WASHINGTON - Jury selection is now underway in one of D.C.’s most notorious murder cases: the D.C. Mansion Murders.
Police said Daron Wint bound, stabbed and burned his victims’ bodies in the overnight hours, from May 13 to May 14 2015.
The victims are Savvas Savopoulos, his wife Amy Savopoulos, their 10-year-old son Philip Savopoulos and the family’s housekeeper, Veralicia “Vera” Figueroa.
Three years later, the case is now going to trial.
Wednesday, D.C. Superior Court Judge Juliette McKenna and attorneys started the process of going through 160 potential jurors. They must narrow the pool down to the 16 people they believe will make and "fair and impartial jury."
Inside Courtroom 203, a few potential jurors told Judge McKenna, they had heard the jury selection process would begin but did not realize they would be a part of it.
One man sat up in his chair to see the suspect stand up and introduce himself.
A calm Wint, wearing long braids, a button-up shirt and yellow tie, greeted the judge and later potential jurors.
Wint is an immigrant from Guyana who once worked at the victim’s company and has a history of assault. Police had identified Wint and placed him at the scene of the crime after reportedly finding his DNA evidence on a discarded pizza crust.
Police and Firefighters originally responded to the Northwest D.C. mansion for the report of a fire. Detectives had said the youngest victim, 10-year-old Phillip, had been burned alive.
Wint denied the crimes and has pleaded not guilty.
Eight potential jurors were expected to be questioned by end of court on Wednesday. Another 80 are expected to be questioned on Thursday.
Some of the questioned asked included: which D.C. neighborhoods jurors lived in and whether they had heard about this case in the news.
One man told the Judge he jogged by the home and knew the case well. This man was excused.
The trial is expected to get underway next week, on Tuesday.
Court employees said this trial is definitely one of the more significant ones. Judge McKenna told potential jurors it will last for two months. The judge is hoping to begin deliberations around November 5.
