MA MA - Rapheal Teken, 37, Eric Weissman, 31, & Brandon Mess, 25, Waltham, 12 Sept 2011

[Mizunderstood]

Money is the only thing that could lead me to think they would do this, and 5g was more than likely overlooked or strategically left as most people, like myself consider it to be a lot. However i dont think they would kill them over it. or for no reason. Im sure that money lasted them a while.

Question is was DT involved? if so what information can he tell us about motive?

 

[jjenny]

I really don't see any evidence that TT had obtained a lot of money from somewhere. He and his wife lived in an apartment that doesn't appear to be in good shape, and on welfare up until recently.
Wife supposedly had to work up to 80 hours per week.

 

[AbbeyR]

Its been a tough "almost 2" years for everyone involved.
BM, EW, and RF were so so loved and it was extremely sad and traumatic for everyone. The whole thing came as such a shock, I still cant believe Tam was such psychopath! he acted like he really loved Brendan. All for what? some money? Which Brendan would have given to him had he just asked.....

Anyway I hope that we flush out all who are involved with this. I hope some of them stay alive so we know what really transpired. Something still seems mighty fishy..

Hi Mizunderstood. Welcome! I'm glad you've joined us, and I'm really sorry for your loss. I also spent some time reading about each of the victims and was really touched by the photos and posts about them from others. I could tell they were very much loved and are missed so much by family and friends.

There's a couple of things I've wondered about. Please feel free to answer or ignore -- I'm just curious about your thoughts since you knew the victims and TT.

In hindsight, given the Boston Bombings and possible links of the Tsarnaev brothers to some radical groups, do you think the date of the murders was significant or just a coincidence?

Also, I read somewhere that BM had been involved in a fight with a group of people (at a 7-11?) not long before the murder. Do you think any of these other guys were involved, or was that a totally unrelated issue and/or not a big deal?

TIA.

 

[Just K]

Great questions Abbey and thanks for reminding us about the 7-11 raucous.

 

[time]

I really don't see any evidence that TT had obtained a lot of money from somewhere. He and his wife lived in an apartment that doesn't appear to be in good shape, and on welfare up until recently.
Wife supposedly had to work up to 80 hours per week.

Yeah, but that money from her working probably didn't go far. How long was Katherine Russel actually working 80 hours per week? Did that just start after Tamerlan got back from Dagestan last Summer? Tickets to Russia and living 6 months without work while supporting another place in the US would add up also. Plus, money could have been split 3 ways. Maybe some went up in smoke, so to speak. Some for DT's living expenses. If, by some chance this was part of something larger, then fund raising could go to others also... or even to mom and dad.

 

[time]

Long article

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323475304578500883785930480.html

 

[time]

Ibragim Todashev, 27, also hung around with slain marathon bombing mastermind Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26 — swilling beer and eating chicken on a stoop on Harding Street, they said.


“I was the happiest person when they moved. ... It’s a little more peaceful since they left,” a neighbor told the Herald yesterday of the Russian buddies.

http://bostonherald.com/news_opinio...ibragim_todashev_intimidated_former_neighbors

Interesting since IT's wife claims he barely knew TT.

 

[bessie]

The perp did not want to go to the station for an interview, so he requested they interview him there. I posted a link on the other thread.

No link needed. I figured as much. As I said, I don't like to second guess LE, but I view the incident as avoidable. JMO

 

[jjenny]

Long article

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323475304578500883785930480.html

His bad knee didn't stopped him from being charged with aggravated battery. And from what I read, that victim was pretty well beat up.

 

[SophieRose]

Yeah, but that money from her working probably didn't go far. How long was Katherine Russel actually working 80 hours per week? Did that just start after Tamerlan got back from Dagestan last Summer? Tickets to Russia and living 6 months without work while supporting another place in the US would add up also. Plus, money could have been split 3 ways. Maybe some went up in smoke, so to speak. Some for DT's living expenses. If, by some chance this was part of something larger, then fund raising could go to others also... or even to mom and dad.

Didn't TT's mother say she paid the rent on the apt while he was in Russia? I thought maybe his wife was living with her parents during that time. Or the wife could have been living with TT's mother, since she didn't go to Russia until later.

 

[bessie]

Bumping this post for reference and links.

This new article says all three were dragged to separate rooms.

They were three strong men who sources said were dragged to separate rooms and slaughtered.
LINK

In 2011, an article said they were dragged upstairs, which makes little sense to me.

All three strong young men had been dragged to the second story apartment at 12 Harding Avenue.
LINK

BM did have a criminal record for assault in 2010, and a drug arrest from 2004.

September 14,2011
In 2010, Mess and another man were arrested after they allegedly assaulted several people at a 711 convenience store, according to a Cambridge police log.
LINK

November 16, 2004
Police obtained a search warrant and a search of BM and the vehicle revealed approximately 30 grams of marijuana, approximately 17 grams of cocaine, a digital scale, approximately $1,100 in cash and other drug paraphernalia.
LINK
LINK

 

[SophieRose]

The door was left locked, matter of fact the gf had to have the landlord let her in, which means they either locked from the inside or they left out the kitchen door, steeping over the body of RT..

If DT's dna was there then it is likely that he was involved because throughout the time the gf was there she had never met the DT, meaning he was not a regular visitor. fingerprints are not the same as conclusive dna evidence in the crime scene.

I didnt know the wife, it was weird because TT spent so much time at BM house we used to question whether his wife would be concerned about him spending so much time there.

See the problem was they had no leads no direction to go in. so they focused on the gf, because she was new and different. What does "transient" even mean?

TT was always weird but slightly quiet and very awkward. However seemingly harmless enough.

The gf left MA after the incident and LEO did question her after the incident but there was nothing to tie her. so the case turned cold.

