Tamerlan Tsarnaev: Boston Bomber Might Be Linked to Unsolved Triple Homicide

On April 22, investigators announced that they will probe whether or not Tamerlan Tsarnaev, one of the two accused suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing that occurred last week, was involved in a triple homicide that occurred in September 2011.

This homicide is currently unsolved and resulted in the deaths of Tsarnaev’s former roommate and two others. Stephanie Guyotte, spokeswoman for the Middlesex County District Attorney, told ABC News “we are looking at a possible connection with the suspect in the marathon atrocity and this active and open homicide in Waltham.”

Tsarnaev had been training in boxing with 25-year-old Brendan Mess, one of the 2011 murder victims, to make this sport a possible career for him. The three victims were discovered in Waltham, Massachusetts with their heads nearly decapitated due to slashes by their throats. Their bodies were found in an apartment in this town covered in marijuana. 

An investigator in the case dubbed it “the worst bloodbath I have ever seen in a long law enforcement career.” He continued to describe the murder and alluded that the killer had a propensity for violence: “There was no forced entry, it was clear that the victims had let their killer in. And their throats were slashed right out of an Al-Qaeda training video.”

One of Mess’ relatives informed investigators that Tsarnaev did not attend the funerals nor the memorial services of his friend.

The two men lived in a predominantly Russian neighborhood in Cambridge a few blocks a part. However, it is unclear whether Tsarnaev had a connection to the other victims, Raphael Teken, 37, and Eric Weissman, 31. Now that their friendship has been revealed, the prosecutor is looking into whether Tsarnaev had any correlation with the murders.

Tsarnaev and Mess boxed together at Wai Kru Mixed Martial Arts in Allston, Massachusetts. The owner, John Allan, introduced the two in 2011. According to the Boston Globe, Tsarnaev had previously identified Mess to Allan as his “best friend.”

When asked about Tsarnaev, Allan described him as the “best boxer in Boston” but said he had not been at the Wai Kru Mixed Martial Arts center in years until this month.

While traveling in Thailand, Allan received an e-mail message stating that Tsarnaev returned to the gym and was rude and disrespectful to other members. When asked about this, Allan said, “It was a clear indication that something was up.”