
4. Tamerlan Still Not Buried
Graham Putnam & Mahoney Funeral Parlors, the funeral home holding Tamerlan’s remains, is struggling to find a place to bury him after two weeks. The brothers’ parents in Dagestan have said they will not fly his body back to Russia for burial and Cambridge City Manager Robert W. Healy said he would not allow Tsarnaev to be buried in the city if requested by the funeral director or Tsarnaev’s family.
“The difficult and stressful efforts of the citizens of the City of Cambridge to return to a peaceful life would be adversely impacted by the turmoil, protests, and widespread media presence at such an interment,” Healy said in a statement Sunday.
Explaining his decision, he cited an excerpt from Massachusetts state law saying that “it shall be the duty of the city manager to act as chief conservator of the peace within the city.”
“I have determined that it is not in the best interest of ‘peace within the city’ to execute a cemetery deed for a plot within the Cambridge Cemetery for the body of Tamerlan Tsarnaev,” Healy said.
But the owner of the funeral home, Peter Stefan, said that if he can’t find a gravesite, he plans to ask the government to find one.
The funeral home owner said everyone deserves to be buried.
This story is developing.
