DC - Savvas Savopoulos, family & Veralicia Figueroa murdered; Daron Wint Arrested #19

[TexMex]

This neighborhood's overabundance of exterior security cameras might well be the biggest blunder of DW's(and/or other perps). Considering the Austrailian property which is directly across 31st St from the SS house, their security cameras along the perimeter would show all traffic along both 31st and Woodland and their cameras on the northern end of the residence point directly at the southern side and garage/driveway of the SS house. The homeowners association and LE went door-to-door requesting exterior recordings. I'm sure that LE knows everything that happened outside of the SS house on both days - how the house was approached as well as all activity in the lawn and driveway.

Welcome roverlwb

I think you're correct. IIRC Chief Lanier said they had a lot of video to review in this case

 

[JayMac]

Well, it's not this administration that counts, but rather the DC govt. and local politicians who can bring pressure if pressure is needed. SS and AS were frequent high-dollar contributors for local races and some MD federal races, as well as hosting political fundraisers in their home. Add to that the fact that, in their zipcode of 20008, there are very few violent crimes committed(except for domestic violence). Lots of pressure on elected members of the DC govt to elevate this to fed level.

My experience has been that the USAO is impervious to pressure from the city and local politicians. If anything, the USAO pressures and unduly influences the city council all the time. Why do you think we no longer have jury trials for misdemeanors in the city? It's a rare day the city council stands up to the USAO when it wants to introduce or amend criminal related legislation.

Though there are almost always hooks to get something into federal court, I would be very surprised if that happens given what we know so far. On a political level, in essence, it would be seen as the feds taking over the case - yes, even with the same prosecutors and same police and the rest. And for what? I don't think the death penalty will ever be imposed by a DC jury - even more doubtful in a case where they took it out of the hands of the District so to speak. The District is on record via a referendum in opposition to the death penalty. And why in this case? There have been many horrific murders in the District - even murders involving young victims. As awful as it was and as sad as it is, this is not unique.

Seeking the death penalty is a very long and arduous process with both sides having to extensively prepare and argue pretrial before 2 death committees (at USAO and at DOJ) and then there may be a final decision against filing death papers. Further, defense attorneys must be death qualified and, in any event, the Federal Public Defender would have to take over the defense. Impaneling a death qualified jury is another long and arduous process.

DC really has sufficient penalties to assure, if convicted, DW will never be released.

Despite my opposition to the DP and having said all the above, my initial reaction was that this is exactly the kind of murder the death penalty was rightfully meant for - money motivated. Not because of the victims but because those motivated by money with thought-out plans may think twice if they weigh in the balance they may face fatal consequences. But as those here have noted, and I agree, I doubt DW, if he's guilty, ever thought he'd get caught and maybe never planned murder. That's always the theoretical argument against the DP, it doesn't really do what people want it to do - deter the worst crimes. And it doesn't deter the kind of criminals you want it to deter. DW is a perfect example if he did this.

In the end, if the USAO wants to move it to federal court it will and we will probably never know the reasons why.

 

[jjenny]

dw is a welder. They make good money and jobs are plentiful. When he was arrested in 2009 for beating his girlfriend he listed his employer as Fabmetal or something, they do high end custom work. 40 k is peanuts unless u r a strung out meth head.

He wasn't working as a welder at the time of the murders. He was describing himself as "self-employed."

 

[SeesSeas]

If DW was a convicted felon he would have a hard time getting any job
JMO

There are a lot of felon-friendly jobs, especially in construction and skilled trades. A felon welder would likely not have too tough a time getting a job.

http://felonopportunities.com/employment-opportunities-for-convicted-felons/
Although they have a strike against them, ex-offenders can find employment in some industries. The main industries that tend to have jobs for felons in Maryland include the food service and restaurant sector, construction, delivery services, non-profits, church-based groups, and surprisingly, the armed forces.

