First-Degree Murder Charge|in D.C. ‘Mansion Murders’

WASHINGTON (CN) - A man charged with kidnapping and murdering three members of a Washington family and their housekeeper last May was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder and 19 other felonies.

The Superior Court grand jury charged Daron Wint, 35, with first-degree murder while armed, burglary, kidnapping, extortion and theft in the May 14 murders of Savvas, Amy and Philip Savopoulos and Veralicia Figueroa.

Twelve of the charges involve murder, all of them punishable by 30 years to life in prison, according to the U.S. attorney.

Wint also is charged with four counts of kidnapping and one count each of first-degree burglary, extortion, arson and first-degree theft.

He is accused of holding the Savopoulos family hostage while Savvas' chauffeur dropped $40,000 in cash at their Northwest Washington home. Prosecutors say Wint then murdered Savvas, his wife Amy, their 10-year-old son Philip and Figueroa before setting the house ablaze and fleeing.

Savvas, who had been the CEO of American Ironworks, Amy and Figueroa died of blunt and sharp force trauma, while Philip succumbed to "thermal and sharp force trauma injuries," according to the affidavit in support of Wint's arrest.

Authorities responding to the house fire found the four victims inside, and uneaten pizza crust that investigators eventually found to contain DNA that matched Wint's profile in an FBI database, according to the affidavit.

Amy Savopoulos' blue Porsche was missing, and a witness reported seeing a black man with "short, well groomed hair" driving a similar car erratically down New York Avenue in Washington shortly after the fire.

Police later found the car burning behind a building in New Carrolton, Md., just outside the District of Columbia, along with a reflective vest that also contained DNA matching Wint's profile, according to the affidavit.

Wint was arrested on May 21 and was initially charged with first-degree murder while armed in Savvas Savopoulos' death.

Prosecutors originally suggested two people could have been involved, but no one else has been arrested or charged in the so-called mansion murders.

Wint will be arraigned on Friday.

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