WASHINGTON -- On Tuesday, after some six weeks of trial, the notorious D.C. Mansion Murders case came into the hands of 12 jurors to decide whether Daron Wint is guilty or not guilty in the torture and murder of a D.C. housekeeper and three Savopoulos family members.
Before the jury went to their deliberation room, two things happened in court: The defense finished their closing arguments and the government gave a rebuttal.
DC
Emotions erupt as closing arguments get underway in the DC Mansion Murders case
After about one month a three weeks, a jury will soon start deliberations in one of the District's most notorious trials: the DC Mansion Murders.
Author: Stephanie Ramirez
Published: 4:47 PM EDT October 22, 2018
Updated: 7:08 PM EDT October 22, 2018
WASHINGTON -- An emotional day for friends and family as closing arguments began in the notorious D.C. Mansion Murders case on Monday.
Even a few D.C.-area reporters sitting behind the family broke down in tears.
At closing arguments, the prosecution spent the morning going over some of the most important evidence brought up in this case. That meant looking at the post-mortem photos of bruising and the stab wounds on Amy Savopoulos' lifeless body.
The government’s rebuttal is where one of the most memorable points was made. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Bach told the courtroom, Daron Wint’s “biggest mistake” was that he “lit a match” because when he did, “in came the ATF.”
It was the ATF who swabbed and tested the evidence taken from the Northwest mansion-turned-crime scene.
The prosecution got the last chance to address the jury on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Bach told the group Wint wants it to be someone else. The problem: He is the one person implicated by evidence.
That evidence includes five samples of Daron Wint’s DNA, one of which that was found on a construction vest in Amy Savopoulos’ burnt Porsche. There was also the a knife, a pizza crust, hair found in a hardhat and piece of hair found on a bed – all four were found inside the home where Savvas, Amy, Philip Savopoulos and Amy Figueroa were bound, stabbed, beaten and set on fire.
But Wint's team argues this: Just because you were in the house, doesn’t mean you’re responsible.
They were never charged, but the defense team insists it was Daron Wint’s two brothers who carried out the crime and who duped Wint into coming to Northwest D.C. mansion.
Public Defender Judith Pipe argued a different timeline of events from May 13 to May 14 2015. She argued hair DNA could have come from a maternal brother. She questioned witness testimony in closing arguments. Pipe ultimately told the jury, “If you have any doubt, you must find Daron Wint not guilty.”
Wint was indicted on 20 different counts in this criminal case. This includes murder, arson and kidnapping. The jury has to make a decision on each count.
Not one of these four victims can speak for themselves. The jury has to use what was presented to come up with their own conclusion.
Because there are so many charges – this could take a day – it could take a week. W
We don’t know when deliberations will end. What we do know is: With the 12 jurors, it has to be unanimous decision. No independent investigation is allowed – jurors are not allowed to look up anything on their own. They are allowed to review evidence presented, this includes some of the weapons used. They are not allowed to talk to the media or family members about the case.
The jury is expected to continue deliberations at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday. It will last until 4:30 p.m. and potentially every work-day after that, until a decision is reached.
