Body of dead Marathon bombing suspect is released from medical examiner’s office

By Milton J. Valencia, Globe Staff

The family of Tamerlan Tsarnaev picked up the body of the alleged Boston Marathon bomber from the state medical examiner’s office this afternoon, a state official said.

Terrel Harris, a spokesman for the office, said the body was picked up at 5:30 p.m. Local television helicopters followed the hearse, reporting that it went to a funeral home in North Attleborough.

Harris would not say whether the family has made any funeral arrangements, and would not identify the family members who made the arrangements to pick up the body.

Harris said that the cause of death of the 26-year-old Tsarnaev would be made public once a funeral service provider files a death certificate.