DC - Savvas Savopoulos, family & Veralicia Figueroa murdered; Daron Wint Arrested #5

[1&2&3]

I disagree with the description of the driver taking a step-down job from the Go Kart business. As I see it, he saw a big potential of fulfilling his dream of being a race car driver with his employment by SS.

SS had the means and the interest to help him get exactly where he wanted to be. In addition, SS had a son interested in car racing, so what better way than to hire a mentor into the family. As many business's that SS owned, what was one more to consider adding to his repertoire? Besides, I imagine the salary the assistant was receiving was much more than at the Go Kart.

It is against the law for an employer to tell why an employee is let go. It is a big no-no! So an inside leak will have to happen for us to know. And I bet the Go Kart corporate office has threatened everyone who has access to that information since this is such a big news headline.

 

[roguelady]

Maybe the "Master Plan" was to steal the expensive car (and maybe art work, etc.) but everything went sour. I find it hard to believe that DW was the lone player. But after everything was set in motion things went sour, his true psychotic nature took over. The other players did not expect it. Damage control.

 

[jd dickinson]

If he was going to DC to turn himself in, why take a big truck with him?

I don't know. This is the odd detail that doesn't make sense to me, in any scenario.

I suppose it's possible that neither man in the truck wanted to volunteer a personal vehicle, and they needed a second vehicle, so one of the men decided to use his employer's vehicle. This might end up being a fast route to unemployment, as the truck was impounded along with the car for forensic examination. However, it might simply be that no other vehicle was owned by the men, and no one else with a vehicle wanted to loan theirs for this purpose.

Also I presume that both of the Wint brothers were avoiding the use of any family vehicles for fear of being spotted before reaching police. You can fault the decision making, but in their minds maybe this all made sense. "We have to get to the police before they get to us." The plan could even have come down as an edict from the father, to present themselves in person to the D.C. police.

 

[jjenny]

Maybe the "Master Plan" was to steal the expensive car (and maybe art work, etc.) but everything went sour. I find it hard to believe that DW was the lone player. But after everything was set in motion things went sour, his true psychotic nature took over. The other players did not expect it. Damage control.

What went sour, though? They were there for over 20 hours, nobody turned them in, father followed their directions, got the money to them.

 

[jjenny]

I don't know. This is the odd detail that doesn't make sense to me, in any scenario.

I suppose it's possible that neither man in the truck wanted to volunteer a personal vehicle, and they needed a second vehicle, so one of the men decided to use his employer's vehicle. This might end up being a fast route to unemployment, as the truck was impounded along with the car for forensic examination. However, it might simply be that no other vehicle was owned by the men, and no one else with a vehicle wanted to loan theirs for this purpose.

Also I presume that both of the Wint brothers were avoiding the use of any family vehicles for fear of being spotted before reaching police. You can fault the decision making, but in their minds maybe this all made sense. "We have to get to the police before they get to us." The plan could even have come down as an edict from the father, to present themselves in person to the D.C. police.

What did he need the men with the truck for to begin with? It's not like one needs an entourage to turn himself in.

 

[katydid23]

Man banging on the door must have been housekeeper's husband who came in looking for her.

That is very sad and is probably what happened. Poor man. :rose:

 

[jd dickinson]

What did he need the men with the truck for to begin with? It's not like one needs an entourage to turn himself in.

See my post #519 above. I think they were all coming clean at once, with the money. They decided this was the best way.

Here's another interesting detail: according to the "Supplement to the Arrest Warrant Affidavit," marshals found both "a large stack of what appeared to be $100 dollar bills" as well as money orders "in plain view" in the truck. Also apparently one of the women in the car claimed that one of the men in the truck had directed her "after the murders" to obtain money orders "to exceed $10,000" with some of the cash. The timeframe "after the murders" appears to suggest prior to that day (Thursday), and after the time of the murders (the prior Thursday).

