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

[Keefer]

Fair enough. If your theory is correct then Savvas was the target. If wint wasn't the primary instigator but merely the executioner wouldn't Savvas be aware of such an enemy?

 

[TexMex]

Fair enough. If your theory is correct then Savvas was the target. If wint wasn't the primary instigator but merely the executioner wouldn't Savvas be aware of such an enemy?

Keefer, what is your theory about this case?

 

[Sparky]

Hey Folks,

Please don't sleuth the Savvas family and bring the info here.

Thanks!

 

[HastingsChi]

May 20, 2015

Detectives told WUSA on Wednesday that Philip was tortured in an effort to get money from his wealthy father. Police previously indicated that at least three of the victims had suffered stab wounds or blunt force injuries prior to the fire being set.

Something is wrong here, if money was their endgame then why leave a ton of valuables, jewelry and cash behind?

It seems that just the jewelry in the house was far more valuable than the money drop funds.

 

[Crosscntrymom]

None of it really makes sense in hindsight...the "plan" must have evolved from the initial intent as circumstances changed. But IF there was any kind of original plan, it still seems extraordinarily risky for such a small sum of $$. Was the perp surprised by 3 people being home or intentionally chose that day because they were home? And I agree that the background audio in the voicemail indicate more than one perp. IIRC the background vocal is a response, meaning one perp had to be present there, and one with the victim making the call.

 

[Crosscntrymom]

One more thing with respect to ICE. Is it true that for some reason Wint's immigration status hadn't been flagged as it should have? Might someone have used that as leverage/blackmail to get him to commit the crime?

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Police can say they believe this or that all day long. If they had evidence they would have made additional arrests. So far there appears to be no evidence anyone else was involved (and detective said as much during the preliminary hearing). Police also had been wrong on more than one occasion when they believed something and it turned out to be completely wrong. Like publically declaring a kidnapping of young woman a "wild goose chase" and claiming they wasted resources looking for her. But it turned out to be a real kidnapping and woman was telling the truth. Thread is on this board.

This is certainly true, jjenny. Over the years I have seen several PD who 'believed' (thought) at the time there may have been more than one perpetrator especially when it is a murder case involving multiple victims. When the eight family members of the Hienz/Tolar family were murdered LE also believed there could have been more than one suspect. That was at the beginning of their investigation but as the investigation proceeded forward all the evidence pointed only to one suspect being involved, Guy Heinz Jr. who has now been convicted.

I would think that belief is quite common among investigators who have a multi-murder case. It has to be ruled in as a possibility at first and then it will be ruled out by elimination during an ongoing investigation if they have no factual evidence others were involved. Have the PD held a news conference recently telling its citizens there are still killers on the loose who haven't been caught concerning the SS murders? If not, I think the investigation has revealed there was no others involved but the arrested suspect, DW.

My theory on why Philip was tortured is a rather simple one. Philip was the leverage DW needed and used to gain control of the three adult victims. I have said before by hurting Philip he knew he had put psychological chains around SS. If at the time SS did not do exactly as he instructed him to do then Philip would be tortured again.

As far as DW remaining in the home only DW has the answer to why that happened. I have learned a long time ago we cant put rational thoughts into the mind of someone who is making irrational decisions at the time when they decide to murder others.

That same subject comes up in just about every murder case discussed here. 'But why would he/she do this or that the way they did or why would they take such a risk of being caught or why would they stay inside the home for hours?' etc. Unfortunately, many times, even at trial we never learn the answers to those things because the defendant rarely testifies. But we do learn that they did happen even if we never know the details from beginning to end.

As you know, I never thought DW had help nor needed or wanted help. Many sole perpetrators have murdered multiple victims before even more than four victims. I do believe however; his defense will be to place blame elsewhere or they will tell the jury he had to have had help. I have seen that defense in other multiple murder cases and could never really understand why they used it. Even if DW had had 15 people help him it doesn't change one thing legally and he is still just as guilty. I guess they have to pick something though even though unreasonable and not supported by all the evidence collected.

I don't even think he did this for revenge. I think he wanted to invade a home where he knew for sure the family was wealthy so he picked this home. Several home invaders recently have wound up murdering all the victims inside the home. More and more their motto seems to be to leave no living witnesses behind.

 

[TexMex]

Something is wrong here, if money was their endgame then why leave a ton of valuables, jewelry and cash behind?

It seems that just the jewelry in the house was far more valuable than the money drop funds.

Cars, art, or jewelry would be easy to be traced back to the crime scene. Wint wanted cash. He made SS get a large amount of cash then he killed them and left. He then went to an immigration lawyer and paid him $1,000 cash.

