One of the many questions circling the murders of Brendan Mess, Erik Weissman and Rafael Teken is whether the motivation is a drug related murder or it is the first expression of "Jihad" or ideology by the Tsarnaev brothers. After careful consideration, the answer appears to be both. At the same time, the motives do not appear to share equal precedence.
This post will attempt to evaluate information, evidence and behavioral aspects of the crime to establish the possible motives for the murder. This must be considered incomplete as some details, information and evidence have not been released to the public.
As previously noted, the things that all of these men have in common are drugs, MMA gym/fighting, and friendship. The thing that must keep coming to the fore is why did Tamerlan Tsarnaev allegedly kill the man he described as his "best friend" along with two other men he shared fairly close relationships?
These men have trained together, partied together, ate together and likely chased women together. They may even do business together as it has been reported that both Tamerlan and Dzhokhar were small time dealers and users while Weissman and Mess appear to have had greater resources and business plans.(Business was good, as Mess apparently traveled to Cancun, Mexico with his friends from the rap group "FlyRydaz" in June 2011; scroll down to bottom for 2nd video tribute).
This is not a relationship that is simply "terminated" over ideology. Particularly an ideology that Tamerlan and Dzhokhar may not have fully committed to in 2011. At least, not until briefly before the three men are murdered or directly as a result of the murders.
Those who are following the Tsarnaevs' path to radicalisation, along with at least two of the men's religion (Jews), the date they were murdered (September 11, 2011) and the manner (throats slashed, nearly decapitated) appear to be focusing on ideology as the motive.
The problems with this being the sole motive are several. The main issue is that these aren't just any acquaintances who happen to be Jewish. They are, what appears to be, Tamerlan's closest friends and companions.
Even as he embraces his religion, that relationship does not end. Mess' girlfriend tells detectives and reporters that Tamerlan was often at the apartment and even regularly ate there, asking her to cook him special (halal) meals. The men were even once room mates.
In the realm of human behavior, the murder of a friend or family member is most often due to a personal problem the murder perceives with the victim. The method of the murder also suggests that the motive was personal. Stabbing, slitting of throat with a knife requires touching the victim. In this case, all three victims. There would be a considerable amount of blood transfer to the assailant.
Stabbing or cutting the victim reflects several subconscious needs of the perpetrator. One need or desire, represented by close contact or touching the victim, is to re-enforce on the victim who is doing the killing. Second, a need to touch or be close to the victim's pain and death. As if it will assuage whatever "pain" the perpetrator feels the victim has inflicted on the killer. Third, to make the victim "feel" the killer's "pain". In other words, "you have hurt me, now I will hurt you."
When the victim of such an attack is a stranger, the victim is essentially a substitute for the person, group or entity that the killer feels has wronged them in some manner. When the victim is a friend, acquaintance, family member or spouse, the killer most likely believes that the victim is directly responsible for whatever real or imagined wrong has occurred.
This suggests that despite the date chosen and the men's religion, the motive for the murders was something personal between the victims and perpetrator(s). This does not mean that religion and ideology did not play some part in the motive or the message (signature), but that they were secondary or even tertiary to the very personal reason the men had to die in the Tsarnaevs' minds.
"Had to die" is the key. The Tsarnaev brothers went out of their way to insure that the three men would be at the apartment on the day of the murders. According to reports, Tamerlan and Mess spoke a few days before the murders. The girlfriend indicates that, during that conversation, Mess expressly told Tamerlan that the three men would be watching football on that night. There may even have been a suggestion that Tamerlan was invited for the event or later confirmed the men would be there.
If the motive for the murder was a "drug rip off", the prospect of doing so while all three men were in residence appears unnecessarily risky.
The question then is what great wrong have these three men committed against Tamerlan Tsarnaev and, by extension, his brother Dzhokhar?
The marijuana strewn over the bodies is also a "personal" message and, as the detectives first suggested, may have played a prominent role in the motivation for the murders. This message appears to convey both a contempt for the men as well as their "business". It could also convey contempt for the drugs.
Tamerlan's growing religiosity and the tenets of his faith may have provided the onus for this message. Islam is highly prohibitive of consumption of alcohol as well as other products that necessarily impair the mind and lower inhibitions to other sins.