I believe that the explanation is that Wint gave a large share of the money to one of the men in the truck, after the murders, and before heading to Brooklyn. This man and then the woman, at minimum, were then drawn into the crime as accessories after the fact (at minimum), even if they didn't know the origin of the cash. Therefore, the only way to "come clean" would be to round up everyone involved, along with the cash and the money orders, and deliver all these people and money to the police. Otherwise, these others might end up caught by police after Wint was apprehended and face their own separate charges.

This is, I believe, one reasonable explanation for the entourage and the money all being necessary (in their minds) to appear with Wint when he turned himself in. It's not the only explanation, but it fits the facts as we know them better than any other explanation I've read.

 

[jjenny]

Here's another interesting detail: according to the "Supplement to the Arrest Warrant Affidavit," marshals found both "a large stack of what appeared to be $100 dollar bills" as well as money orders "in plain view" in the truck. Also apparently one of the women in the car claimed that one of the men in the truck had directed her "after the murders" to obtain money orders "to exceed $10,000" with some of the cash. The timeframe "after the murders" appears to suggest prior to that day (Thursday), and after the time of the murders (the prior Thursday).

I believe that the explanation is that Wint gave a large share of the money to one of the men in the truck, after the murders, and before heading to Brooklyn. This man and then the woman, at minimum, were then drawn into the crime as accessories after the fact (at minimum), even if they didn't know the origin of the cash. Therefore, the only way to "come clean" would be to round up everyone involved, along with the cash and the money orders, and deliver all these people and money to the police. Otherwise, these others might end up caught by police after Wint was apprehended and face their own separate charges.

This is, I believe, one reasonable explanation for the entourage and the money all being necessary (in their minds) to appear with Wint when he turned himself in. It's not the only explanation, but it fits the facts as we know them better than any other explanation I've read.

Charging document (p.14): http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/documents/local/charging-papers-against-daron-wint/1558/

If somebody were an accessory after the fact, then they would still be an accessory after the fact, regardless of whether Mr. Wint turned himself in or not.

 

[stmarysmead]

I don't know. This is the odd detail that doesn't make sense to me, in any scenario.

I suppose it's possible that neither man in the truck wanted to volunteer a personal vehicle, and they needed a second vehicle, so one of the men decided to use his employer's vehicle. This might end up being a fast route to unemployment, as the truck was impounded along with the car for forensic examination. However, it might simply be that no other vehicle was owned by the men, and no one else with a vehicle wanted to loan theirs for this purpose.

Also I presume that both of the Wint brothers were avoiding the use of any family vehicles for fear of being spotted before reaching police. You can fault the decision making, but in their minds maybe this all made sense. "We have to get to the police before they get to us." The plan could even have come down as an edict from the father, to present themselves in person to the D.C. police.

But at least 4 of them could have fit in the one car. Why take an employers truck? "Oh, I needed to use it because my Brother The Child Torturer needed me to go with him to the police station..."

As if the company would be pleased with such an association!

So one person stays home...he still could fill the other car. So weird.

 

[clearskies1]

That's interesting. The box truck has North Carolina tags per the charging papers.

The box truck is probably similar to a rental car -- the tags can be from any state. When I rent cars the tags are often out-of-state.

 

[Mystian]

We don't know what instructions he was given about that.
He may have been doing what he was told

And I have to say again... :fence:

If my employer wanted me to be a cash delivery service I would ask him to buy me an armored car. I wouldn't like that responsibility with people potentially robbing me or other Murphy's law events. How would I pay it back if I "lost" it? I would definitely want to hand it to a live person and confirm my boss had it -directly from his own mouth.

 

[stmarysmead]

See my post #519 above. I think they were all coming clean at once, with the money. They decided this was the best way.

And then they all went home but Wint?

