GUILTY DC - Savvas Savopoulos, family & Veralicia Figueroa murdered; Daron Wint Arrested #23

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I mentioned before that I was puzzled about how DW go to and from the house without being noticed. His van was parked close to where Steffon was working. I wonder if Steffon drove him to and picked him up from the house in that van. It would explain why he then burned it - it would have probably had blood from the victims inside. Also, I wonder where DW got the gasoline to start the fire.

Interesting. But was there evidence that DrrW was working with SW too? SW apparently got around in a work truck, so maybe DrrW did the driving as you suggested.

IMO SW seems like an unlikely accomplice - hard-working, successful enough to be a supervisor, had ongoing beef with DW over fight that got DW kicked out of their mother’s house .... not to mention apparently a past victim of framing / identity theft by DW since SW’s name is listed as one of his aliases.

whereas we know DrrW was involved enough to spend the ransom cash that night with DW & then turn him in a few days later. Not to mention describing DW’s legal troubles as a problem DrrW himself needed help getting ‘out from under.’
 
I need to find time to listen to the latest podcast! There is always good new info on those.

MaddyM your post re DW getting dropped off got me thinking - there was the suggestion maybe DW was only planning to rob the house, thinking it was empty. But unless he had a vehicle right there, how would he make off with his loot? A van outside is good for carting off stolen goods.... a van parked 3 mi away not so much.

Re: SS’s body on top of AS’s, it sounds like the crime scene was re-arranged in the effort to fight the fire. When FD first went in, no one knew it was a crime scene! One firefighter described crawling along the floor, trying to move a chair that turned out to have a person bound to it. Others described victims laid out on the lawn by FD, tho we know they were first found in a 2d floor bedroom.

IMO seems like there’s no certainty how DW left the adult victims because of the chaos that followed. I remember the reference to SS on AS too, tho IIRC there were no details of what that implied - if SS himself jumped to shield her, if his chair-bound body was knocked onto hers by firefighters, or laid that way outside, etc. IMO it seems like there’s just no way to know.

Also related to that, & to earlier comment re difficulty of killing all adult vics at once - it seems all 3 were bound to chairs for at least some time. IMO sounded like SS was killed while bound to chair - he was stabbed in the back through the neck. VF too had a neck wound, suggesting IMO/conjecture that she was bound. And AS had tape residue on her legs, implying she was bound. Apparently ME is scheduled to testify Tues or Weds so there should be more info soon.
 
But the money arrived and DW didn’t leave and didn’t let them live. 4 people could identify DW. Why would you think he’d let you live?

And who was DW talking with on 2 cell phones? Not 1, but 2.
And where were those 2 phones May 13 and 14?

I was under the impression DW had no cell phone until the testimony this week.

JMO

And DW is only 5’7” . Thanks @TFNYBRKS!

Being only 5.7 tall never makes anyone less dangerous or weaker. Wint worked out and I would bet he was strong.

Many of our notorious mass killers have been small in stature.

Joe Duncan was thin weighing only 160 pounds yet he was able to control two adults and one muscular teen who outweighed him. He came in and shortly afterwards he made each of the three victims tie the other one up. They thought he came to rob them so they felt if they complied he would leave. He was able to control 5 people including the 2 children he kidnapped and took them with him.

Once bound and helpless he murdered each of the three with a huge hammer just like he had planned to do all along.

I know many smaller men who are very stromg and can lift heavy items that larger men struggle to lift by themselves. Size has nothing to do with how strong or weak someone is.

That is why I haven't quite understood the theory he couldn't do this by himself especially since we have discussed many mass murder cases throughout the years showing one sole murderer killed multiple victims by themselves.

In fact they have murdered far more than four victims right by themselves.

Jmo
 
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Being only 5.7 tall never makes anyone less dangerous or weaker. Wint worked out and I would bet he was strong.

Many of our notorious mass killers have been small in stature.

Joe Duncan was thin weighing only 160 pounds yet he was able to control two adults and one muscular teen who outweighed him. He came in and shortly afterwards he made each of the three victims tie the other one up. They thought he came to rob them so they felt if they complied he would leave. He was able to control 5 people including the 2 children he kidnapped and took them with him.

Once bound and helpless he murdered each of the three with a huge hammer just like he had planned to do all along.