 

[katydid23]

This neighborhood's overabundance of exterior security cameras might well be the biggest blunder of DW's(and/or other perps). Considering the Austrailian property which is directly across 31st St from the SS house, their security cameras along the perimeter would show all traffic along both 31st and Woodland and their cameras on the northern end of the residence point directly at the southern side and garage/driveway of the SS house. The homeowners association and LE went door-to-door requesting exterior recordings. I'm sure that LE knows everything that happened outside of the SS house on both days - how the house was approached as well as all activity in the lawn and driveway.

YES. And in this case they would have been able to request the footage immediately. Often the bodies are not found for days so footage is taped over or not saved. but if there was any footage at all it would have been available to them. And I agree with you that LE probably has footage of whoever was going or going from the home during the brutal crime. JMO

Oh, and :welcome: to WS. Great post.

 

[FelicityLemon]

He wasn't working as a welder at the time of the murders. He was describing himself as "self-employed."

lol, yeah, I was "self-employed" every time I was unemployed. :drumroll:

 

[FelicityLemon]

There are a lot of felon-friendly jobs, especially in construction and skilled trades. A felon welder would likely not have too tough a time getting a job.

http://felonopportunities.com/employment-opportunities-for-convicted-felons/
Although they have a strike against them, ex-offenders can find employment in some industries. The main industries that tend to have jobs for felons in Maryland include the food service and restaurant sector, construction, delivery services, non-profits, church-based groups, and surprisingly, the armed forces.

bbm: Great. He boasts being good with a knife. That, with a violent background that includes two separate incidents of stabbing someone in addition to threatening family and infants, swell.

When violence shows up in a job applicant's background checks, most people pass. As far as welding jobs on a par with AIW, that would be difficult if not impossible, given that AIW often had security clearance contracts.

Although, I'm always shocked to discover that there are people who don't bother doing background checks at all, so...there ya go. Yikes.






OT: we watched the movie 'Noah' the other night. Kewl to see welding masks in use waaaaaaaaaay back then. :drumroll:

 

[AmazonianAbroad]

This neighborhood's overabundance of exterior security cameras might well be the biggest blunder of DW's(and/or other perps). Considering the Austrailian property which is directly across 31st St from the SS house, their security cameras along the perimeter would show all traffic along both 31st and Woodland and their cameras on the northern end of the residence point directly at the southern side and garage/driveway of the SS house. The homeowners association and LE went door-to-door requesting exterior recordings. I'm sure that LE knows everything that happened outside of the SS house on both days - how the house was approached as well as all activity in the lawn and driveway.

Do you have a link for homeowners association's canvassing? I only ask because it seems odd that an HOA would be in force there.

 

[katydid23]

bbm: Great. He boasts being good with a knife. That, with a violent background that includes two separate incidents of stabbing someone in addition to threatening family and infants, swell.

When violence shows up in a job applicant's background checks, most people pass. As far as welding jobs on a par with AIW, that would be difficult if not impossible, given that AIW often had security clearance contracts.

Although, I'm always shocked to discover that there are people who don't bother doing background checks at all, so...there ya go. Yikes.






OT: we watched the movie 'Noah' the other night. Kewl to see welding masks in use waaaaaaaaaay back then. :drumroll:

Don't you love seeing 'delivery services' and 'church-based groups' on that list of companies who hire felons?

 

[Crosscntrymom]

How long would the embassy have saved security tape? Does anyone know when that footage was requested?

 

[TexMex]

bbm: Great. He boasts being good with a knife. That, with a violent background that includes two separate incidents of stabbing someone in addition to threatening family and infants, swell.

When violence shows up in a job applicant's background checks, most people pass. As far as welding jobs on a par with AIW, that would be difficult if not impossible, given that AIW often had security clearance contracts.

Although, I'm always shocked to discover that there are people who don't bother doing background checks at all, so...there ya go. Yikes.






OT: we watched the movie 'Noah' the other night. Kewl to see welding masks in use waaaaaaaaaay back then. :drumroll:

If I was employed as a welder I'd not want an ex con with anger issues resulting in knife attacks working beside me with a torch and chipping hammer.