 

[katydid23]

Here's another interesting detail: according to the "Supplement to the Arrest Warrant Affidavit," marshals found both "a large stack of what appeared to be $100 dollar bills" as well as money orders "in plain view" in the truck. Also apparently one of the women in the car claimed that one of the men in the truck had directed her "after the murders" to obtain money orders "to exceed $10,000" with some of the cash. The timeframe "after the murders" appears to suggest prior to that day (Thursday), and after the time of the murders (the prior Thursday).

I believe that the explanation is that Wint gave a large share of the money to one of the men in the truck, after the murders, and before heading to Brooklyn. This man and then the woman, at minimum, were then drawn into the crime as accessories after the fact (at minimum), even if they didn't know the origin of the cash. Therefore, the only way to "come clean" would be to round up everyone involved, along with the cash and the money orders, and deliver all these people and money to the police. Otherwise, these others might end up caught by police after Wint was apprehended and face their own separate charges.

This is, I believe, one reasonable explanation for the entourage and the money all being necessary (in their minds) to appear with Wint when he turned himself in. It's not the only explanation, but it fits the facts as we know them better than any other explanation I've read.

Charging document (p.14): http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/documents/local/charging-papers-against-daron-wint/1558/

Then why wasnt anyone else arrested?

And they were all there together at the Howard Johnsons. No need to pile in a truck. They could have called it in and sat back and drank Mimosas while they waited.

Why would these accessories so willingly agree to drive themselves the to police station and turn themselves in with a man who tortured and killed a family?

I think it is more likely they were headed to a safe house or somewhere they could escape to. JMO

 

[katydid23]

See my post #519 above. I think they were all coming clean at once, with the money. They decided this was the best way.

Wow. I admire your ability to see the best in everyone. :wink: I am very jaded and cynical. I think they were hoping for a wild road trip.

 

[Advocate1]

LMAO!! My Dad freaks out if I lay something on his car...and it's a 2001 Lincoln Town Car. This has been his rule since I have been old enough to be told not to do something - and if I occasionally forget, I hear about it!!!

I am LOL cause my Dad is the same way and his vehicles are "Old School." I mean he kisses the roof of the car everytime we go on a long trip and make it home ever since I was kid! He can tell you what make and model any classic car is just by looking at it.
Its kinda annoying when you are the type that could give a crap about cars

 

[Aloysius]

I think the emphasis on the finger print and the lying of W1 by LE is an attempt to unsettle the brains of the operation. I also think that while they've got us looking in one direction, they're looking closely somewhere else. JMO.

 

[jjenny]

See my post #519 above. I think they were all coming clean at once, with the money. They decided this was the best way.

I will believe that when the suspect starts talking and tells LE who his accomplices are.

 

[jd dickinson]

If somebody were an accessory after the fact, then they would still be an accessory after the fact, regardless of whether Mr. Wint turned himself in or not.

I think it's strongly prejudicial in their favor that people in this situation turn themselves in, before they are caught or charged. Maybe they never face charges as a result, or if they do, their conduct in turning themselves in merits probation instead of jail time.

Whatever they thought about the origin of the money, "ransom money in the course of a quadruple homicide" was almost certainly not the explanation they had in mind prior to Wednesday. They can credibly claim to be in shock and trying to do the right thing thereafter.

At the same time, they can't credibly claim that they believed that the cash was innocent. Obviously the money came from bad means (drugs or burglary being typical candidates), so I don't know what the justice system does with people like this. They thought they were involved as accessories after the fact in "just" a felony, not a capital felony.

 

[popsicle]

If they really wanted to turn themselves in they could have even called a cab. I bet it wouldn't have cost 1k this time either.

 

[jd dickinson]

I will believe that when the suspect starts talking and tells LE who his accomplices are.

I'm not sure he has any accomplices. The crime screams to me of one vengeful and deranged man acting alone. Also I think he was motivated by murder (wrath) at least as much as for money (greed). I think we'll find out that the weapon was a machete, much used in Guyana for killing, and symbolic for Wint as striking a blow for justice.

It's possible that forensics or a confession will show an accomplice, but I'd be surprised. This was a very personal crime, a crime of passion, IMO.