I know many smaller men who are very stromg and can lift heavy items that larger men struggle to lift by themselves. Size has nothing to do with how strong or weak someone is.

That is why I haven't quite understood the theory he couldn't do this by himself especially since we have discussed many mass murder cases throughout the years showing one sole murderer killed multiple victims by themselves.

In fact they have murdered far more than four victims right by themselves.

Jmo

I don't believe DW acted alone because it was too well choreographed. A weapon in the home was used that is tied to SS' martial arts studio in Chantilly which was opening the next day. SS was lured home from Chantilly. That's too much of a coincidence, imo. I think it was a hired hit and an insider was involved. I hope DW is convicted and that he will provide more information in exchange for a sentencing deal. JMO
 
Hired hit with an insider involved? Interesting thought.

That was my first thought, second thought is it took lots of planning and I would not consider DW an insider as knowing what went on in the business so many years after being fired, and third thought as to how dumb DW is to think he could by not getting caught. JMO.

If this was a hired hit and DW plea deals, won’t he have to be put into the protective witness program? He won’t be safe in prison or out of prison. What kind of jeopardy would this put his family under if this is true?

I don't believe DW acted alone because it was too well choreographed. A weapon in the home was used that is tied to SS' martial arts studio in Chantilly which was opening the next day. SS was lured home from Chantilly. That's too much of a coincidence, imo. I think it was a hired hit and an insider was involved. I hope DW is convicted and that he will provide more information in exchange for a sentencing deal. JMO
 
I don't believe DW acted alone because it was too well choreographed. A weapon in the home was used that is tied to SS' martial arts studio in Chantilly which was opening the next day. SS was lured home from Chantilly. That's too much of a coincidence, imo. I think it was a hired hit and an insider was involved. I hope DW is convicted and that he will provide more information in exchange for a sentencing deal. JMO

I understand and respect your opinion always.. I still do not believe he had any help inside the home murdering the 4 victims. If that had happened imo there would be evidence that someone else was there. The evidence entered shows no one else was there except the one charged.

As in all trials..once the evidence is entered I go by the facts in evidence. There is nothing that I am aware of that supports this was a hit or others have been proven to be involved..

I just don't see this as a hit of any kind. Its logical Savvas would have this kind of weapon in his home. The way it was carried out is like no
other hit man case I have ever seen. It is inline with other mass murderers who were able to murder multiple victims inside of their own homes solely on their own.

And while he may have left behind the weapons owned by Savvas he very well could have brought his own knife with him and took it when he left.. He could have used his to overcome the first victim he grabbed knowing the others would comply try to save anyone of them from being harmed.

He had boasted he was very good with a knife. In fact it's in the reports of his violent criminal record.

He sat the fire thinking he was going to be successful in destroying all evidence including the 4 bodies. When he set the home ablaze like all arsonists they fully believe they will be successful. The only reason he was not was because the fire was spotted quickly.

So I still have not seen any proven evidence that supports this was a hit or that he had help inside the home.

Jmo though
 
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I respect everyone's opinion but honestly I don't think Wint had any help.

I don't think there has been any evidence entered in the trial itself that supports it either.

But that is jmo.



I so agree.

I think DW planned & implemented this crime & planned cold blooded murder. I joined our local news FB Group ( DC is my local news ad I live in Maryland). I’ve been following the trial since Day 1 & came here for another thread & am happy to see this discussion.

This crime is so sad!

This trial is fascinating to me because I can’t fanthom not understand why this person DW is so evil! How could he do this to the family & Vera’s? They were beaten with a baseball bat and stabbed. Savvos & Vera were strangled. And poor Philip! Only 10 years old. Vera’s husband came to the house to look for his wife while this crime was in progress, while the ransom money was being gathered & DW made sure Savvos or Amy didn’t get to a phone.

How horrible of DW to inflict all that pain on those 2 families! What a sleazy pathetic individual DW to torture a child. Too bad there is no DP in DC.
 
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“Being only 5.7 tall never makes anyone less dangerous or weaker. Wint worked out and I would bet he was strong.

Many of our notorious mass killers have been small in stature.

Joe Duncan was thin weighing only 160 pounds yet he was able to control two adults and one muscular teen who outweighed him. He came in and shortly afterwards he made each of the three victims tie the other one up. They thought he came to rob them so they felt if they complied he would leave. He was able to control 5 people including the 2 children he kidnapped and took them with him.

