How investigators solve a bombing

BOSTON — Investigating a bombing, or a series of them, is never an easy task.

Even after 23-year-old Mark Anthony Conditt, the man responsible for terrorizing the city of Austin, Texas with exploding bombs was declared dead by police, investigators are still searching for a motive.

Surveillance cameras caught Conditt dropping off two suspicious packages on Sunday inside a FedEx facility.

The footage led police to Conditt's car, and eventually to cell phone records that helped track him down.

Conditt set up multiple explosive devices all over the city during a three-week period, until he led police on a brief case that ended with him detonating a device inside his car.

Police are now warning the bomber may have been built other devices before he died, which poses the question: how do you solve a bombing?

Boston 25 News reporter Bob Ward analyzes the similarities between the terror in Texas and the Boston marathon bombings and how police eventually tracked down the bombers.

Carmen Ortiz was Boston's U.S. Attorney during the marathon bombing investigation and led the investigation back in April 2013.

Almost immediately after the bombs went off on Boylston Street, Ortiz was part of the task force that led to the arrest of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev within days.

Now working in private practice, Ortiz says she understands the pressures authorities in Austin faced - trying to catch a killer before he could strike again.

"It has to be all hands on deck, but you have to be coordinated," said Ortiz. "You have to share the information that you are gathering from moment to moment, and that has to come across to the victims, the families and the people that are closely impacted by what has occured."

In Boston, Ortiz watched as the FBI, State and Boston Police combed through clues on Boylston Street, developing leads. That exact same meticulous process played out in Austin as those package bombs exploded.

"You are trying to figure out where the materials came from, you're trying to figure out motive," said Ortiz. "Motive could lead you to certain individuals, you start to analyze this as suspects come on your radar."

Just like in Boston, authorities in Austin were able to narrow down the focus and solidify a lead to the suspect by analyzing early evidence as soon as it came in.

Now, Ortiz expects the community in Austin will heal the same way Boston did once Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was caught.

"The public, the community, those who have been hurt, the families of those who lost loved ones, are incredibly upset, scared, worried," said Ortiz. "They are also incredibly strong, resilient and helpful to one another."

Five years later, Ortiz is proud of the way local, state and federal law enforcement kept the lines of communication open and worked together while the world was watching to bring Tsarnaev to justice.

Ortiz says authorities in Texas should be just as proud of what they've accomplished this week.

Federal officials in Austin are saying there is a "reasonable level of certainty" that there are no more package bombs in the city, but are still urging the public to be aware.

Cox Media Group