Second DNA Sample Links Lanham Suspect to DC Mansion Murders: Police

Testimony that investigators found a second DNA sample inside the car stolen from a victim in the Washington, D.C., mansion murders was enough for a judge to rule that a Lanham man should face trial.

Savvas Savopoulos, 46, and his wife, Amy, son Philip, 10, and housekeeper Vera Figueroa, were all found murdered in their Northwest DC mansion May 14, when firefighters found them while putting out a blaze at the home.

Daron Dylon Wint, 34, of Lanham was arrested in May in D.C. on charges of first-degree felony murder in the grisly case. Authorities said then that DNA left on a crust of leftover pizza at the mansion led police to Wint.

At a hearing Monday, investigators said they found a second sample of Wint’s DNA on a vest inside Amy Savopoulos’ burned Porsche, which was left in New Carrollton, reports WTOP.

Police also said at the hearing that the medical examiner has revised the cause of death for Savvas Savopoulos and Figueroa. Both victims were strangled to death and also died of blunt force trauma.

Court records indicate Philip was burned to death and also suffered sharp force trauma, while his mother died of sharp force and blunt force wounds.

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Domino’s Pizza was delivered the night before the murders to the DC mansion while the family was reportedly being held captive, according to police.

The motive for the killings was reportedly money. Police say $40,000 was delivered to the home the day of the murders by an assistant to Savopoulos. Wint, a welder, had worked for American Iron Works at one time.

Wint moved to the United States from Guyana in 2000 and joined the U.S. Marines in 2001; Wint received a medical discharge from the Marines a few months later, the New York Times reported.

Authorities have said they believe Wint didn’t act alone, but have not charged anyone else in the murdes. CNN reported in June that the Lanham man charged in the DC mansion murders has a cousin who was fired from the company run by Savvas Savopoulos.

The network reported that Wint’s cousin was fired from American Iron Works of Hyattsville, which was owned by Savopoulos, and threatened to burn the place down. Company officials obtained a restraining order barring the man from the premises, the sources told CNN.

»PHOTOS of Daron Wint of Lanham, MD, courtesy of DC Police Department