Once bound and helpless he murdered each of the three with a huge hammer just like he had planned to do all along.

I know many smaller men who are very stromg and can lift heavy items that larger men struggle to lift by themselves. Size has nothing to do with how strong or weak someone is.

That is why I haven't quite understood the theory he couldn't do this by himself especially since we have discussed many mass murder cases throughout the years showing one sole murderer killed multiple victims by themselves.

In fact they have murdered far more than four victims right by themselves.

Jmo”

I’m jumping in as I’ve followed this case since it happened. I live in the DC/Metro area and this crime was a real shocker.

4 brutal murders, the victims were tortured first, holding a child hostage & threatening to kill the boy right in front of his parents. Who does that?
DW - that’s who. And no one else imo. I have read the possibilities of brothers helping to plan but I don’t believe the brothers knew DW plans.

So evil! And DW cried when his fiancé was on the stand. What a loser! He is delusional as well if he thought he’d get away with it.

Those poor folks just going about their day & it all changed - followed by hours of torture & emotional stress. How terrible. Imagine those folks’ fear all those hours DW held them hostage.
 
Q
I so agree.

I think DW planned & implemented this crime & planned cold blooded murder. I joined our local news FB Group ( DC is my local news ad I live in Maryland). I’ve been following the trial since Day 1 & came here for another thread & am happy to see this discussion.

This crime is so sad!

This trial is fascinating to me because I can’t fanthom not understand why this person DW is so evil! How could he do this to that family & Vera’s? It’s horrible.
What a sleazy pathetic individual DW to torture a child.

Thank you.

I think the real lesson learned in this case and so many more like his.. is the brutal realization that people like Wint walk among us.

Those who are perfectly capable of doing the most heinous barbaric acts against totally innocent and defenseless victims they did not know and do so without having one ounce of remorse. What does Wint do after murdering them all? Goes to the gym to workout.

There seems to be more and more psychopaths than ever before who invade homes and do the most horrific acts against the families inside before murdering the victims.

One case that sticks with me didn't end in death for the three victims. What sticks is the unimaginable torture inflicted. The woman was repeatedly raped in front of the two men who were tied up and helpless to stop them. But that was not enough to satisfy them. They used power tools and drilled into the ankles and knees of the two men. They told them at the beginning they had no money to give them yet they continue to torture and rape holding them captive for 3 days.

It shows so many enjoy the brutal torture they inflict. It shows their motive isn't solely about robbing others of their possessions. It goes much deeper than that in the twisted evil minds of Wint and other intruders like him.

Wint will not be the last psychopath to do this to unsuspecting families.

There has been an uptick in home invasions resulting in heinous torture..rapes before the victims are brutally murdered.

Jmo
 
The barbarity of the attack kind of cuts both ways. Yes, DW has a long history of ridiculous rage, threats and even violence (in upstate NY, rarely mentioned among all the threats against tiny daughters, ROs for family members etc).

But OTOH brutal violence has an explosive quality - like all emotions, rage tends to dissipate as it’s expressed. To keep the violence up, one has to constantly renew the urge from moment to moment. That seems to be easier IMO when someone is egging the violent person on, providing a motivating factor (EG impressing and entertaining one’s friends) that doesn’t depend on internal emotions that run their course & lead to exhaustion.

En re DNA evidence pointing to DW & DW alone - it sounds like the crime scene was destroyed in the act of fighting the fire and probably left full of unidentified DNA, fingerprints etc (EG firefighters drank water bottles from home fridge). Once LE had the CODIS hit on DW from the pizza, IMO they probably focused on finding DNA that confirmed his involvement rather than IDing everyone who was in the house.

DW himself left no prints and very few DNA hits given he was there a full day! Clearly steps were taken, mostly successfully, to not leave DNA. If DW’s accomplice didn’t like pizza(!) & had near-shorn hair (like DrW in Walmart video per news reporting) there’s no reason to think he would’ve left evidence behind IMO.

As to knowledge shown in commission of crime - cutting phone, avoiding DNA drops, whatever planning - I’ll bet there’s plenty of info passed around among the criminal class about the ABCs of this sort of thing.