The problem with this theory is that it is reported that Tamerlan never stopped smoking marijuana, at least up to the time of the murders. He was possibly selling the drug and Mess may have been his supplier. Dzhokhar, in fact, is known to have continued to sell the drug and smoke it up to and after the Marathon bombings.
Dzhokhar actually tweets a response to a friend who referenced "the bombers". Dzhokhar, possibly telling one truth at this moment, replies "those guys are cooked". The bombers, he and his brother, were high. The reference to "cooked" or getting "cooked" is seen throughout Dzhokhar's Twitter feed (@J_tsar) whenever he or his friends are discussing getting high.
The "personal message" of the drugs then seems to imply a different issue Tamerlan had with the victims. The drugs, an estimated 7lbs of marijuana, was not only spread over the bodies, but, in essence, left behind. As if to say it was no longer wanted or needed, that the victims could "keep" the marijuana even though they would obviously no longer have any use for it.
This is also true of approximately $5k in money. Mess' girlfriend suggested that there was much more money in the apartment before she had left. No report indicates whether the $5k was hidden and possibly missed by the assailants.
If the money was readily available, but the amount was specifically left behind, it could have several connotations. The first is that the assailants wanted to throw off any investigation. This did, in fact, lead the investigators to believe that the assailants were likely a competitor. The detectives even suggested an angry customer, though this was early in the investigation and an angry customer was more likely to take both the money and the drugs.
A rival would likely take the money, but possibly leave the drugs behind as they would have no need or could not guarantee the purity if they sold it to their customers. Reputation is an important factor in cultivating and keeping customers.
The second implication is that the assailants only took what they needed or what they felt was owed to them by the victims, leaving the rest behind. Another sign of contempt for the men, their business and possibly a point of "honor" with the assailants. This may even be construed as leaving behind what the perpetrator(s) owed to the victims.
Another factor of the murders that indicates the "personal" nature is that the men were found bound, gagged and face down (there may be some question whether all of the men were bound and gagged as Weissman was found in the entry way, presumably attacked when he opened the door; it's unknown or unreported whether he died immediately or was incapacitated and murdered later). They were likely murdered in this position.
Two points on this position. First, if the men were face down when they were murdered, it suggests that the murderer(s) did not want to look into the victims' eyes as they were perpetrating the act. This was not to hide the identity of the murderer(s). The three men would already know the assailant(s) as they were fully conscious when the attacks occurred.
This indicates a sign of guilt, contrition or the need to put emotional distance between the assailant(s) and the victims. Possibly because the assailant(s) might feel unable to carry out the last act if they had to look into the victims' eyes.
The victims' backs were also to their murderer(s). This may imply the problem that the murderer(s) had with the victims. That they had gone behind the back or stabbed them in the back. The assailant(s) were returning the insult. That the throats were cut might also imply that the murderer(s) felt the victims had figuratively "cut" the assailant(s) throat over some matter. Again, returning the insult.
The second point is simply the logistics of the act itself. Mechanically, it would be easier to cut someone's throat coming from the rear. Particularly if the act was an attempt to actually decapitate the victims. This position provides additional leverage. Even without that aspect of the act, a victim would be more likely to struggle, even bound and gagged, if they could see the attack coming.
The act of cutting the throat and nearly decapitating the men may have an ideological connotation directly related to the most notorious acts committed in the name of jihad: beheading. The conflation and integration of ideology with the motive for murders will be explored in a follow on post.
The final message of these murders is the severing of friendship. Not only figuratively through the slicing of throats, but literally by the men's murders. Whatever friendship the men might have shared no longer exists, if, in the killer's mind, it ever existed at all.
Based on this evaluation, it may be concluded that the primary motive for these murders is personal due to an insult, offense or perceived wrong Tamerlan, and by extension, Dzhokhar, believes was committed by these men personally against them, not against "all Muslims". That this insult was directly related to money and drugs. That the brothers felt their friendship had been abused or was exploited by these men for personal gain. That the brothers felt these men owed them something; not only money, but up to and including their lives.
Thank you to "Boston Boomer" at The Sky Dancing Blog for curating many of links. Also see this blog post on the Watertown drug scene and possible links to murder.
