Katherine Russell’s DNA does not match evidence found at the site of the Boston bombings. Investigators this week revealed that the widow of the dead suspect in the attack was not a match following thorough testing.
After meeting Tsarnaev in 2009, Russell converted to Islame and the pair married in 2010. When she learned of her suspected involvement in the Boston bombings, she said through her lawyer that the attack was an “absolute shock.”
When investigating one of the pressure-coooker bombs, investigators found a piece of a woman’s DNA and then tested Katherine Russell.
Following the uncertainty of the Boston bombings, police noted that they were investigating every possible suspect.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev told investigators that he and his brother hand planned to set off more explosions on the Fourth of July but instead moved their plans to the Boston Marathon and Patriots Day because the bombs were finished sooner than they had expected.
John Miller, a former assistant FBI director, told CBS This Morning that Katherine Russell is still an integral part to the agencies investigation:
What continues to puzzle the FBI about Russell is what she knew and when, if anything, Miller said. “What they really want to know from her is, you know, here’s a woman who dated Tamerlan, who converted to Islam after they were married, who … lived in the same apartment — not a big apartment — where bombs were being constructed and pressure cookers were being bought two or three at a time,” Miller said. “They want to know, ‘Is it possible all of this was going on concealed from you or did you know it the whole time?’”
With Katherine Russell DNA testing completed, the suspect has gone from full cooperation with the FBI to speaking only through her lawyers at this time.
Dzhokar remained in police custody at this time.