I heard a “Casefile” podcast recently where the killer ordered a book on how to commit an unsolvable murder and followed it closely. I’m def not implying DW would ever read a book! But there are surely websites, FB discussions about this sort of thing. Crime fascinates people - look at us here - and those who don’t identify with victims often approach it from the other angle.

Have to add - IMO I have NO IDEA whether DW acted entirely alone, was self-motivated or hired, had an accomplice in the home or simply manipulated family into helping him after the fact when nothing could’ve been done to save the innocent victims anyway, or any combination thereof. The facts, few as they are, IMO cut one way and then they cut the other! Maybe in pros closing statement they will finally lay out exactly how they think this all went down... but given that they’re betting the house on lone actor theory, IMO maybe they won’t.
 
There have been many murderers who have a violent criminal past which elevated to murder.

However there also have been many murderers who had no criminal past whatsoever who have done unimaginable murders.

Here we do have a criminal with a violent criminal past. He seems to rage to extremes over the slightest of thing always wanting to get even and threatening even his own family. He is the type capable of the acts he is charged with.

Imo it isn't logical LE didn't look for other participants. They would want to bring justice to this family including arresting anyone and everyone involved.

They investigated this for 3 years. If they had supporting evidence that anyone was involved they would have arrested them also. But the police doesn't arrest anyone based on gut feelings.

They go strictly by where the evidence leads them and it only leads right back to the one on trial. In order to successfully bring anyone to trial all prosecutors must present evidence of their crime that can convince a jury BARD.

To even get an arrest warrant they must show probable cause which is a much lower standard.

If they had any evidence of anyone else's involvement they would arrest them to make sure the murdered victims families have full justice and not half justice by only arresting one... the police and prosecutor would never want anyone involved in this slaughter to walk free in the streets with its citizens.

It's not logical to me either that DNA wouldn't be found along with Wints if anyone else was there. The evidence wasn't destroyed in the fire even though when he set it he expected it to be. It didn't destroy his nor would it destroy others if they had participated in the murders and burning the vehicles.

The jury will go by the evidence against this defendant. They sit in judgement on HIS case. They are not there to speculate.

There is an overwhelming amount of evidence he is the guilty party. Imo he will be convicted for what he solely did to his 4 victims.

Jmo
 
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I think the one thing we can learn from these murders is this-you need to have a code or phrase that will alert your spouse/partner if you are in a hostage situation.
We know AS called SS to come home.
What if she had said “Call Aunt X and tell her not to come over tonight because PS is too sick.” And Aunt X has been dead 20 years so this would be impossible. That should alert someone that something is not right.

None of us want to think about these situations but we should.

JMO
 
The truth is in tweeted cases like this one we do not know all of the facts that have been presented to his jurors.

We only get snippets during each day of trial testimony. The jury hears hours and hours of testimony each and every day of the trial.

Imo
 
I think the one thing we can learn from these murders is this-you need to have a code or phrase that will alert your spouse/partner if you are in a hostage situation.
We know AS called SS to come home.
What if she had said “Call Aunt X and tell her not to come over tonight because PS is too sick.” And Aunt X has been dead 20 years so this would be impossible. That should alert someone that something is not right.

None of us want to think about these situations but we should.

JMO

Excellent points.

Often I think if we believe a family was specifically targeted for some reason it makes us feel safer. I do understand that belief. But denial can be dangerous too by unrealistically making us believe it can't happen to any of us at any given time because it can.

The truth no doubt is very hard to face but we must be realistic for that is the only way we may be able to protect ourselves and family members. Having secret code words is an excellent idea.

The truth can be extremely brutal at times but no one no matter where they live are immune. We have seen families from all walks of life be murder victims of stranger home intruders.

Thank you for your thought provoking post.

We don't need to turn our heads away from this stark reality but discuss ways that may protect us from people like Wint because they are out there and we will see more cases involving home intruders preying on more victims.

I wish this case was an anomaly but tragically it is not but eerily similar to other victims who were tortured before being murdered by their own intrusive monsters who overkilled them too.

