Darron Wint Sentenced to Life in Prison for Killing Four People in Northwest Washington Home Invasion
Defendant Was Convicted of All 20 Charges Against Him
WASHINGTON - Darron Wint, 37, also known as Daron Wint, formerly of Lanham, Md., was sentenced today to four consecutive sentences of life in prison, with no possibility of release, for the May 2015 slayings of Savvas Savopoulos; his wife, Amy Savopoulos; their son, Philip Savopoulos; and a household employee, Veralicia Figueroa.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Wint was found guilty by a jury on Oct. 25, 2018, of 20 felony charges, including multiple counts of first-degree murder while armed. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Juliet McKenna. At sentencing, Judge McKenna declared that the defendant’s conduct was “incomprehensible” and agreed with a jury finding that the crimes were heinous, atrocious and cruel.
“Today’s sentence holds Darron Wint accountable for kidnapping, torturing and ultimately murdering four innocent people, including a 10-year-old child, in an unspeakable ordeal that extended over almost 24 hours,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “Our hearts go out to the Savopoulos and Figueroa families, and we hope that they can take some comfort in knowing that this dangerous man has been brought to justice.”
“Our hope is that today’s sentencing brings closure to the Savopoulos and Figueroa families, as well as the community who were all affected by this heinous crime,” said Chief Newsham. “MPD worked tirelessly with our local and federal law enforcement partners to bring justice and I believe that today we can all move forward. I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts that led to the conclusion of this case.”
“The tragic and horrific events of May 2015 are a grim reminder of why investigating violent crime is a top priority for ATF,” said Special Agent in Charge Benedict. “Today we take another step closer to justice for the victims and their families and another step closer to helping this community try to heal. ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement partners every day in our ongoing priority to reducing violent crime and securing the safety of our communities.”
During nearly six weeks of testimony, the government presented testimony from more than 60 witnesses, including some that linked Wint to the crime scene through DNA on a pizza crust and other items. The jury found Wint guilty of all charges that were filed against him in an indictment, including the murder counts and kidnapping, burglary, extortion and theft.
The charges involved a series of crimes that took place on May 13 and May 14, 2015, during a home invasion of the Savopoulos family residence in Northwest Washington.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 13, 2015, Wint entered the Savopoulos home and seized and kidnapped the four victims. The following day, he stole $40,000 through means of extortion, murdered the victims, and set fire to the house.
After responding to reports of the fire, authorities discovered the bodies of Savvas Savopoulos, 46, Amy Savopoulos, 47, Philip Savopoulos, 10, and Veralicia Figueroa, 57.
In the aftermath of the murders, Wint performed a series of Internet searches for subjects such as “how to beat a lie detector test,” “10 hideout cities for fugitives,” and “five countries with no U.S. extradition treaty.” According to the government’s evidence, he fled to New York after he was publicly identified as a person of interest in the case and hid in a hotel. He eventually returned to the area and was arrested on May 21, 2015. He has been in custody ever since.
All told, Wint was found guilty of a total of 12 counts of first-degree murder while armed, all with aggravating circumstances. The charges include four counts of first-degree murder while armed (felony murder) in the course of a kidnapping; four counts of first-degree murder while armed (felony murder) in the course of a burglary, and four counts of first-degree premeditated murder while armed. In addition, Wint was found guilty of four counts of kidnapping and one count each of first-degree burglary, extortion, arson, and first-degree theft.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistance was provided by the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, the Prince George’s County, Md., Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences.
The case was investigated and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura R. Bach, Christopher Bruckmann, and Emily A. Miller, and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bach and Bruckmann.
Assistance was provided by a team at the U.S. Attorney’s Office that included Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist; Deputy Chiefs Chrisellen Kolb, John Mannarino, and Elizabeth Danello, of the Appellate Division; Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman; Paralegal Specialists Lornce Applewhite and Meridith McGarrity; former Paralegal Specialist Kendra Johnson; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Litigation Technology Specialist Anisha Bhatia; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Criminal Investigator John Marsh;, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator La June Thames; former Forensic Operation/Program Specialist Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie; Law Clerks Siri Palm and Julie Bessler, and former Law Clerk Jim McNally.
###
