So, while we were all enjoying time with our families over Thanksgiving, mail bombs could have killed Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and former President Barack Obama. Yes, that’s right. Abbott even opened the package, which blessedly did not go off. Obama’s was intercepted before it could reach him. This isn’t the first rodeo for culprit Julia Poff. She’s been previously indicted for mailing explosives back in 2016. In this instance, authorities were able to zero in on her using pieces of the mailing label and cat hair (via CBS News):
Court documents filed in district court in Houston last week show Julia Poff was indicted earlier this month on six counts for allegedly mailing the bombs in October 2016, including mailing injurious articles and transporting explosives with the intent to kill and injure.
Abbott opened the package but the device didn't explode, according to the indictment, obtained by CBS affiliate KHOU. Had it detonated, it could have caused "severe burns and death," the indictment says.
The package sent to Obama was intercepted in screening.
An obliterated shipping label on the package sent to Abbott led investigators to Poff's address in Sealy, and a cat hair found under the shipping label of the package sent to Obama matched one of Poff's cats, the indictment says. The device contained a cellphone, a cigarette package and a Ken's salad dressing cap which were also linked to Poff, including by witnesses who said she had bought the salad dressing for an anniversary dinner, according to the indictment.
Poff allegedly said she didn't like Obama and was upset with Gov. Abbott because "she had not received support from her ex-husband," the indictment says.
Thank God, Gov. Abbott was not hurt in this potentially deadly incident.