Imo
 
I'm coming around to accepting that DW acted alone inside the house. But it's still driving me nuts trying to figure how he got in and out undetected without any help. Even if he was able to walk to and from the Metro unnoticed by someone in the community there are cameras in Metro stations that would have shown him, and someone on one of those trains would have probably recalled seeing him after his picture was all over the news. Also, there are embassies and expensive homes all over that area with security cameras. Something or someone would have detected him. Where did he get the gasoline and duct tape? He couldn't walk around outside carrying a container of gasoline and have no one notice. Who was driving the Porsche, and why steal it just to burn it? Why did he burn his own van and why was it parked downtown? It must have contained evidence of the crime. My guess is that he had it towed to avoid the possibility of being pulled over by police while he was driving and having that evidence seized. Someone must have provided transportation for him either to and/or from that house, probably driving him in his own van. These are questions that keep me up at night. I hate the idea of anyone who helped him commit this horrendous act go unpunished.
 
I'm coming around to accepting that DW acted alone inside the house. But it's still driving me nuts trying to figure how he got in and out undetected without any help. Even if he was able to walk to and from the Metro unnoticed by someone in the community there are cameras in Metro stations that would have shown him, and someone on one of those trains would have probably recalled seeing him after his picture was all over the news. Also, there are embassies and expensive homes all over that area with security cameras. Something or someone would have detected him. Where did he get the gasoline and duct tape? He couldn't walk around outside carrying a container of gasoline and have no one notice. Who was driving the Porsche, and why steal it just to burn it? Why did he burn his own van and why was it parked downtown? It must have contained evidence of the crime. My guess is that he had it towed to avoid the possibility of being pulled over by police while he was driving and having that evidence seized. Someone must have provided transportation for him either to and/or from that house, probably driving him in his own van. These are questions that keep me up at night. I hate the idea of anyone who helped him commit this horrendous act go unpunished.

I do understand all of the unanswered questions you and others have.

For decades I have followed criminal cases and each and every time so many have unanswered questions in all of the cases. Questions that never are answered.

It's impossible to know all of these things unless the suspect gives a confession and even in cases where it's happened there are still questions left unanswered.

In cases where a suspect pleads guilty we think we are finally going to know all of the details that leaves no unanswered questions. However in most cases the defendant just has to admit guilt leaving so many questions that are never answered.

With Wint he is the type to never divulge the details of how he did all of this. He will never admit guilt or say he was solely involved from beginning to end even though his own brother in law testified he contacted him wanting him to assist in burning his own van which he declined to do thank goodness.

I don't think he needed any help but he did want his family member involved. I think his motive was to have someone else he could blame.

He seems to use his family when it is an advantage to him. Other than that he has no use for them. When he doesn't have a need to use them then he returns to being hostile and belligerent having a volatile relationship.

I believe one of his deep seeded motives was to feel the power and control over how and when his four victims would die. I think a lot of it was about needing to feel this sick twisted power over others which he had never had before.

He exhibits many traits of a narcissist psychopath. When they do resort to murder it's often horrendous overkills...where the evidence shows gross torture was involved.

They rarely if ever plead guilty or confess. I think that is another control factor of their narcissistic beliefs which let's them only know the detailed dark secrets of what all they have done and how they did it all.

They know normal people long for answers and they inwardly gloat that only they know those answers which they will never give up. To do so would be giving up their power and control.

So I have learned to live with the fact that unanwered question will be left unanswered.

In the end at least these cases were proven in court the suspects were guilty. No case has all questions answered but at least there was evidence of guilt BARD so they are held accountable no matter what they divulge themselves.

That is truly what really matters the most.

ETA I have heard many seasoned detectives say...in a lot of these cases..the luck was on the side of the murderers. That makes sense because in a lot of them there were no eye witnesses who saw or heard anything when it was happening.

Jmo
 
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Fortunately under DC felony murder law, he is guilty if he had any knowing involvement at all - doesn’t matter what role an accomplice might have played

True but they have entered evidence for weeks now showing he wasn't an accomplice but the sole prepetrator.

Since he was in the commission of two first degree felonies when he murdered the 4 victims the felony rule would apply to him if the DA has filed such charges.

1. First degree felony. Holding them against their will as hostages. 2. First degree felony. Ransom for financial gain.... he would be guilty of felony murder on his own without any accomplices.

Imo
 
The podcast is great! One question tho - there was talk about phone calls between DrW and SW that I’d thought were between SW & DW ..... followed by talk about DrW being hired by SW’s company, which I hadn’t heard before. So now I’m not sure who SW called a bunch of times on May 12-14 with an offer of work.
 
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