Follow on posts: Personal Meets Jihad (the role of ideology in the murders); Hired Gun (Todashev's possible involvement with the murders); Escape to Jihad (the role of the murders in the finalization of commitment to Jihad in Dagestan)
This post will attempt to evaluate information, evidence and behavioral aspects of the crime to establish the possible motives for the murder. This must be considered incomplete as some details, information and evidence have not been released to the public.
As previously noted, the things that all of these men have in common are drugs, MMA gym/fighting, and friendship. The thing that must keep coming to the fore is why did Tamerlan Tsarnaev allegedly kill the man he described as his "best friend" along with two other men he shared fairly close relationships?
These men have trained together, partied together, ate together and likely chased women together. They may even do business together as it has been reported that both Tamerlan and Dzhokhar were small time dealers and users while Weissman and Mess appear to have had greater resources and business plans.(Business was good, as Mess apparently traveled to Cancun, Mexico with his friends from the rap group "FlyRydaz" in June 2011; scroll down to bottom for 2nd video tribute).
This is not a relationship that is simply "terminated" over ideology. Particularly an ideology that Tamerlan and Dzhokhar may not have fully committed to in 2011. At least, not until briefly before the three men are murdered or directly as a result of the murders.
Those who are following the Tsarnaevs' path to radicalisation, along with at least two of the men's religion (Jews), the date they were murdered (September 11, 2011) and the manner (throats slashed, nearly decapitated) appear to be focusing on ideology as the motive.
The problems with this being the sole motive are several. The main issue is that these aren't just any acquaintances who happen to be Jewish. They are, what appears to be, Tamerlan's closest friends and companions.
Even as he embraces his religion, that relationship does not end. Mess' girlfriend tells detectives and reporters that Tamerlan was often at the apartment and even regularly ate there, asking her to cook him special (halal) meals. The men were even once room mates.
In the realm of human behavior, the murder of a friend or family member is most often due to a personal problem the murder perceives with the victim. The method of the murder also suggests that the motive was personal. Stabbing, slitting of throat with a knife requires touching the victim. In this case, all three victims. There would be a considerable amount of blood transfer to the assailant.
Stabbing or cutting the victim reflects several subconscious needs of the perpetrator. One need or desire, represented by close contact or touching the victim, is to re-enforce on the victim who is doing the killing. Second, a need to touch or be close to the victim's pain and death. As if it will assuage whatever "pain" the perpetrator feels the victim has inflicted on the killer. Third, to make the victim "feel" the killer's "pain". In other words, "you have hurt me, now I will hurt you."
When the victim of such an attack is a stranger, the victim is essentially a substitute for the person, group or entity that the killer feels has wronged them in some manner. When the victim is a friend, acquaintance, family member or spouse, the killer most likely believes that the victim is directly responsible for whatever real or imagined wrong has occurred.
This suggests that despite the date chosen and the men's religion, the motive for the murders was something personal between the victims and perpetrator(s). This does not mean that religion and ideology did not play some part in the motive or the message (signature), but that they were secondary or even tertiary to the very personal reason the men had to die in the Tsarnaevs' minds.
"Had to die" is the key. The Tsarnaev brothers went out of their way to insure that the three men would be at the apartment on the day of the murders. According to reports, Tamerlan and Mess spoke a few days before the murders. The girlfriend indicates that, during that conversation, Mess expressly told Tamerlan that the three men would be watching football on that night. There may even have been a suggestion that Tamerlan was invited for the event or later confirmed the men would be there.
If the motive for the murder was a "drug rip off", the prospect of doing so while all three men were in residence appears unnecessarily risky.
The question then is what great wrong have these three men committed against Tamerlan Tsarnaev and, by extension, his brother Dzhokhar?
The marijuana strewn over the bodies is also a "personal" message and, as the detectives first suggested, may have played a prominent role in the motivation for the murders. This message appears to convey both a contempt for the men as well as their "business". It could also convey contempt for the drugs.
Tamerlan's growing religiosity and the tenets of his faith may have provided the onus for this message. Islam is highly prohibitive of consumption of alcohol as well as other products that necessarily impair the mind and lower inhibitions to other sins.
The problem with this theory is that it is reported that Tamerlan never stopped smoking marijuana, at least up to the time of the murders. He was possibly selling the drug and Mess may have been his supplier. Dzhokhar, in fact, is known to have continued to sell the drug and smoke it up to and after the Marathon bombings.
