WASHINGTON (AP) - Authorities in the nation's capital say more than one person is responsible for the slayings of four people inside a Washington mansion last week.
A fugitive task force arrested Daron Dylon Wint Thursday night, and took five people who were with him into custody. Wint is the only person currently charged with the murder of Savvas Savopoulos; his wife Amy; their 10-year-old son, Philip; and their housekeeper, Veralicia Figueroa.
But a court document suggests investigators aren't done making arrests. It says "the crimes described in this affidavit required the presence and assistance of more than one person."
Savvas Savopoulos, 46, his wife Amy, 47, son Phillip, 10, and housekeeper Veralicia Figueroa, 57, were found dead in the family's burning home on Woodland Drive on May 14. Thirty-four-year-old Daron Dylon Wint, who once worked for American Iron Works, the family's business, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder for their deaths. Wint appeared in court Friday afternoon, with handcuffs and chains around his legs, where he was held without bond. His next hearing will be held on June 23.
Investigators revealed Friday that more than one person must have been responsible for the slayings of four people inside a Washington family's mansion last week.
The Crime Scene
The bodies of Savvas and Amy Savopoulos and Veralicia Figueroa were found in a second floor bedroom. Savvas and Amy were pronounced dead on the scene, and Figueroa was taken to Georgetown University Hospital where she was pronounced dead. All three died from blunt and sharp force trauma.
Phillip was found in an adjacent bedroom, where police believe the fire started. His body was on the charred mattress of a queen sized bed, the majority of which had been destroyed by the fire. Phillip died from "thermal and sharp force trauma".
There was fire damage to all of the furniture in the bedroom where officials found Phillip. The entire home smelled like gasoline, and there was ignitable liquid on the stairs and in the room where three bodies were found. At the top of the stairs, investigators found matches and a match box.
The Pizza Delivery
At 9:14 p.m. Wednesday, police say Amy Savopoulos ordered two Domino's pizzas while being held hostage in the home. She paid with the family's credit card, and told the delivery person that she was nursing her sick child and would not come to the door. She asked the delivery person to put the pizzas on the front porch, ring the door bell and leave. When the delivery person arrived at the house, all of the lights were off, except for the front porch light.
The pizza boxes were found in the bedroom where three bodies were located. One of them was uneaten, and the other one was almost totally eaten, with left over crust in the box. DNA from the pizza crust helped police identify Wint as a suspect. Prosecutors say there's a latent print on a water bottle from the mansion, and they want Wint's prints for a comparison.
The Money Drop
Savvas Savopoulos's driver was interviewed by police about the money that he dropped off at the family's home. He originally said that Savvas called him the morning of May 14, but then changed his account and said he received a text on May 13. The text from Savvas told the driver to meet another employee Thursday morning in Hyattsville to pick up the package, which was $40,000 in cash. When asked why he gave police incorrect information, the driver said he made a mistake.
At first, the driver said the money was in a manila envelope from a bank. He later corrected his story to say that the money came from a second employee. That employee had bundles of cash, which the driver put in a red bag and then drove to the Savopoulos home. When he was ten minutes from the house, he called Savvas to say he was nearby with the package. The driver told police that Savvas said to leave the money on the seat of his unlocked car, which was parked in the garage. The driver arrived at the house and put the envelope on the driver's seat of the car.
The second employee told police that the money had come from a Bank of America and totaled $40,000. That witness showed investigators photos of the cash in a red lined bag. Police said there was no money found in the car at the family's home. When Wint was arrested in D.C., he had $10,000.
The Stolen Car
On Thursday, May 14, Amy Savopoulos's blue, 2008 Porsche 911 was missing from the house. A witness told police that they saw the car around 1:30 p.m. driving on New York Avenue, Northeast headed toward Maryland. The car was being driven by a black male with short, well groomed hair. He was wearing a neon lime green construction vest.
The car was found on fire around 5:30 p.m. in the 8001 block of Annapolis Road in New Carrollton, Md. Video surveillance shows a black male, wearing a dark colored hoodie and blue jeans, carrying a bucket. The neon lime green vest was found burned in the car. Officials say several of these vests were found in the family's garage.
