DC - Savvas Savopoulos, family & Veralicia Figueroa murdered; Daron Wint Arrested #21

[dixiegirl1035]

His minivan being torched and that it was located about 3 minutes from AIW is very interesting. That’s the first time I had heard about that.

How did we never hear this before?

 

[Seattle1]

How did we never hear this before?

Part of the information that was never released before-- just like new info witness changing what/who they thought they saw driving Porsche.

 

[Seattle1]

Graphic crime scene photos among concerns for jury selection in D.C. quadruple homicide trial
By Keith L. Alexander
September 4 at 1:17 PM

With jury selection set to begin Wednesday in the trial of the man charged in the 2015 killings of three Upper Northwest Washington family members and their housekeeper, attorneys on both sides have outlined the challenges in finding a panel of citizens to consider the shocking and highly publicized case.

SNIP

In hearings in D.C. Superior Court and court filings, defense attorneys and prosecutors said it could be difficult to find District residents whose schedules would allow them to participate in a trial expected to last about eight weeks.

Wint’s attorneys also have raised concerns about how jurors may react to the graphic nature of the evidence. Prosecutors are expected to display photos of the crime scene, most specifically, photos of Philip’s “severely damaged” body, Wint’s public defenders Judith Pipe and Jeff Stein wrote in a court filing last month.

SNIP

In filings, the defense team asked McKenna to tell the jurors: “It may help you to imagine that, for example, Mr. Wint is white. Think about whether imagining him as such alters your perception of the evidence. If it does, re-evaluate the evidence with that in mind.”

SNIP

Opening statements and the first day of testimony are scheduled for Sept. 11. (BBM)

Graphic crime scene photos among concerns for jury selection in D.C. quadruple homicide trial

 

[zencompass]

jury selection about to begin, it probably will be a trial by tweets and evening news.

Do we have a list yet of people who will be tweeting? I have one to start with

@fox5wagner and he is saying they have newscast at 5 and 6 they will be updating every day. It appears this website also lets you replay newscast which is good so you don't have to watch it live at the time.

DC news, weather, radar, traffic, sports and breaking news from WTTG-TV | FOX 5 DC - WTTG | WTTG

this is the news station that did the 7 Series podcast on this case. And that podcast is also at that site.

Dear Dixiegirl1035,

Thank you for this great information! Much appreciated!

 

[taylorss]

Wow finally some new bits of info - going to follow those links & see what’s there. Very curious to hear more about the screwdriver in the basement window.

As to whether the crime could’ve been committed alone ..... that’s always been such a hard one. Any one person could only have pulled it off alone by getting lucky, it seems. But it’s not impossible to get lucky. They say luck favors the prepared & Wint seems way too dumb to have met that standard. But luck also favors the boldly active and he may be the sort of stupid that charges headlong after every impulse.

Also it’s a totally different scenario depending on whether victims were misled to believe they’d be freed unharmed once money was delivered, vs whether they were tortured throughout and therefore understood what they were up against.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Tortured and killed in Kalorama: Revisiting 2015 mansion murder case as trial nears | WTOP

 

[Millhouse]

Wow, glad the trial for this case is finally about to start after all this time. I was living and working in DC not too far from here when this happened. Many years and a cross-country move later, I hope justice will finally be served.

I hope all of the surviving family members are doing as best as they can these days. I wonder if any of them plan to attend the trial? The one Savopoulos daughter attended some earlier hearings, IIRC. It must be so painful to lose your family, and then after all this time, have to revisit this tragedy.

 

[nikki80]

I don't work in downtown DC anymore but I remember going to the courthouse for the initial court dates. I'm glad this is finally going to trial. It's been too long.

I still don't think DW did this alone.

 

[Millhouse]

@ramirezreports (Stephanie Ramirez) is tweeting about jury selection. She's a local reporter for WUSA 9 in DC.

 

[Seattle1]

Potential jurors in DC mansion murder trial quizzed ahead of opening arguments
5 Sept 2018

....“Good morning, everyone. I am Daron Wint,” the 37-year-old defendant said Wednesday morning, addressing the 80 D.C. residents who could serve in deciding his fate in the quadruple murder trial. Wearing a white shirt and yellow tie, Wint listened as his defense team and prosecutors hammered out some details around evidence ahead of the trial....

Before 80 potential jurors filed into the courtroom, unaware of what trial they were about to be chosen to decide, the defense team and prosecutors told Judge Juliet McKenna they had come to an understanding regarding how evidence will be presented during the trial on myriad topics. ....

