Police and the FBI are investigating a possible link between the Boston Marathon bombings and a Topsfield, MA resident according a 25-page affidavit recently made publicly available. According to a report by Reuters, 27-year old Daniel Morley of Topsfield was in possession of pressure cooker bomb-making materials, similar equipment used in the infamous dual explosions that killed four and injured 264 on April 15.
The affidavit claims that Morley’s mother approached authorities when her son told her that his best friend had bragged about knowing Tamerlan Tsarnaev, one of the two Chechen brothers accused of detonating the Marathon bombs. Per the report,
“Topsfield police said they found in Morley’s bedroom closet a large, stainless steel pressure cooker and a black duffel bag. He also had materials to make a shrapnel bomb, such as black powder, igniters and pieces of metal that included ball bearings. In addition, he had a large assault rifle and a handgun, the affidavit shows.”
Morley is no stranger to local police, having been charged with two counts of domestic assault and battery, threatening to commit arson, and communicating a bomb scare back on June 10. Those charges helped lead to the discovery of Morley’s arsenal, as the affidavit is similarly dated June 19.
He is described by his mother in the search warrant affidavit as very bright, but troubled. Police said they discovered a shoe box containing disturbing items such as the head of a decapitated bird, dismantled cell phones, flex cuff restraints, black gun powder, and a green stuffed animal that had been repeatedly stabbed and burned.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed after engaging police in a shootout in the Boston suburb of Watertown. He and his brother Dzhokhar, who is currently charged with 30 counts including the use of weapons of mass destruction, allegedly tried to flee from police after killing MIT police office Sean Collier and stealing a car. Tamerlan was shot and run over by the getaway car driven by his brother, who was subsequently found injured and hiding in a dry-docked boat.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to BostInno for the latest information regarding the FBI investigation.
