DC - Savvas Savopoulos, family & Veralicia Figueroa murdered; Daron Wint Arrested #22

[fred&edna]

Thanks for posting the running man with bucket video!
Is this guy-I am assuming it’s DW- wearing the same hoodie in the arrest video??

JMO

Well, IMO the hoodies looked the same in each pic. But there's nothing distinct about either of them so... I suppose it's not possible to say it's definitely the same guy nor the same hoodie.

 

[fred&edna]

I only saw one photo of DW (night of arrest, IIRC) that pictured him without long dreads visible. I can't find it now. Anyone have a link to it??

 

[taylorss]

@oceanblueeyes

On bottom of page 7- top of page 8 of the Preliminary Hearing

Detective Owens confirmed SS and VF were strangled as well as having blunt force and sharp force trauma.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen information about AS’s injuries (beyond bruised finger) or COD.

 

[SeesSeas]

I only saw one photo of DW (night of arrest, IIRC) that pictured him without long dreads visible. I can't find it now. Anyone have a link to it??

Report: Suspect in D.C. killings took cab from N.Y. to D.C.
WUSA-TV, Washington, D.C.Published 6:55 p.m. ET May 25, 2015 | Updated 8:38 a.m. ET May 26, 2015
2010 mugshot of Daron Wint
(Photo: Prince George's County Police Department)

 

[Patrick Thomas]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen information about AS’s injuries (beyond bruised finger) or COD.

Really? I thought that was a staple in most of the articles I've read..

 

[katydid23]

Quoting my own post from last week.
Below is from a recent WTOP blog referencing "Savvas Savopoulos' sister -- who worked as the controller of American Iron Works"

Savopoulos family killings: Daron Wint on trial
Ted Chase, the chief financial officer of American Iron Works, said he talked to both Savvas and Savvas' sister (who worked as the company's controller) about withdrawing $40,000 in cash and delivering it to his house.

What does the "auction" reference mean? Earlier on Monday, Savvas Savopoulos' sister -- who worked as the controller of American Iron Works -- testified she got a call from Savvas on May 13 about withdrawing anywhere from $35,000 to $50,000 from his account. She told jurors her brother frequently attended construction auctions and the amount of cash he was requesting was not all that unusual. It was unusual, however, that he requested it all in cash, Debra Ann Masser told jurors.

I remember when we were all discussing this back at the start of this case. Somewhere I posted about my husband's experiences with construction auctions. My bro-in-law had a contracting business for many years. My husband went to several auctions with him. Those places are huge and full of great deals on used equipment and foreclosed upon materials, tools, etc.

They used to take a lot of cash, thousands and thousands, with them because sometimes one can get a better price by offering all cash, upfront, immediately. And it is quicker overall, to just pay up and go. If you want to drive off with some very expensive equipment, you don't want them to worry about your check, or your account being shady. JMO

 

[Patrick Thomas]

I remember when we were all discussing this back at the start of this case. Somewhere I posted about my husband's experiences with construction auctions. My bro-in-law had a contracting business for many years. My husband went to several auctions with him. Those places are huge and full of great deals on used equipment and foreclosed upon materials, tools, etc.

They used to take a lot of cash, thousands and thousands, with them because sometimes one can get a better price by offering all cash, upfront, immediately. And it is quicker overall, to just pay up and go. If you want to drive off with some very expensive equipment, you don't want them to worry about your check, or your account being shady. JMO

What other means of withdrawal are there though? His only options are to withdraw cash or write a check.

 

[Patrick Thomas]

Her statement directly contradicts itself.

her brother frequently attended construction auctions and the amount of cash he was requesting was not all that unusual. It was unusual, however, that he requested it all in cash, Debra Ann Masser told jurors.

I'm not understanding what she's saying. How is it unusual for him to make a request for a withdrawal of cash, if the only other means of transferring funds to a recipient are wire transfer or check?

 

[katydid23]

I haven't posted my opinion in quite awhile but I do think JW was involved in some way. I don't think he intended for SS to be murdered, absolutely not, but I do think he either ran his mouth to the wrong person or wanted a quick get rich quick scheme. The only thing I will say is how DW knew to use JW? DW doesn't seem that smart... how did he know that SS would conveniently have an assistant that would lie to the cops about the money and other small details?

JW was involved.

But why didn't DW throw JW under the bus, if he was involved? Hard for me to believe that DW would sit in jail all of this time and not tell the cops, way back when, that JW was involved.

Sure, he may have run his mouth, and given someone ideas. But I don't think he knows DW or his brothers, and/or made any type of plans. JMO

The 'lies' were not anything that helped DW in any way. JW screwed up big time, by sending that stupid pic to his girlfriend. So obviously he was super nervous when the cops wanted to speak to him about everything.

But nothing he said to the cops helped DW get away with anything/ JMO

 

[katydid23]

What other means of withdrawal are there though? His only options are to withdraw cash or write a check.

Sorry, but I don't understand the question. Do you mean what other options did Savas have other than cash?

 

[Patrick Thomas]

I haven't posted my opinion in quite awhile but I do think JW was involved in some way. I don't think he intended for SS to be murdered, absolutely not, but I do think he either ran his mouth to the wrong person or wanted a quick get rich quick scheme. The only thing I will say is how DW knew to use JW? DW doesn't seem that smart... how did he know that SS would conveniently have an assistant that would lie to the cops about the money and other small details?

Exactly why I think Daron Wint was framed to take the fall for a more sinister third party.

 

[Patrick Thomas]

Sorry, but I don't understand the question. Do you mean what other options did Savas have other than cash?

Yes. Her statement literally contradicts itself.

Did she have to transfer funds from one account to another for Savvas to be able to write checks, ordinarily?