D.C. Laura R. Bach read an expansive list of the witnesses the government plans to call. Surprisingly, she named multiple members of Daron Wint’s family members expected to testify against him or mentioned during his trial...
Potential jurors in DC mansion murder trial quizzed ahead of opening arguments | WTOP

Opening arguments set for 9/11/18 --expected to go to early deliberations in November. Attorneys wanted to know if any jurors spoke Spanish and if they had any medical or legal training. (??)

 

[Seattle1]

Jury selection begins in DC Mansion Murders case
Good audio at link above.

Jury selection begins in DC Mansion Murders case
Three years after a gruesome quadruple murder rocked an affluent Northwest neighborhood, the murder case is finally going to trial. The suspect charged has pled: Not Guilty.

Author: Stephanie Ramirez
Published: 3:07 PM EDT September 5, 2018
Updated: 8:57 PM EDT September 5, 2018

Eight potential jurors were expected to be questioned by end of court on Wednesday. Another 80 are expected to be questioned on Thursday.

Some of the questioned asked included: which D.C. neighborhoods jurors lived in and whether they had heard about this case in the news.

One man told the Judge he jogged by the home and knew the case well. This man was excused.

 

[taylorss]

I can’t find links to any documents in this case beyond the charging document - court system always says ‘no image available.’ Can anyone else find any documents or links to them?

 

[JerseyGirl]

Potential jurors in DC mansion murder trial quizzed ahead of opening arguments | WTOP

 

[Harmony 2]

Car Linked to Mansion Murders Suspect Was Also Found Torched

 

[taylorss]

What was the change to witness statement about driver of the stolen car? From what I remember the account is the same?

 

[Seattle1]

What was the change to witness statement about driver of the stolen car? From what I remember the account is the same?

No it's not the same. Initially, the witness said he saw the Porsche being driven erratically but the driver did not look like DW. Records show that on July 31, 2018, the witness added another detail. He said he saw a photo of JW (SS's driver) on television, and now thinks the driver resembled JW:

That eyewitness added "that it was also possible that his mind was playing tricks on him," but prosecutors thought the information was important enough to include in the case file and share with the defense team.

Car Linked to Mansion Murders Suspect Was Also Found Torched

 

[Seattle1]

1. Stephanie Ramirez‏Verified account @RamirezReports Sep 5
   Stepped out of the courtroom for a min. The judge just asked 80 jurors 17-questions, including what DC neighborhood you live in. They have to go through ~240 potential jurors to decide which 16 DC residents will decide this trial. @wusa9 #MansionMurdersTrial
   
   4 replies1 retweet9 likes
   

Stephanie Ramirez‏Verified account @RamirezReports
Correction - they’ll go through two days of more than 160 jurors (not three - the original number). 16 will be selected - 12 plus 4 alternates.

10:43 AM - 5 Sep 2018

 

[taylorss]

No it's not the same. Initially, the witness said he saw the Porsche being driven erratically but the driver did not look like DW. Records show that on July 31, 2018, the witness added another detail. He said he saw a photo of JW (SS's driver) on television, and now thinks the driver resembled JW:

That eyewitness added "that it was also possible that his mind was playing tricks on him," but prosecutors thought the information was important enough to include in the case file and share with the defense team.

Car Linked to Mansion Murders Suspect Was Also Found Torched

Thanks for that info! Interesting.

 

[zencompass]

I hope and pray that the jurors have the fortitude needed for this case. In particular, the photos and detailed descriptions of the horrific injuries.

I do not think I would have the strength for this. Perhaps I could if I needed to but I truly doubt it.

I'm not putting myself down. I just don't think I would be a good juror because attention to the details are critical in this case and the wounds on the bodies are "evidence".

The evidence would need to be fully looked at and examined by the jurors.

I would have to explain that I felt I would not be a good juror because I would not want to see the tortured bodies.

I have enormous respect for the potential jurors in this case and I pray that they do the best job they can.

 

[CoreyRocks]

I found WS because of this case. I remember some posters from back then. Glad to see you all still here. I remember the DC gal going to the hearings. I am still here and so want justice for these families. I think of the 2 Savopoulis daughters and can't imagine their pain.

Let's get this trial finally rolling. I'm sure new info will be released with more to sleuth.

Like I said this case brought me to WS ... essentially I cut my teeth on this case, and now know more and post more on other cases. Hard to put my feelings into words, without sounding callous, but this case brought me to the incredible FAMILY that is WS. This family and Vera has my heart and even though a trial has been a long time coming sometimes it seems like yesterday. Little Phillip would be a teenager now, so sad.

To the long time WS'ers hope you understand what I am trying to put into words. My first case from beginning to end. What am I trying to say?? It's a different feeling ......

Justice is coming!!

My opinions only.