Dzhokhar actually tweets a response to a friend who referenced "the bombers". Dzhokhar, possibly telling one truth at this moment, replies "those guys are cooked". The bombers, he and his brother, were high. The reference to "cooked" or getting "cooked" is seen throughout Dzhokhar's Twitter feed (@J_tsar) whenever he or his friends are discussing getting high.
The "personal message" of the drugs then seems to imply a different issue Tamerlan had with the victims. The drugs, an estimated 7lbs of marijuana, was not only spread over the bodies, but, in essence, left behind. As if to say it was no longer wanted or needed, that the victims could "keep" the marijuana even though they would obviously no longer have any use for it.
This is also true of approximately $5k in money. Mess' girlfriend suggested that there was much more money in the apartment before she had left. No report indicates whether the $5k was hidden and possibly missed by the assailants.
If the money was readily available, but the amount was specifically left behind, it could have several connotations. The first is that the assailants wanted to throw off any investigation. This did, in fact, lead the investigators to believe that the assailants were likely a competitor. The detectives even suggested an angry customer, though this was early in the investigation and an angry customer was more likely to take both the money and the drugs.
A rival would likely take the money, but possibly leave the drugs behind as they would have no need or could not guarantee the purity if they sold it to their customers. Reputation is an important factor in cultivating and keeping customers.
The second implication is that the assailants only took what they needed or what they felt was owed to them by the victims, leaving the rest behind. Another sign of contempt for the men, their business and possibly a point of "honor" with the assailants. This may even be construed as leaving behind what the perpetrator(s) owed to the victims.
Another factor of the murders that indicates the "personal" nature is that the men were found bound, gagged and face down (there may be some question whether all of the men were bound and gagged as Weissman was found in the entry way, presumably attacked when he opened the door; it's unknown or unreported whether he died immediately or was incapacitated and murdered later). They were likely murdered in this position.
Two points on this position. First, if the men were face down when they were murdered, it suggests that the murderer(s) did not want to look into the victims' eyes as they were perpetrating the act. This was not to hide the identity of the murderer(s). The three men would already know the assailant(s) as they were fully conscious when the attacks occurred.
This indicates a sign of guilt, contrition or the need to put emotional distance between the assailant(s) and the victims. Possibly because the assailant(s) might feel unable to carry out the last act if they had to look into the victims' eyes.
The victims' backs were also to their murderer(s). This may imply the problem that the murderer(s) had with the victims. That they had gone behind the back or stabbed them in the back. The assailant(s) were returning the insult. That the throats were cut might also imply that the murderer(s) felt the victims had figuratively "cut" the assailant(s) throat over some matter. Again, returning the insult.
The second point is simply the logistics of the act itself. Mechanically, it would be easier to cut someone's throat coming from the rear. Particularly if the act was an attempt to actually decapitate the victims. This position provides additional leverage. Even without that aspect of the act, a victim would be more likely to struggle, even bound and gagged, if they could see the attack coming.
The act of cutting the throat and nearly decapitating the men may have an ideological connotation directly related to the most notorious acts committed in the name of jihad: beheading. The conflation and integration of ideology with the motive for murders will be explored in a follow on post.
The final message of these murders is the severing of friendship. Not only figuratively through the slicing of throats, but literally by the men's murders. Whatever friendship the men might have shared no longer exists, if, in the killer's mind, it ever existed at all.
Based on this evaluation, it may be concluded that the primary motive for these murders is personal due to an insult, offense or perceived wrong Tamerlan, and by extension, Dzhokhar, believes was committed by these men personally against them, not against "all Muslims". That this insult was directly related to money and drugs. That the brothers felt their friendship had been abused or was exploited by these men for personal gain. That the brothers felt these men owed them something; not only money, but up to and including their lives.
Thank you to "Boston Boomer" at The Sky Dancing Blog for curating many of links. Also see this blog post on the Watertown drug scene and possible links to murder.
Follow on posts: Personal Meets Jihad (the role of ideology in the murders); Hired Gun (Todashev's possible involvement with the murders); Escape to Jihad (the role of the murders in the finalization of commitment to Jihad in Dagestan)
The reference to 'being cooked' had nothing to do with drugs.It was a reference to the Westboro Church
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