 

[Skigirl]

Cars, art, or jewelry would be easy to be traced back to the crime scene. Wint wanted cash. He made SS get a large amount of cash then he killed them and left. He then went to an immigration lawyer and paid him $1,000 cash.

Why leave cash behind? The above makes that fact, if true, even more mysterious.

 

[Skigirl]

It has always been my theory that Philip was tortured and killed as he was the last remaining male to carry on the S name. The S name was hated so much that Wint [and whoever else] wanted to make sure the name was not passed on through the male child. Lineage is central to understanding the crime.

BBM. How would Wint have known whether or not there were any male cousins or second cousins, or third or half or step-cousins, etc. with the name? This motive seems unlikely to me.

 

[jjenny]

Why leave cash behind? The above makes that fact, if true, even more mysterious.

Most people don't have cash out in the open. It might have been hidden somewhere that he didn't find it.

 

[jjenny]

One more thing with respect to ICE. Is it true that for some reason Wint's immigration status hadn't been flagged as it should have? Might someone have used that as leverage/blackmail to get him to commit the crime?

He should have been flagged for deportation but wasn't for whatever reason. I don't think anyone blackmailed him into committing the crime. I think he was concerned about being deported and needed money to get an immigration lawyer. That I think was his motive to commit the crime.

 

[TexMex]

Most people don't have cash out in the open. It might have been hidden somewhere that he didn't find it.

Agree. Maybe since he was arranging to get the maniac $40k SS didn't feel like he needed to mention the extra cash he had hidden in the home.

 

[TexMex]

He should have been flagged for deportation but wasn't for whatever reason. I don't think anyone blackmailed him into committing the crime. I think he was concerned about being deported and needed money to get an immigration lawyer. That I think was his motive to commit the crime.

It makes sense. Wasn't Wint arrested in March? He was assuming he would be flagged and wanted money to fight it. It's the first thing he did after the murders that we are aware of..visit an immigration lawyer and pay the retainer in cash.

 

[Paulas88]

Most people don't have cash out in the open. It might have been hidden somewhere that he didn't find it.

I believe SS would've given DW anything and everything he had, including his life
to save his family.

IMO, the $$ left behind ... hints to someone else being there, and leaving their share behind, maybe out of pure terror, or to leave a message, that it wasn't all about the money? It will help when we find out, how much money was left, and where it was located.

 

[Keefer]

None of it really makes sense in hindsight...the "plan" must have evolved from the initial intent as circumstances changed. But IF there was any kind of original plan, it still seems extraordinarily risky for such a small sum of $$. Was the perp surprised by 3 people being home or intentionally chose that day because they were home? And I agree that the background audio in the voicemail indicate more than one perp. IIRC the background vocal is a response, meaning one perp had to be present there, and one with the victim making the call.

I agree that the background noise( Philip screaming) indicates more that one perp. It sounds to me that he is saying, " no she's not." I believe someone was telling him that his mom or Vera was ok, and he knew they were lying. Do you remember the photo of Amy with her inscription to Philip about how much she loved him and how she was going to be ok?
All phone conversations would have to be closely monitored that is for sure. In fact it's most probable that Saavas was completely bound and someone else held the phone. If this is true who is Philip yelling at?

 

[Keefer]

I believe SS would've given DW anything and everything he had, including his life
to save his family.

IMO, the $$ left behind ... hints to someone else being there, and leaving their share behind, maybe out of pure terror, or to leave a message, that it wasn't all about the money? It will help when we find out, how much money was left, and where it was located.

This was a methodical and controlled crime. I don't see any signs of panic or sloppiness except for the left over pizza. If their motivation was solely money I am sure Saavas would have given them all he could access.

 

[Skigirl]

Most people don't have cash out in the open. It might have been hidden somewhere that he didn't find it.

It was much more complicated and risky to get cashed dropped at the house than to tell a captor where hidden money was located.

 

[TexMex]

It was much more complicated and risky to get cashed dropped at the house than to tell a captor where hidden money was located.

Wish we knew where the cash was found and how much there was. If it was something like $500 or $2,500, $3,000 then IMO SS would have thought that wasn't enough to satisfy this nut who invaded his home and tied up his wife, son and housekeeper. Therefore the wait til the bank opened. Get this guy a substantial sum and pray he would leave them unharmed.

 

[Keefer]

It was much more complicated and risky to get cashed dropped at the house than to tell a captor where hidden money was located.

Yes! Read up on money drops used during kidnappings, it's not simple. Most pros use a signaling method which is almost always visual.