 

[AmazonianAbroad]

If I was employed as a welder I'd not want an ex con with anger issues resulting in knife attacks working beside me with a torch and chipping hammer.

Gasp. You made me choke on my own saliva with that one.

 

[AmazonianAbroad]

How long would the embassy have saved security tape? Does anyone know when that footage was requested?

Funny, you ask that, and I realize how complicated that request would be. I'm sure they saved the images wanting to assist, but it isn't as though SS, DS, ATF, FBI, nor MPD could ask their guy at the gate and it could get done, in spite of the atrocities that took place in the SS home. I bet there was insane political wrangling and an MOU or two to formally fulfill the request. My head hurts thinking about it.

 

[SeesSeas]

bbm: Great. He boasts being good with a knife. That, with a violent background that includes two separate incidents of stabbing someone in addition to threatening family and infants, swell.

When violence shows up in a job applicant's background checks, most people pass. As far as welding jobs on a par with AIW, that would be difficult if not impossible, given that AIW often had security clearance contracts.

Although, I'm always shocked to discover that there are people who don't bother doing background checks at all, so...there ya go. Yikes.

Even with doing background checks, many businesses hire felons - especially in construction and skilled trades.
Here is a snippet from the American Institute of Welding website - The mission of AIW is to equip unemployed and underemployed individuals with marketable skills so they can improve their standard of living through gainful employment as a welder.

IMO, unemployed and underemployed are nice ways of implying 'felon'.

http://www.americaninstituteofwelding.com/
The American Institute of Welding (AIW) offers a premier welding school for participants in Loudoun County, Northern Virginia and the Washington, DC Metropolitan areas. Our main state-of-the-art training facility is located in Chantilly, VA, and we are affiliated with Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). In partnership with NOVA, AIW’s superior training program provides students with the skills and professional certification they need to obtain employment as a welder. Our welding school program can be completed in just four weeks and we offer evening and weekend classes. The mission of AIW is to equip unemployed and underemployed individuals with marketable skills so they can improve their standard of living through gainful employment as a welder.

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/robert-hodge/75/359/467
American Institute of Welding, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Iron Works, Inc. AIW, LLC is the vocational training division of the company that prepares interested members of the community for a career as a certified, professional welder.

 

[TexMex]

Even with doing background checks, many businesses hire felons - especially in construction and skilled trades.
Here is a snippet from the American Institute of Welding website - The mission of AIW is to equip unemployed and underemployed individuals with marketable skills so they can improve their standard of living through gainful employment as a welder.

IMO, unemployed and underemployed are nice ways of implying 'felon'.

http://www.americaninstituteofwelding.com/
The American Institute of Welding (AIW) offers a premier welding school for participants in Loudoun County, Northern Virginia and the Washington, DC Metropolitan areas. Our main state-of-the-art training facility is located in Chantilly, VA, and we are affiliated with Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). In partnership with NOVA, AIW’s superior training program provides students with the skills and professional certification they need to obtain employment as a welder. Our welding school program can be completed in just four weeks and we offer evening and weekend classes. The mission of AIW is to equip unemployed and underemployed individuals with marketable skills so they can improve their standard of living through gainful employment as a welder.

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/robert-hodge/75/359/467
American Institute of Welding, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Iron Works, Inc. AIW, LLC is the vocational training division of the company that prepares interested members of the community for a career as a certified, professional welder.

Savvas and Amy Savopoulos actively participated in establishing American Institute of Welding, an organization offering a fresh start to people who have lost their jobs. The Greek-American philanthropist was always trying to help others and his charity work was mostly concentrated in Greece and the United - See more at: http://usa.greekreporter.com/2015/05/25/savvas-savopoulos-from-greece-to-d-c/#.dpuf

 

[AmazonianAbroad]

Savvas and Amy Savopoulos actively participated in establishing American Institute of Welding, an organization offering a fresh start to people who have lost their jobs. The Greek-American philanthropist was always trying to help others and his charity work was mostly concentrated in Greece and the United - See more at: http://usa.greekreporter.com/2015/05/25/savvas-savopoulos-from-greece-to-d-c/#.dpuf

I don't think it is a coincidence that the vocational training program was out in edge city, suburban Virginia. The type of person trying to establish/re-establish themselves there would be, as a rule of thumb, less challenging than the "down on their luck" types in PG County.