Wouldnt it have been something if they questioned Tam? the only reason they went out of state eventually to question IT was because of his connection to TT.

I still think their motive was money, why else would they kill them? im sure it had to be a large amount too.....

If it was drug-related, why do you think they slit the victims throats rather than just shooting them?

Here's a recent drug (marijuana) deal gone bad (three victims shot to death) in California:

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20130307/ARTICLES/130309650?p=1&tc=pg

 

[claudicici]

@Mizunderstood I was wondering ,do you know if TT was doing any drug dealing for them?
Do you know if they were using steroids?

 

[claudicici]

I keep trying to make sense of motive.Could it have been sort of an "indictment" thing,like with the Mafia?Maybe TT had already made contacts to try to join the Chechen rebels and they asked this sort of thing from him?
I don't know,it doesn't make sense either.I also need to keep reminding myself,that so far we have no prove that any of them (TT,IT,DT) were even responsible.It's all speculation at this point.

 

[time]

No link needed. I figured as much. As I said, I don't like to second guess LE, but I view the incident as avoidable. JMO

I year ya, I like to see as little force used as possible, especially the deadly kind. IDK, I'm anxious to hear more about how things proceeded and why they didn't take him into custody.

 

[time]

Investigators developed “mounting evidence” that Tamerlan was involved in the murders, including forensics and cell phone records. Authorities also found Todashev’s phone number in Tamerlan’s cell phone, according to ABC News.

Also, investigators have not ruled out the possibility that Tsarnaev’s brother, Dzhokar, played a role in the murders, according to the New York Times. Evidence has also indicated Dzhokar played a role in the murders.

http://waltham.patch.com/articles/accused-marathon-bomber-and-friend-committed-waltham-murders

Despite the mounting evidence, it is not yet enough to charge the Dzhokar with the Waltham murders, according to the report.

Also, investiagtors told ABC News phone records for the brothers put them in the area at around the time of the murders.

http://waltham.patch.com/articles/evidence-points-to-bombers-connection-to-waltham-murders

 

[time]

This seems to have some new info, but sorry if it is only new to me:

Christopher Medeiros, who described himself a close friend of Mess, said he believes the killings were drug-related. He said Mess and another one of the victims, Erik Weissman, were marijuana dealers and had been trying to start a major growing operation.

"The Friday before he died, (Mess) told me, 'Listen, I'm getting ready to make this big move,'" Medeiros said. "And I think that's what cost him his life."

...Medeiros said Mess began spending time with Tsarnaev in late 2010 or early 2011.

... As for Weissman, he was arrested in Boston in 2008 after an officer pulled him over for a traffic violation and smelled marijuana in his car, according to a police report. A police search found a large freezer bag and two small jars full of pot, as well as hidden compartments behind the radio and in a rug. Weissman had a large wad of cash.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/23/3412612/man-shot-by-fbi-had-ties-to-boston.html

It almost makes me wonder if they were infringing on someone's territory or someone got burnt/left out in the big move. Although, a big move could mean big money lying around and someone knew that?

Just as a comparison, here is a story about a major grow operation in S. Florida:

MIAMI -- A dozen people have been sentenced in a South Florida grow house operation that ended after the murder of a man suspected of stealing their marijuana, federal prosecutors said Thursday.

...The Santiestebans - Mariel boatlift refugee Gilberto Sr. and his sons Derrick, Gilberto Jr., Alexander and Darvis - were arrested last year and accused of operating hydroponic marijuana grow houses throughout the Miami-area since 2004. Authorities claimed the operation yielded more than 1,000 plants that produced millions in profits.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/23/3413530/12-sentenced-in-south-florida.html#morer

 

[Just K]

There seems to be a real pattern here:
Ms. Manukyan, an Armenian who converted to Islam before marrying Mr. Todashev, says she met her late husband in 2010 through a mutual friend in Boston. She says she separated from Mr. Todashev in November but was still in regular contact with him and was partly supporting him through their joint bank account. He lived in the Boston area from 2008 to 2010 before moving to the Atlanta area, and then Florida, she said...

Meantime, she said her late husband couldn't have been friends with the three victims because he "doesn't have any American friends," associating instead mainly with other immigrants who moved to the U.S. from Russia... http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323475304578500883785930480

Wonder if the mutual friend was "Misha."

 

[Mizunderstood]

Hi Mizunderstood. Welcome! I'm glad you've joined us, and I'm really sorry for your loss. I also spent some time reading about each of the victims and was really touched by the photos and posts about them from others. I could tell they were very much loved and are missed so much by family and friends.

There's a couple of things I've wondered about. Please feel free to answer or ignore -- I'm just curious about your thoughts since you knew the victims and TT.

In hindsight, given the Boston Bombings and possible links of the Tsarnaev brothers to some radical groups, do you think the date of the murders was significant or just a coincidence?

Also, I read somewhere that BM had been involved in a fight with a group of people (at a 7-11?) not long before the murder. Do you think any of these other guys were involved, or was that a totally unrelated issue and/or not a big deal?

TIA.

I have always wondered about the date...im not sure if it was symbolic or just so happened to be the opportune time for the ripp off? the article that quotes BM friend C Madeiros says they were about to do something big, maybe TT knew about that? and it just happened to be 9/11. Other times i speculate if it was a signal to a bigger terrorist cell to prove his.... idk ..commitment? devotion? BM was the only non Jewish there. Maybe coincidence? or maybe just helped them justify the ripp off to themselves.

Not sure about the 7/11 incident. I heard it was just a huge parking lot brawl.

Steroids? no i dont think so. a lot of these guys were in competition where they would be tested. i never saw any signs of steroids use.

 

[claudicici]

Thanks for answering all these questions Mizunderstood,but you missed one
Are you aware if TT was dealing or running stuff or something along those lines as well?