 

[Patrick Thomas]

Otherwise, why would she say that a request for that amount of cash was normal, and then immediately after state that a request for CASH was unusual.

I'm interpreting these quotes verbatim, so forgive me if I'm taking her statements too literally.

 

[katydid23]

Her statement directly contradicts itself.


I'm not understanding what she's saying. How is it unusual for him to make a request for a withdrawal of cash, if the only other means of transferring funds to a recipient are wire transfer or check?

No, not really. He could have withdrawn money from the business account and gotten it in several cashier's checks, in 500 dollar denominations. Or in Travelers checks.

When you go to the auction, you don't know how much you need to spend. So having large amounts of cash, at hand is nice. But it works to have cashiers checks or travelers checks too.

 

[KALI]

Thank you Oceanbluees for this post.
Thank you too for bringing up the murders of the McStay family, by accused murderer, Chase Merritt.
Jealousy of both of these families by complete losers is what I see.
I pray that the jurors can see through the smoke and mirrors that the defence throws at them, that some other guy did this.
Having an innocent family murdered and tortured when young children are tortured and murdered too.
Makes me crazy mad.
Personally, I hope that both the killer of this family, and the murderer of the McStay family never see freedom again.
Actually, I hope what happens to family murderers is that they suffer long and hard.
Because not only did they murder whole families for no reason, but their actions rippled out to cause grief for hundreds.
I have no forgiveness for these murderers. None.

I understand that thinking. One would think he would leave but that's thinking logically. There is nothing logical or normal about Wint.

I know I may have a different opinion about Wint than most. I firmly believe he is a stone cold sociopath. Many of them are known to hold grudges even decades long toting rage and hatred around thinking constantly about getting even.

Imo he targeted this family when he decided he was going to do a home invasion. This was the owner of the place he had been fired. Sociopaths places blame on others even though they are fully to blame themselves.

What better revenge than to make Savvas jump through hoops to get him thousands of dollars trying their best to appease the monster before them?

Imo he gloated over the power and control he now had over them all. He literally held their lives in his hands. Why leave when he could continue to torment them all? He would leave on his own time. Imo he relished terrorizing these victims and took his time ending it..

I do think through it all he tortured Philip. Even in another room they would know the child they loved with all of their hearts was going through hell. He used torturing Philip as a tool to make sure none of them dared have one thought about going up against him.

He was as cold and calculating as Chase Merritt when he brutally murdered the entire Mcstay..family. They are cut from the same cloth.

It takes a special kind of monster to do what he did to Philip. Imo I still firmly believe he relished every sadistic act he did against little Philip. It gave him great satisfaction to know this powerful and successful wealthy businessman and doting father was totally helpless to stop him. He probably ridiculed Savvas saying to him 'you're not such a big shot now are you?' Or something similarly degradimg.

Imo..Wint did all of this because he wanted to and he knew they were all unable to stop him. Typical behavior of sociopaths who murder innocent victims. They show no mercy because they possess none...Imo.

He knew he was going to murder them all. He certainly wasn't going to leave live witnesses to tell who he was and what all he had put them through.

Jmo

 

[Patrick Thomas]

No, not really. He could have withdrawn money from the business account and gotten it in several cashier's checks, in 500 dollar denominations. Or in Travelers checks.

When you go to the auction, you don't know how much you need to spend. So having large amounts of cash, at hand is nice. But it works to have cashiers checks or travelers checks too.

That's a fair point. But why would Savvas go through all the trouble of acquiring travelers checks/cashiers checks as opposed to just writing regular check? Is there any advantage to using travelers/cashiers checks?

 

[katydid23]

Yes. Her statement literally contradicts itself.

Did she have to transfer funds from one account to another for Savvas to be able to write checks, ordinarily?

Yes, a company controller 'controls' the amount of cash in the checking account of a business.. That helps prevent embezzlement if you can't actually write someone a check for 30K that can be cashed. But if the controller is convinced that one needs to go buy some used equipment and supplies at bargain basement prices, but you need to take 40K with you, then the funds will be transferred.

Usually, the controllers and accountants only keep the budgeted amount in the checking account. Like that weeks payroll and the incoming bills that need to be paid.

 

[Patrick Thomas]

Yes, a company controller 'controls' the amount of cash in the checking account of a business.. That helps prevent embezzlement if you can't actually write someone a check for 30K that can be cashed. But if the controller is convinced that one needs to go buy some used equipment and supplies at bargain basement prices, but you need to take 40K with you, then the funds will be transferred.

Usually, the controllers and accountants only keep the budgeted amount in the checking account. Like that weeks payroll and the incoming bills that need to be paid.

That makes sense, but we don't know for certain that this was the case with AIW. As of now we can only speculate I wonder why his sister didn't question the request for cash. <modsnipped- against TOS>

 

[katydid23]

Otherwise, why would she say that a request for that amount of cash was normal, and then immediately after state that a request for CASH was unusual.

I'm interpreting these quotes verbatim, so forgive me if I'm taking her statements too literally.

I think she meant that a request to 'withdraw funds' in a large amount, is normal. But asking for it all in cash is unusual. Auctions will take checks, in various forms.

 

[katydid23]

That makes sense, but we don't know for certain that this was the case with AIW. As of now we can only speculate I wonder why his sister didn't question the request for cash. This makes me awfully suspicious of her. If Savvas usually asked for travelers or cashiers checks, his call to her requesting cash should DEFINITELY have thrown up some red flags.

As I said, Auction goers can sometimes get a better deal by offering up cash. My brotherinlaw used to do so. He'd say, I know I bid 22k for that equipment, but if I pay cash, can I get a discount to put that savings towards my next bid. It often worked because there is a loss on credit card charges and some places don't like checks all that much either...