Cat hair leads to arrest of woman for sending explosives to Obama

[SummerSnow]

Cat hair “shed” light on the identity of a Texas woman accused of sending explosives to Barack Obama.

Christopher Brennan/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Updated: Thursday, November 23, 2017, 8:21 AM

Julia Poff, a 46-year-old from outside Houston, is charged in federal court with sending explosives in 2016 to the then-president, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Social Security Administration Commissioner Carolyn Colvin.

Federal court documents filed last week say that Abbott opened his package, but that it did not detonate because “he did not open it as designed.”

The ones sent to Obama and Social Security were “rendered safe” after screenings, according to investigators' court testimony reported from KPRC.

The sender’s spree led to a search for the failed bomber, and they focused on a shipping label on the Abbott package, which had allegedly been sent to Poff from an eBay purchase before being turned into a weapon.

The package sent to Obama also contained the fruits of a feline's follicles, which a judge said were “microscopically consistent with the hair of one of Poff’s cats.”

Investigators said that Poff said that she sent the explosive to Obama because she did not like him, and that the packages to Abbott and Social Security were based on her not receiving support from her ex-husband or the agency.

Poff was also charged with fraud of the SNAP food stamps program and making a false bankruptcy declaration.

A judge in the case ordered that she be detained because she is a danger to the community and a flight risk.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cat-hair-leads-arrest-woman-sending-explosives-obama-article-1.3652738

[Vinca]

1. The cats always win. LOL.

[dalton99a]

2. "And tell the court who opened the package," the prosecutor said.

"Governor Abbott opened the package," the investigator said.

The investigator testified the device did not detonate and then explained what could happen when one of these devices is detonated.

"A very large flash that could induce severe burns and lots of severe injury and possibly death," he said.

https://www.click2houston.com/news/investigates/houston-woman-accused-of-mailing-explosive-devices-to-governor-former-president

[spooky3]

3. Forensic science is fascinating.

Glad they caught her. Hope that the cats were placed with a better person.

[Kolesar]

4. I hope kitty gets a new owner because Mom's going away for "a long stretch" .. eom

[shanny]

5. "microscopically consistent'? wtf does that mean?

in humans at least, microscopically consistent hair is a discredited BS scam (absent DNA)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/apr/21/fbi-jail-hair-mass-disaster-false-conviction

[angstlessk]

6. Read both articles. there is more evidence tha just cat hairs.

[shanny]

7. Not objecting to the validity of the verdict

just the cat hairs. I realize it makes a catchy hook to hang the story on.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

8. I often think my cat is out to get me.

Now I know how capable they are.

Mine looks so peaceful at the moment, sleeping on top of a warm radiator. But it has plans.

Beware the cats.