There would be high numbers of people coming out of lower skilled military service looking for training, and also, fewer super scary criminals reside there. The LatAm gangs are there, probably, and perhaps some Asian gangs doing money laundering, I'd guess. But, overall, it's far less crime ridden. This HIDTA overview gives a feel for which kinds and numbers of criminals operate where.

My statement isn't meant as a blanket impeachment of the good people of PG. Those needing a helping hand in PG County motivated enough to complete training out in Fairfax would be good hires, of course.

https://www.ncjrs.gov/ondcppubs/publications/enforce/hidta2001/dc-fs.html

 

[BondGirl]

Do you have a link for homeowners association's canvassing? I only ask because it seems odd that an HOA would be in force there.

It's not the suburbs so not HOA. I think it's a community thing. Georgetown has the same.....and doesn't seem to cut mugging so and crime there.

 

[al66pine]

Originally Posted by AmazonianAbroad Do you have a link for homeowners association's canvassing? I only ask because it seems odd that an HOA would be in force there.

Agreeing w ^, HOA in usu sense, would be odd.

I do not recall MSM using term "HOA" but recall (no link) in first few days, more than one MSM story referring to private security company patrols in the neighborhood.
If there is/was a private security company patrolling, seems, there must be some 'entity' for contract w co to set geo coverage area, payment, & other terms. Not clear to me if S home was actually in area of coverage.

IIRC, part of co name was 'Urban.' Could be misremembering.
JM2cts.

 

[Skigirl]

Originally Posted by AmazonianAbroad Do you have a link for homeowners association's canvassing? I only ask because it seems odd that an HOA would be in force there.

Agreeing w ^, HOA in usu sense, would be odd.

I do not recall MSM using term "HOA" but recall (no link) in first few days, more than one MSM story referring to private security company patrols in the neighborhood.
If there is/was a private security company patrolling, seems, there must be some 'entity' for contract w co to set geo coverage area, payment, & other terms. Not clear to me if S home was actually in area of coverage.

IIRC, part of co name was 'Urban.' Could be misremembering.
JM2cts.

I live in an urban neighborhood that was built around the same time as the S neighborhood. We do not have a HOA, but we do have a Neighborhood Association, and so do the other neighborhoods around us. We pay voluntary annual dues, and those dues go to things like landscaping, rental of the park clubhouse for parties, and other things that our elected leadership deem to be for the good of the neighborhood. They do things like advocate for traffic lights at dangerous intersections, get word out when there is a city council vote on an issue that impacts us, attend council meetings, and provide input. Our neighborhood association spends a lot of time on advocating with LE to make sure we have good coverage and are informed about break-ins and the like (Police have a liason assigned to each neighborhood association). We do not have a private security force, but if we did, we would pay for it out of our dues.

When a crime occurs -- there has only been one murder in the last 15 years, but there are plenty of thefts -- the association is very active in getting and disseminating information and in trying to get word out for witnesses to contact LE, etc. Most of this is done over email.

I don't know if the S neighborhood had something similar, but I would be a little surprised if not.

ETA: http://www.wpcaonline.org

The S. house is outside the boundaries of the Woodley Park Community Association. I remember some discussion of a second neighborhood that their house was a part of, but can't remember the name. I suspect that neighborhood has a community association as well.

ETA 2: Maybe it was Cleveland Park: http://www.cpcadc.org

 

[TexMex]

Good info. I bet the security patrol helped LE contact nearby homes to get security footage ASAP


Red snapper for dinner tonight